“No one ever spoke like this man” - Saturday 4th of Lent

Liturgic day: Saturday 4th of Lent

Gospel text (Jn 7,40-53): Many who had been listening to the words of Jesus began to say, “This is the Prophet”. Others said, “This is the Christ”. But some wondered, “Would the Christ come from Galilee? Doesn't Scripture say that the Christ is a descendant of David and from Bethlehem, the city of David?”.

The crowd was divided over him. Some wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers of the Temple went back to the chief priests who asked them, “Why didn't you bring him?”. The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man”. The Pharisees then said, “So you, too, have been led astray! Have any of the rulers or any of the Pharisees believed in him? Only these cursed people, who have no knowledge of the Law!”.

Yet one of them, Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier, spoke out, “Does our law condemn people without first hearing them and knowing the facts?”. They replied, “Do you, too, come from Galilee? Look it up and see for yourself that no prophet is to come from Galilee”. And they all went home.

Comment: Fr. Fernand ARÉVALO (Bruselas, Belgium)

“No one ever spoke like this man”

Today, the Gospel presents the different reactions which the words of our Lord produced. John's text does not offer us any word from the Master, but it does mention the consequences of what He said. Some thought He was a prophet; others said “This is the Christ” (Jn 7:41).

Jesus Christ is truly a “sign that will be contradicted” as Simon had told Mary (cf. Lk 2:34). Those who listened to Jesus' words did not remain indifferent to them, to the point that, on this occasion, as in many others, “the crowd was divided over Him” (Jn 7:43). The reply of the officers who wanted to arrest the Lord centers the question and shows us the power of Christ's words: “No one ever spoke like this man” (Jn 7:46). It is like saying: His words are different; they are not empty boastful words, full of arrogance and falseness. He is “the Truth” and his way of speaking reflects this reality.

And if this happened amid his audience, his deeds provoked even more amazement and admiration; but also, criticism, gossip, hate... Jesus Christ spoke “the language of charity”: his deeds and his words showed the deep love He felt towards all men, especially those more in need of assistance.

Today as then, we Christians are - must be - “a sign of contradiction”, because we do not speak and behave like others do. By imitating and following Jesus Christ, we likewise must use “the language of charity and love”, a necessary language that, in fact, we can all understand. As the Holy Father, our Pope Benedict XVI, wrote in his encyclical Deus caritas est, “Love – caritas - will always prove necessary, even in the most just society (...). Whoever wants to eliminate love is preparing to eliminate man as such”.

Source: www.evangeli.net