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 12:36b–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 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 spoke these words to the people in the temple in Jerusalem.  It is now the final Passover of Christ's ministry (there are three Passover festivals reported in John's Gospel), and it is the last week of His earthly life.  He is the light, but He will not be with them for much longer.  This statement, however, applies to all of us who hear His words.

 

 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."  My study Bible cites the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, who says that Isaiah's prophecy does not mean that God causes spiritual blindness in people who would otherwise have been faithful.  This is a figure of speech which is common to Scripture and reveals God as giving people up to their own devices (as in Romans 1:24-26).  When the Scripture declares that He has blinded their eyes is that God has allowed or 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.  

These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.  My study Bible notes that Isaiah . . . saw His [Christ's] glory in about 700 BC (Isaiah 6:1) and spoke of Him in many places throughout his extensive 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. John Chrysostom comments that these rulers are in reality the worst of slaves, in that they are enslaved by the opinions of men.  This keeps them from leading as God would have them lead.

In yesterday's reading, we observed the struggle between Christ's human impulses and the love of God the Father and His alignment with the Father's will in His divine identity as Son.  ("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.")   As a human being, Christ struggles with the healthy impulse to abhor death, but in His identity as Son of Man, His love of the Father, and trust in the Father, takes priority.  But this sort of struggle is not meant for Jesus only.  We are all meant to follow Him.  Moreover, we need to understand -- especially in context of the prophecy of Isaiah cited here -- just what healing is all about from the perspective of the Holy Bible.  In the context of the story of Genesis, and what is often called the fall of humankind, we see the truly "natural" state of human beings as created by God being in communion with God, able to communicate with God.  But the falling away as exemplified in the first sin, that of following the temptation of the devil over God's teaching, created a separation.  From the perspective of the Bible, the prophets have come one by one to call people back to God, and Christ Himself, the Son, is the One who makes that bridge for us.  His healing for us is precisely restoring the relationship of communion with God, and this is what it means to become sons of light, as we read Christ teaching today.  By placing our faith and trust in Him, we grow more deeply into communion with God, even though we may stumble and face many temptations, just as the disciples do.  So when we read Isaiah's words that teach us that blindness and hardened hearts prevent healing, this is what it refers to -- and this is what the Gospel is teaching as fulfilled in these men of the Council who reject Jesus.  Just as with a doctor, in terms of what Christ offers, our healing depends upon our capacity to put our trust in Him, our dependence upon Him.  Christ is the light that leads to our healing, but we have the capacity to be blind to that light, to prefer darkness, and to harden our hearts so that we do not understand.   The final verses of today's reading supply us with one very good example of why people harden their hearts or refuse healing:  "for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."  Clearly, this tension and temptation has always been with us, a stumbling block to those among the rulers, and among us now.  But it seems to have been magnified with the advent of social media.  When everyone's profile becomes a part of a greater and greater system, when we're viewed with so many eyes at once, what kind of pressures and temptations can come to bear on those who "love the praise of men?"  In times of cancellation and even censorship, how more powerful does a type of public opinion play a role in our lives, to have to make choices between where God wants us to go and where others might encourage us to go?  We have constant prescriptions given to us -- even from random strangers in terms of technological experience and use of social media -- that we must do this, believe this, look like this, impress others with this.  Those prescriptions are often phrased as moral imperatives, not simply social appearances that are pleasing.  But let us remember what must come first, the healing that we seek, and the dedication we need to pursue that healing.  Isaiah writes, "Lord, who has believed our report?"  Jesus came down from heaven, testifying to the world with His words and works -- all of which witness His identity and the Father.  Who has believed His report?  Let us ask ourselves, "And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 Isiah 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 

 

The setting of yesterday's reading is just after Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, having been welcomed by crowds with a messianic joy, and with all kinds of expectations of Him.  But He began to teach about His coming Passion.  In yesterday's reading, He 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 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.  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?"  Today's reading begins by repeating Jesus' statement from yesterday's reading:  "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."  John's Gospel has, from its beginning, referred to Jesus as the light, and here He also refers to Himself as that light (see John 1:4-9; 3:19; 8:12; 9:5; 11:9-10; 12:35).  His emphasis is on faith, belief.  But here we are confronted with non-belief, and how faith exists or does not exist in the heart of a human being.  The quotation is from Isaiah 53:1, a prophesy regarding the Messiah.

