Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

 "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."  These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:

"Lord, who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"

Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
Lest they should see with their eyes,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them."

These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

- John 12:36-43

In yesterday's reading, Jesus said, "Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say?  'Father, save Me from this hour'?  But for this purpose I came to this hour.  Father, glorify Your name."  Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."  Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered.  Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him."  Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.  Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.  And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."  This He said, signifying by what death He would die.  The people answered Him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'?  Who is this Son of Man?"  Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you.  Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.  While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."  These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

 "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."  These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.  Jesus gives us an opportunity, to behold His light, to believe in the light, and to become sons of light.  Here this is said directly to those who know Him and encounter Him in His Incarnation, as human being.  They have Him but a little while.  They have the opportunity to engage and believe and grow in the light while He is with them, and it will be for only a short time longer.

But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:  "Lord, who has believed our report?  And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"  John gives us the first verse of Isaiah chapter 53, one in which Isaiah speaks his prophesy of the Suffering Servant.  It is worthwhile to read the entire beautiful chapter, as we can see that it is clearly the prophesy of Jesus Christ.  The Gospel emphasizes that although Jesus clearly fulfills this prophesy, as Isaiah asks the question, so does the life of Christ at this point:  "Lord, who has believed our report?  And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"

Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:  "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them."  These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.  My study bible cites St. John Chrysostom, who comments that Isaiah's prophecy (Isaiah 6:10) does not mean that God causes spiritual blindness in people who would otherwise have been faithful.  It notes that this is a figure of speech common to Scripture which reveals God as giving people up to their own devices (as in Romans 1:24-26).  By the phrase "He has blinded their eyes" Isaiah means that God has permitted their self-chosen blindness (compare Exodus 8:15, 32 with Exodus 10:20, 27).  They didn't become blind because God spoke through Isaiah; rather Isaiah spoke because he foresaw their blindness.  To behold and to comprehend Christ's light is to be healed; to fail to perceive is to fail to be healed.  Isaiah saw His [Christ's] glory in about 700 BC (Isaiah 6:1) and spoke of Him in many places through the entirety of his full prophecy. 

 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.  St. Chrysostom comments that these rulers are in reality the worst of slaves, because they are enslaved by the opinions of men.  This keeps them from leading as God would have them lead.

How sad to find faith but to be afraid to express it, as one prefers the "praise of men more than the praise of God."  What would this mean for us today?  There are many who find faith in times of darkness and uncertainty.  Alone with our troubles, we may find ourselves turning to God.  But what happens when we are around people who would chastise our faith or ridicule it?  The Gospel is not asking us to sacrifice our lives by speaking out among those who do not care and would not profit from our faith, but it is asking us to make a choice.  It goes much farther than that, and suggests to us that the whole of our well-being depends upon this choice.  Isaiah's prophecy teaches us about the healing that is possible with God.  In my experience, faith brings us to a place where we can recognize what healing we need.  These men are unlikely to recognize their own lack of faith and the true need of the soul.  All of us have needs of the soul that are sadly neglected by simply the social life we are usually offered.  These needs are found deep within us, and particularly in prayer or meditation.  They require not only that we be able to be very honest with ourselves to sense what may be lacking, but also that we detach enough from social concerns so that we can even listen to the place within that needs more than just a satisfying social position, and more than material needs.  Psychologically we may find that we need help with healing any part of our lives in which we may suffer from imperfect love.  But to recognize this need is again something that takes honesty, courage, and the time to accept that there is something greater that calls us to acknowledge such need.  There is the place we come to healing through faith in this Gospel of love as told by John.  St. Chrysostom speaks of slavery -- the worst kind of slavery -- as that through which we give up our faith in succumbing to the opinions of others.  Why should we exchange our full well-being for standing in the eyes of the world, for false opinions, for those who don't love us as does God?  Let us consider today what we are willing to exchange for the depth of healing and help Christ offers us in a highly imperfect world.