Saturday of the 4th Week of Lent
Jer 11:18-20
Jn 7:40-53
‘Go into the matter, and see for yourself: prophets do not come out of Galilee.’
Have you ever tried to tell someone an uncomfortable truth? That is, a piece of fact that the listener finds very difficult to accept for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you had pointed out to a colleague, or a peer, that they are about to make a wrong decision in their work or social setting. Or perhaps you tried to tell a parent or spouse that they had not handled a situation well. I’m sure we have all experienced either telling or receiving uncomfortable truths.
And what has the response to these uncomfortable truths been? There is of course denial — a polite waving away of our concerns, followed by an assurance that they ‘know what they are doing’. In other instances, emotions can run high. The recipient of an uncomfortable truth can become upset or even angry, at times giving rise to arguments. In today’s gospel reading, we read about how the Pharisees and some in the crowd became similarly upset and angry, when confronted with the uncomfortable truth that Jesus is the Christ.
Why did the Pharisees behave this way? And why do we behave the way that we do when we are confronted by uncomfortable truths? The answer to that lies in the very fact that an uncomfortable truth is, at the end of the day, very much true. It is our own expectations of what the truth is supposed to look like, tinted by our selfish desires and social conditioning, that makes us so uncomfortable.
For the Pharisees, it was inconceivable for the Christ, or any prophet, to come from Galilee. Even Nicomedus, who tried to speak sense to the Pharisees, was accused of being from Galilee. For the rest of us, we feel uncomfortable when our perceptions and expectations are proven to be wrong in the face of the truth. But we must not fear this feeling of discomfort, or even anger, when facing uncomfortable truths.
The reality is that the practice of our Christian faith can bring forth much personal discomfort, whether in the form of having to give up our own needs in service of others or facing persecution for our faith. The early Christians faced similar challenges and discomfort. As Christians, we need to be prepared to shed any illusions and perceptions that may be holding us back from accepting the truth of Christ, even if it brings much discomfort to ourselves.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Jacob Woo)
Prayer: We pray for the wisdom to see Your work in our lives, and for the fortitude to continue living our lives in accordance to Your will.
Thanksgiving: Lord, we are thankful for Your presence in our lives and for all the times that You have given us glimpses and visions of our true calling as Your children and disciples.
OXYGEN 
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