A Call To Belief

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝟐𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔: 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐇 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟏: 𝐉𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎: 𝟏𝟎-𝟏𝟑

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦: 𝐏𝐬𝐚 𝟏𝟖: 𝟐-𝟕 “𝐈𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞.”

𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋: 𝐉𝐍 𝟏𝟎:𝟑𝟏-𝟒𝟐

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞: “𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐆𝐨𝐝’𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐧.” (𝐯.𝟑𝟔) 

        In today’s Gospel reading, we hear Jesus extending an open invitation to those who still doubt his identity as the Son of the Father to consider his works as proof of his persona and to believe in him. Jesus was practically begging the Pharisees and the people to change their conception of him because time is running short.

        But the Pharisees persisted in their stubbornness despite the many miracles and healings that Jesus has performed during his earthly ministry. Not only were they incredulous and filled with doubt but they went on to accuse Jesus of blasphemy for claiming to be God. 

        Was it right then to accuse Jesus of blasphemy for claiming he was the Son of God? Or were the Scribes and Pharisees the ones guilty of that which they accuse Jesus of? Weren’t the Jews guilty of irreverence, impiety, profanity and sacrilege for ascribing the power of Jesus to heal to Beelzebul? Aren’t we also guilty when we reject and disobey God?

         It was probable that the religious leaders of his time has some reservation when Jesus claimed he was the one sent by God and that they knew that his claim was true but they could not accept him not only because he did not fit into the image of a messianic king they were expecting but mainly out of selfishness and vainglory.

         The Scribes and the Pharisees could lose everything they enjoyed if they were to proclaim the truth of the claim of Jesus. Besides the honor and the prestige attached to their positions as religious leaders and teachers of the law, they are also regarded as “gods” (𝐏𝐬𝐚 𝟖𝟐:𝟔) and this what Jesus pointed out to Jews.

         In ancient Israel, tradition has it that Jewish rulers and judges are also called “gods” (𝐄𝐱𝐨 𝟒:𝟏𝟔; 𝟕:𝟏) because the people at that time believed that they were agents of God’s revelations and this was why Jesus asked how could it have been blasphemous for him to claim he was the Son of God since he knew the truthfulness of his claim.

         But the Jewish leaders would have none of it and they wanted to carry out the sentence right there and there as blasphemy was considered as a heinous crime because it was an offense committed against God for which the instant penalty was stoning.

         Their hatred and desire to put Jesus away by whatever means because of the humiliation and embarrassment they were confronted with each time Jesus preached was evident when they tried to seize him and stone him.

         Stoning was an ancient practice of capital punishment that is levied for the most serious crimes against the Mosaic law and this includes crimes involving child sacrifice (𝐋𝐞𝐯 𝟐𝟎:𝟐), consulting with mediums and those engaged in the occult (𝐋𝐞𝐯 𝟐𝟎;𝟐𝟕),  blasphemy (𝐋𝐞𝐯 𝟐𝟒:𝟏𝟔),  breaking of the law of the Sabbath (𝐍𝐮𝐦 𝟏𝟓:𝟑𝟐-𝟑𝟔), worship of false gods (𝐃𝐞𝐮𝐭 𝟏𝟑:𝟏𝟎), rebellion against parents (𝐃𝐞𝐮𝐭 𝟐𝟏:𝟐𝟏),  adultery (𝐄𝐳𝐞𝐤 𝟏𝟔:𝟒𝟎), direct disobedience to God’s commands (𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐡 𝟕:𝟐𝟓).          

        This form of punishment is usually carried out by the men in a community but only after the testimony of at least two witnesses shall have been heard (𝐃𝐞𝐮𝐭 𝟏𝟕:𝟓-𝟕) and the execution normally was carried out outside the city (𝐋𝐞𝐯 𝟐𝟒:𝟏𝟒, 𝟐𝟑).        

         Jesus knew what they were planning when the Jews surrounded him but he slipped away from them (𝐯.𝟑𝟗). In a way, this Gospel passage also has some connection with the way we live especially for those who are wallowing in their sinful desires and tendencies.

         There is in us the desire to be the boss – to be in command. Some of us find ourselves in such a situation because our families probably owned the company we are working for. Some will go to great lengths to climb up the corporate ladder to be on top.

        There are those whose sights are aimed at amassing wealth by whatever means because with wealth comes power. In other words, we want to be god and when we are in this state, we tend to forget that there is a God who is the source of everything we have and possess.

         Time was when I credited myself for the talent I had as a News Reporter for a big TV Network and later for a major daily newspaper. Banner headlines with my by-line became daily fare that readers would think there was no other reporter besides me.

         I basked in my success and became arrogant in the process. I walked with a pronounced gait as if I own the world. I also dabbled in the trading business, and I became so good at it that it came to a point that I was outhustling other traders in the process. But just like any other story, there is a beginning and there’s an end to it. Worst, I didn’t see the end coming and my earthly throne came tumbling down. It was then that I realized that I am not god and cannot be god.

         This coming Holy Week and the Octave of Easter would be a good opportunity for us to look back into our lives for when we do, we will realize that Jesus made himself as a sin-offering for us, to ransom us from condemnation and slavery to sin. That even in the darkest moments of our lives Jesus was there and he still is through his Holy Spirit in us.

         Our Lord Jesus spoke of his Father consecrating him for this mission of salvation, but the religious leaders charged him with blasphemy because he claimed to be the Son of God.

         He challenged his opponents to accept his works if they could not accept his words (𝐯𝐯.𝟑𝟕-𝟑𝟖). Anyone can always argue with words, but deeds are non-debatable. Jesus is the perfect teacher because he does not base his claims on what he says but on what he does.

         Let us bear in mind that the Word of God gives life and power to those who will believe in it and it is only through Jesus in whom we can see the path of truth and holiness. The challenge for us which we need to deal with during this Lenten Season is to surrender that god that is in us.

         The Scriptures cannot be altered (𝐯.𝟑𝟓) and we have to accept the letter of the Scriptures that testifies to him who was sent to save us and to accept and believe that Jesus is indeed the Son of God. We must clothe ourselves with the humility to accept that there is a God and it’s not you or me. (𝘌𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 - 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 27, 2026)