Therefore they could not believe, because Isiah 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 notes the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, who teaches that Isaiah's prophecy does not mean that God causes spiritual blindness in people who would otherwise have been faithful.  This is a figure of speech which is common in Scripture, and reveals God as giving people up to their own devices.  There is a similar understanding in Romans 1:24-26.  To say that He has blinded them is to say that God has permitted their self-chosen blindness (compare Exodus 8:15, 32 with Exodus 10:20, 27).  The people did not become blind because God spoke through Isaiah; Isaiah spoke because he foresaw their blindness.  The quotation is from Isaiah 6:10.  Isaiah . . . saw His [Christ's] glory in about 700 BC (Isaiah 6:1) and spoke of Him in many places through the length of his extensive 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.  According to St. John Chrysostom, my study Bible notes, these rulers are in truth the worst of slaves.  They are enslaved by the opinions of men.  This keeps them from leading as God would have them lead. 

Once again, the Gospel emphasizes that we have a choice.  Belief is a matter of accepting a truth that roots itself in the heart, that comes through the approach of God.  How do we perceive this light?  Where does this perception of light and spiritual truth come from?  Which part of ourselves is capable of discerning it, of taking it in and nurturing it?   In the tradition of Greek philosophy there existed the concept of what in Greek is called the "nous" (pronounced noos).   Some consider it merely to be the intellect, but in the tradition of the Church and theology it came to be understood as the specific faculty capable not just of discursive reason but also of apprehension of things beyond ourselves, spiritual truth, spiritual reality.  It encompasses both mind and heart, in the sense that the heart indicates the center of a person, of the soul, the place that unites soul, spirit, mind:  the intellect and intuition.  This is a place that is not only aware of who we are and what we are, but which can permeate experience with meaning, especially that which is given through prayer and other ways in which the things of God reach to us and communicate with us in the subtle language of this kind of perception.   It is this place of light that constitutes spiritual illumination, and it permeates our lives and the fullness of who we are:  body, soul, spirit, mind -- and mingles with our experiences and our walk in the world.  Hence, Christ's words, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going" (John 12:35).  Prophets and saints throughout the ages saw by this light and spoke by this light.  But clearly, and for all kinds of reasons, this light is neither understood nor perceived by many; there are those who are blind to it, and those who prefer the darkness without it.  At least, this is the language of Scripture, and especially John's Gospel.  Hence, Isaiah's questions, "Lord, who has believed our report?  And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?"  In Christ's foundation parable about Himself, the parable of the Sower, He speaks of many reasons why the seed of His truth does not take root.  One of them is illustrated by allegorical thorns that choke the word, said by Christ to be the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches (Matthew 13:22).  In today's reading, John indicates that for many of the rulers on the Council, the truth of Christ was clear to them, but choked from fruition because "they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."  They feared exclusion and isolation, being put out of the synagogue by the Pharisees who had chosen as a body to oppose Christ.  (Nonetheless, John's Gospel tells us that Christ had followers among them.  Nicodemus in particular is a Pharisee and also a believer in Christ.)  But this particular fear, of being excluded, socially isolated, stripped of place and position, remains a great power in our world today, and especially through the prominence of social media.  We're all familiar with bullying and what it does, in school among children as well as in the workplace among adults.  We know the impact of exclusion on our lives, psychologically and materially.  We also know the impact that psychological and social isolation can have on our physical health.   But the Scriptures teach us that nonetheless, we are called to faith and to live our faith.  The heroic life of the early believers in Christ makes that clear, and our Savior's Passion sets that example regarding the strongest, highest, and best calling that we have.  We have to consider clearly what a desire to accept this light and live it means to us.  We will always find the compassion and love of God, even when we are called to sacrifice something worldly for that love.  Again, Isaiah asks, "Who has believed our report?  And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?"  The prophets and saints we know chose to live this calling, even at the risk of life, reputation, belonging.  Let us seek God's light for ourselves, and our own particular way we are to live it.  Let us ask for the discernment to walk in the way we're called through the world and the thorns it seeks to bring to us today.  For we are called not to be a part of the darkness of the world -- He calls us out of the world (John 15:19):  to walk in the light and become His children of light.   When we love the praise of men more than the praise of God we so easily stumble in our own darkness, our self-imposed blindness.  

 

 

For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God

 

 "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 12:36b–43 

 

Yesterday, we read that 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 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 emphasizes once again in John's Gospel that He is the light; He is advising the religious leaders that He will be with them only a little while longer.  For we who read this text now, it's a reminder that our lives are relatively short, and this is the choice we have to make.  Also, my study bible says, it works on a third level to remind us that the second coming of Christ is but a little while when compared to eternity.

