Today’s Gospel lesson from John 5:31-47 has us listening to Jesus speaking to a group of Jews, who despite having been exposed to his teachings and his works, have not come to believe in him as God’s Son.  There are two threads that spoke to me in these words: the first is Jesus’ reference to scripture and the second is his reference to human praise.

I have been guilty throughout my life – as have many others – of trying to intellectualize my faith; to make sense of what is in my heart.  Surely there is something I will read in Scripture that speaks resoundingly to me.  Something that will seemingly “hit me between the eyes” and make my brain finally understand and fully accept all of God’s existence and teachings.  In this reading Jesus says:

“You search the Scriptures,
because you think you have eternal life through them;
even they testify on my behalf.
But you do not want to come to me to have life.”

How easy it is to read and think; how difficult it is to have a true, deep relationship with Jesus.  To “come to me to have life.”  I enrich my relationship to the extent that I practice, as Ignatius did; to read and think is well and good, but partnering that effort with deeper, imaginative prayer that puts me in settings with and in conversation with Jesus.

The other issue raised in this reading reminds me how quickly we fall into the trap of heeding human praise.  If others think highly of someone and herald her/his character or works, then I may also jump on that bandwagon.  Although Jesus’ lesson here is about accepting praise from others over the Praise of God, as I understand it, my other take-away is to be mindful of the who I revere.  Does the person manifest our better angels?  Is she loving in the way of Christ?  Has he earned human praise for worldly gain?  The reading cautions me to look for God’s values and praises in the hearts of those I then honor with my respect and affections. 

In this Lenten season and always, let me read and think, but let me also reflect and sacrifice and pray more humbly and more deeply, to be in closer relationship with our Christ.  Amen.