Please read the Scripture passage before the homily.
You know me and you do not know me. A grandfather was in the Vietnam Conflict. He said he had served as a cook. On a camping trip with his grandson, however, he showed shrewd knowledge of the survival skills that brought them both home safely. Upon coming home and preparing to give his home to his son, the veteran’s awards for bravery in action were found and his family found he was considered a hero. He was known and not known. Some people successfully hide past secrets in order to live comfortably in the present; they are known and not known.
So it was with Jesus. The crowd knew he had come from Nazareth in Galilee, and maybe knew some of his relatives. They did not, however , know that he had come from God in heaven. Any inkling of a divine origin they did not imagine. Nor did unbelievers in the time of John recognize any divine origin for Jesus. The argument in this passage was for both groups. It is also for us and our generation.
Remember that the gospels were written not mainly to give biographies of Jesus, but to bring Jesus into the lives of the current believers and bring these believers into the life of Jesus. It is for us and our times that the Gospels have come to us. We are agents of Christ for the people and world of today.
Our passage ends with the note that Jesus’ hour had not yet come. Jesus escaped because it was not the right time. When the hour would come, Jesus would not be killed, assassinated, or put to death. Jesus was leading a procession to his coronation and when he would come to the place of coronation, Jesus would hand over his Spirit, reveal his true identity, and, by dying, undo the power of death in the world.
Our lives on earth are processions to the heavenly court of the Father and Jesus. We have places reserved for us. We are not condemned to death but going to the fullness of life. Like Jesus, we will not have our lives taken away from us, but we hand over our lives to the Father and so enter into the glory of Jesus.
Homily: 24 March 2023: John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
Please read the Scripture passage before the homily.
You know me and you do not know me. A grandfather was in the Vietnam Conflict. He said he had served as a cook. On a camping trip with his grandson, however, he showed shrewd knowledge of the survival skills that brought them both home safely. Upon coming home and preparing to give his home to his son, the veteran’s awards for bravery in action were found and his family found he was considered a hero. He was known and not known. Some people successfully hide past secrets in order to live comfortably in the present; they are known and not known.
So it was with Jesus. The crowd knew he had come from Nazareth in Galilee, and maybe knew some of his relatives. They did not, however , know that he had come from God in heaven. Any inkling of a divine origin they did not imagine. Nor did unbelievers in the time of John recognize any divine origin for Jesus. The argument in this passage was for both groups. It is also for us and our generation.
Remember that the gospels were written not mainly to give biographies of Jesus, but to bring Jesus into the lives of the current believers and bring these believers into the life of Jesus. It is for us and our times that the Gospels have come to us. We are agents of Christ for the people and world of today.
Our passage ends with the note that Jesus’ hour had not yet come. Jesus escaped because it was not the right time. When the hour would come, Jesus would not be killed, assassinated, or put to death. Jesus was leading a procession to his coronation and when he would come to the place of coronation, Jesus would hand over his Spirit, reveal his true identity, and, by dying, undo the power of death in the world.
Our lives on earth are processions to the heavenly court of the Father and Jesus. We have places reserved for us. We are not condemned to death but going to the fullness of life. Like Jesus, we will not have our lives taken away from us, but we hand over our lives to the Father and so enter into the glory of Jesus.