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.   The text quotes from Isaiah 53:1 and 6:10.   According to the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, my study bible reports, Isaiah's prophecy doesn't mean that God causes spiritual blindness in those who would otherwise be faithful.  It's a figure of speech which is common to Scripture that reveals God as giving people up to their own devices (as, for example, in Romans 1:24, 26).   When it is written He has blinded it means that God has permitted the self-chosen blindness of these people (compare Exodus 8:15, 32 with Exodus 10:20, 27).  They didn't become blind because God spoke through Isaiah; rather Isaiah spoke as he foresaw their blindness.   This is the function of prophecy.  My study bible reminds us that Isaiah . . . saw His [Christ's] glory in about 700 BC (Isaiah 6:1), and spoke of Him in many places in his lengthy 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.  My study bible once again cites the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, who writes that these rulers are in reality the worst of slaves, as they are enslaved by the opinions of men.  This is a failure, as it keeps them from leading as God would have them lead.

How many times do we fall for the "praise of men" over the "praise of God"?  Are there times when you feel that God is leading you one way, but social pressure takes you another?  These are important things to consider, because the texts reveal to us common human elements of struggle and psychological and spiritual conflict.  How often are we caught up in what the opinions of others would be about us, and how often does that influence our own personal conduct?  In this case in the Gospel, these religious leaders bear a tremendous responsibility.  They are meant to lead the people in the right spiritual path, to bear the fruit and promise of the whole history of Jewish spirituality.  The whole of the people are attuned to the coming of the Messiah, and the expectations associated with that time.  The Messiah was expected not only to be a leader and king, but a deliverer of Israel, one who would bring salvation especially in the form of release from the ruling hand of the Roman Empire.  Christ has been welcomed into Jerusalem, but His salvation and deliverance is of a different kind than is expected.  He creates a crisis in which people must make new choices; as He has said Himself, He brings a sword (Matthew 10:34-39).   But it is John's insistence on our understanding of the difference between seeking the praise of men rather than the praise of God that really brings home the effects of this time, one that works like a crucible on the people.   The religious leaders are meant to make a choice -- always -- for God.  But their fear of doing so comes from a deeper reverence for the opinions of others, and their places in the social order.  So, even those who believe that Christ is the Messiah are afraid to say so, for fear of being put out of the synagogue.   This is also part of the picture of the Cross:  there will likely be times in our own lives when we need to make choices like this.  There will be those like the Pharisee Nicodemus, who will later boldly proclaim their faith.  But once again, we are to remember that our faith takes us on a journey, and it is a journey of choices.  These are choices that require our prayer and discernment, and as the Gospels repeatedly point out to us in failures like this one of the religious leaders who believe in Christ and yet care more for public opinion, in St. Peter's denial of Christ, in the failings of the disciples to understand Christ, if we are wise, we must accept that we need to understand our own failings and vulnerabilities.  Sometimes the Cross will take us on a journey specifically so that we learn these things about ourselves; such a failing is painful but inevitably invaluable.  We are not to shrink away from acknowledging our own vulnerability, the things that prey upon us on the inside, especially our fears.  A wise follower of Christ is always to seek to know oneself better.  Indeed, this was the original intent of confession, which was designed not to be a simple list of our sins and failings, but rather a way to know ourselves better.  It is the early and ancient form of psychotherapy, but it includes and recognizes the need for spiritual direction for the health and well-being of soul and spirit, which in turn nurture our body.  Where are we vulnerable and how are we vulnerable?  Our lives are not lived in a vacuum, but always susceptible to the things we inherit from the world around us, the pressures we feel, the desires we nurture, even those which are nominally good.  But Christ is here to lead us with His light, so that we may walk with His guidance on our way to a deeper faith and union with Him.

 

 

 

 

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.

They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God

 "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 12:36b-43

In our current reading, it is Holy Week.  Jesus has been speaking to His disciples and others who are present at the Passover, telling them that the Hour of glorification, the time of the Cross, has come.   In yesterday's reading, He told them,  "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 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.   This verse is repeated from yesterday's reading.  It reminds us that the time is short that Jesus is present with them in the world, and that our time -- right now -- is for a purpose and a choice.   In this same sense, our lives our short; to walk in the light (v. 35), to believe in the light, is to have a particular choice and direction, and to become more "like Him."

