Old Testament: Jeremiah 11: 19-20
Gospel: John 7: 37-52
Psalm 7: 6-11
When I started looking over the readings for today, I was troubled with the adversarial tone of all three. Enemies seemed to be everywhere and pleas for the destruction of them filled the verses. I know that we have to be wary of evil, but I prefer to be able to look for the good.
The Pharisees, like many in the establishment, are naturally suspicious of someone whose teachings make theirs seem petty and pettifogging. They refuse to acknowledge how the crowd is taking nourishment and encouragement from Jesus’ teachings. They berate the police who see no wrong in Jesus (a foreshadowing of what will happen at Jesus’ final Passover). They make fun of Nicodemus and accuse him of being a bad scholar — perhaps because they haven’t bothered to find out Jesus’ early origins. They look for the bad, not the good.
As I said, I prefer to look for the good in life, and there is good in the reading from John. We just have to shift the focus. There are many people willing to hear Jesus’ message of living water. The police are not just blindly following orders, but are listening and using their minds. Nicodemus, himself a Pharisee, has heard and believed Jesus. He defends him, insisting they follow their own rules about accusing people.
Sometimes, it seems very hard when one is surrounded by evil, to find the good in the world, but indeed it is there — there are always persons helping others in need, even the needy themselves helping those who need help. I work the greeting desk for St. Andy’s Pantry and more than once,
people have come in saying they will need help filling out the forms. As I am about to direct them to one of our helpers, another one of our clients will speak up and say, “Come with me. I’ll help you.”
That is the true meaning of Christ’s ministry: “Come with me, I’ll help you” — either filling out a form or sharing the living waters of Christ. We just have to look for and work for the good in life.
Barbara Patterson
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