IF YOU ARE THE MESSIAH, TELL US PLAINLY

At 11,19-26; Ps 86; Jn 10,22-30
24 APRIL
The Jews ask Jesus a very clear question: “How long will you keep us uncertain? You are the Christ, tell us openly”. Apparently it is a question to know who He really is to be able to dissolve all uncertainty. In reality it is a real trap, set on the path of Jesus to make him fall. There is no answer to the question, because there is no possibility of dialogue in the search for truth. The Jews await a Messiah according to human thoughts and ways. Instead, Jesus is Messiah according to divine modes and ways, established by the Father since eternity. Jesus explains this difference to Pilate, when by now he knows that the truth is needed by history and the future, but not the present, because the present is closed to every supernatural light.

So Pilate went back into the praetorium and summoned Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants (would) be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he again went out to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in him (Jn 18,33-38).

Jesus’ answer is immediate: “I told you it and you do not believe; the works that I perform in the name of my Father, these bear witness to me”. If you want to know who I Am, look at my works. Because they are greater than those made by Moses and even greater than any other man sent by God, I Am greater than all of them. If those who have preceded me come from God, I too come from God. This is the first truth to put in the heart. Once you believe that I Am from God, then every other dialogue will be possible. But if you do not believe that I Am from God, on what basis can we discuss or dialogue?

In fact, Jesus immediately adds: “But you do not believe because you are not part of my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice and I know them and they follow me”. Every sheep is given to Christ by his Father. Why were not the Jews given to Christ by the Father? The Father wished He could give them all to Christ, but they did not want to. The Father gives to Christ for faith in Him. Faith is also a rational act. Jesus asks them nothing but this faith. Examine the Scriptures, scrutinize all the works of every man of God, you will know that my works more than any other ones, attest that I am from God. Having put this truth in the heart, every other dialogue will be possible. But the Jews want in every way, even by stifling the truth, to deny and destroy this origin.

The feast of the Dedication was then taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

When through the path of faith the Father gives us to Christ, there are no powers either on earth, in the heavens, or in the underworld that can tear us from Him. Only the sheep can move away from Him and she moves away when she stops walking in the Word of Jesus. For the works it is believed that Jesus is from the Father. By obedience to the Word of Jesus one remains with him. When the disciple obeys, no one will snatch him from his Master. Only through disobedience and non-listening we can separate ourselves from Christ the Lord.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints make us true listeners of Christ.