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.  Jesus quotes two passages from Isaiah's prophecy:  53:1 and 6:10.  St. John Chrysostom comments here that Isaiah's prophecy does not mean that God causes spiritual blindness in those who otherwise would have been faithful.  This is a figure of speech in Scripture that simply reveals God as giving people up to their own devices (see Romans 1:24, 26).  To say that He has blinded their eyes is to say that God permits their self-chosen blindness (my study bible suggests a comparison here between Exodus 8:15, 32 and Exodus 10:20, 27).  People did not become blind because God spoke through Isaiah.  Rather Isaiah spoke because he foresaw their blindness.   John writes that Isaiah saw His glory and spoke of Him:  Isaiah's prophecy was written about 700 BC (see Isaiah 6:1); his prophecy speaks of Christ many times throughout its length.

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.  We know that the raising of Lazarus happened among witnesses who'd come from Jerusalem and who were of the ruling parties and classes.  Here John tells us that even among the rulers many believed in Him.  But the Pharisees plot against Him, and they fear the Pharisees.  My study bible cites the commentary of Chrysostom, who says these rulers are in reality the worst of slaves:  they are enslaved by the opinions of men (that is, of human beings as opposed to God).  This keeps them from leading as God would have them lead.

To love the praise of men more than the praise of God is a great moral failing.  It's all too human, unfortunately.  But the capacities that we truly have for leadership don't come from kowtowing to popular opinion, or from being afraid of what others think when our own relationship to the light tells us something different -- when we know there is a better way.  True leadership is the capacity to truly see and hear, to choose to walk in the light.  I do not believe this applies only to religious leaders, but to leadership quality in all persons.  We often must make choices in which the real question we face is whether or not we can be more guided by the praise of God than the "praise of men."  Jesus spoke in yesterday's reading (see above) about glorifying God's name.  Jesus' hour of the Cross is His hour of glory (12:23).   What He asks us to do by walking in the light is to follow Him, to make the praise of God our priority.  This is true leadership quality, and it belongs to all human beings.  We may not all find ourselves in particular places of leadership with formal titles in the world, but we are each capable of seeking to walk in the light, as Jesus puts it, and becoming "sons of God."  To choose the priority of loving God and loving the praise of God more than the praise of men is to choose a kind of illumination as the direction in which we walk in life, and to grow in that light.  This is growth in "God-likeness."  Genesis tells us that we were made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27).   To walk in the light that Christ offers is to grow in that likeness, and to reflect God's light in the world, to glorify God through our own choices and discipleship (Matthew 5:14-16).   The decisions and choices that we make are each important, and Jesus emphasizes the time.  He is about to leave them; the light is with them now.  What we choose today is always going to determine the path we're on, the direction we're going.  In chapter 14, Jesus will teach, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."  That word for "way" in the Greek also means road.  We choose the road, the path -- we're headed somewhere.  When Jesus speaks of walking in the light, when John writes about choosing the praise of God rather than the praise of men, we're asked to consider which way we're going to choose, which way we take.  Jesus is telling us, the time is short, and His is the way, the way we need to choose toward a particular kind of goal and growth, to become sons of light.  Those without light are blind, and their hearts are hardened (without understanding).  What matters is what we choose.  

They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God

"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 12:36b-43

In our current readings, it is Holy Week in Jerusalem, the last week of Jesus' earthly life.  Yesterday, we read that as He understood the Sanhedrin planned to kill Him, 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 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.  In yesterday's reading, we wrote commentary that discussed how we can be sons or children of light.   Jesus clearly refers to Himself as the light, and He's indicating to those who will follow and have faith in Him that He will be with them in the world just a little longer; He is soon departing.  They must treasure what He's offering while they still have a chance to accept it, while the Light is in the world.

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?"  This quotation is from Isaiah 53:1.  It is near the time for Jesus' mission into the world to be over.  Will He find faith among the people?  He has many followers, but there are those who reject, who plot now to kill Him.  Faith is the key here to our understanding, and to their response.

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."  This quotation is from Isaiah 6:10.   My study bible says, "According to St. John Chrysostom, Isaiah's prophecy does not mean God causes spiritual blindness in people who would otherwise have been faithful.  This is a figure of speech common to Scripture revealing God as giving people up to their own devices (as in Romans 1:24, 26).  What is mean by He has blinded is that God has permitted their self-chosen blindness (compare Exodus 8:15, 32 with Exodus 10:20, 27).  They did not become blind because God spoke through Isaiah, but rather Isaiah spoke because he foresaw their blindness."

These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.  My study bible tells us that Isaiah . . . saw His [Christ's] glory in about 700 BC (Isaiah 6:1) and spoke of Him in many places throughout his lengthy 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.  A note says that "these rulers, according to St. John Chrysostom, are in reality the worst of slaves in that they are enslaved by the opinions of men.  This keeps them from leading as God would have them lead."

