As we get closer to Holy week, we see the Jews’ hatred for Our Lord grow. As the Gospel finished yesterday with the people wanting to stone him, today’s gospel narrative starts likewise. This is all because they don’t believe in what Jesus says about himself or recognise the miracles He had performed to show forth his glory.
To answer them, Christ says, “If I am not doing my father’s work, there is no need to believe me; but if I am doing it, then even if you refuse to believe in me, at least believe in the work I do”. The hearts of the Jews are hardened like Pharaoh in the book of Exodus. It is in Jesus’ patience and courage in the face of such persecution which gives us hope. That we can follow in His example when others belittle us for having faith in Him as God
The first reading also offers a consolation. The prophet Jeremiah is also experiencing pressure from others to abandon his beliefs. But he doubles down and says, “But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero; my opponents will stumble, mastered, confounded by their failure” In the same way and in the same city centuries later, Jesus will proclaim his certainty that God the Father will prove Him right against the Jews who do not believe. “We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” as st. Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians. As we prepare for Holy Week, may we take comfort in knowing that Christ did preserve through the jeers and mockery, that He did so out of love for us, that He could undergo the death on the cross, in order to rise from the dead and fulfil God’s plan of salvation.