14th Day of Lent, March 20, 2025

John 8:42-59 <- Click to read now

There was a point that those rejecting Christ went from trying to have him silenced, to trying to silence him themselves. It was no longer enough to have him arrested; they wanted Jesus dead. This is one of the moments they tried to kill him themselves, and blind rage is all I can liken this to. They couldn’t hear the truth in Jesus’ words, they couldn’t see the truth displayed in his actions, and it seems they couldn’t feel the truth of Christ in their hearts, either. One thing led to another, until they were left with blind rage against Jesus, and ultimately against God.

This is a dangerous progression of events that we all must be cautious of. Are we becoming blind to the presence of God in this world around us? Are we not hearing the call for Christian love in this divisiveness that keeps growing? Are we becoming apathetic to the needs around us? One thing leads to another, until it finally ends with a hardened heart against God’s grace. May we never find ourselves in that spot. Instead, may we always strive to recognize the signs of heading down that path so we can reach out for God’s guidance in correcting it. Let’s pray.

Lord, it’s easy for us to point out the ways others turn against You, but not so easy to see how we have strayed. During this season of self-examination, help us to look inward, and help us to rely on Your grace in our personal walk with Jesus, and in our public witness of our faith. Amen.