What does it mean to be healed?  Surely, here, we are speaking of a spiritual kind of healing, and one that affects one's whole life.  To be spiritually blind is to be disconnected from the things of God, particularly where God's call is leading you away from what is conventional to you, and into a new aspect of faith so that one evolves their own spiritual understanding.  To be blind to this call, to the ones who may be "crying in the wilderness" (in the words of Isaiah and of John the Baptist who also quoted from Isaiah in his mission to prepare the way for Christ), is to be blind to our own life's potentials, to stunt our growth in many ways, and to fall behind.  This is a voice calling us to something new, just as prophecy reveals something new, beyond our own grasp of things.  To be healed from spiritual blindness isn't just to have spiritual sight (or hearing) restored.  It means we open up to things greater than our own present understanding so that, indeed, our whole lives may be affected, may be healed.  To be healed is ultimately to be reconciled to God, to be in the place where God calls us to full relationship, so that we may be restored to the fullness of life that Christ promises.  Any form of repentance or "change of mind" necessarily means a change of oneself and one's life, at least in some aspect to which God calls us beyond our own current boundaries and ways of thinking.  To be healed truly means to be open to God, and to all those ways in which we may be called by God that ask us to change in some way, to "change our minds" (the literal meaning of the Greek word for repentance), to grow beyond our own present limits, and thereby - at least in some sense - to change our lives, to let His abundant life in and do what it will in ours.  This is what it is to be healed.  But if we refuse, if we have no spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear and to perceive with, then God does not force His way on us.  We are allowed to stay where we are, where we may decide we prefer to be.   In today's reading, the evangelist makes it clear just how that happens in this story of the rejection of Jesus.  There are many among the leadership who believe, but they are afraid to go against the Pharisees, and they are afraid of being put out of the synagogue.  Why, really?  Because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.  And that's the great test of courage, and of faith, and of the willingness to accept most particularly spiritual truth.  All kinds of truth and justice may fit right into this understanding, no matter what it is that we may be called to accept, or what it is we may stop our eyes and ears from perceiving.  But it all starts with the One who is the way, the truth, and the life.  All truth - regardless of what we may categorize it as - begins with the spiritual truth of God.  Justice, compassion, mercy, and opening our eyes to what truth is even if it takes us away from what we already think we know -- all these things start with the One who is truth; whose identity is ultimately a mystery that calls us forward, and far, far beyond our understanding.  That's how we really need to be healed, and that's what we miss when we are deaf and blind.  Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we are given the understanding of eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear (see all references on this page).  Jesus says over and over again, "He who has ears, let him hear!" -- a quotation that also appears many times in the Revelation (see references here).   So, it all comes down to this:  What do you love more, the praise of other people, or the praise of God?

I do not receive honor from men

"I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

"If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish -- the very works that I do -- bear witness of me, that the Father has sent Me. And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.

"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. I do not receive honor from men. But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from only God? Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you -- Moses, in whom you trust. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"

- John 5:30-47

As we go through the lectionary in Advent, awaiting the celebration of Christmas, we find readings from all of the Gospels. On Saturday, we read the version of John the Baptist's ministry as herald or messenger of the coming kingdom from Luke's Gospel. Luke's Gospel emphasizes the light that is coming to all the nations, that makes no distinction of heritage but rather comes to all people, for whom His paths should be made "straight, every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight. And the rough ways smooth." The playing field of this Lord is open to all - and "all flesh shall see the salvation of God." In today's reading, we turn to the Gospel of John.

"I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me." My study bible has a note here which reads: "The divine will is common to the Persons of the Trinity, for all share the same divine energy. In their manifestation in the world, however, all energy originates in the Father, being communicated through the Son in the Holy Spirit. Here there is a sense that the Son obeys the Father. This is because, in His human nature, the Son has human energy -- including human will -- which He offers to God the Father as the source of all. This is His own will which must do the will of the Father." Jesus teaches us about Himself, what is His nature, how this kingdom works, and how His judgment works. There is tremendous love, an emptying to the Father, a service attitude which Jesus will show throughout His ministry and until His death on the Cross. For everything there is a reason, a higher purpose.

"If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth." Over the past several readings, we have read about John the Baptist, as his story appeared in the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke. John the Baptist came bearing witness, as prophet, of Christ -- the One who was to come. My study bible has an interesting note which applies to these verses and to the rest of today's Gospel reading: "In Jewish tradition, a valid testimony requires two witnesses (Deut. 17:6). Jesus offers four witnesses to His messiahship and divine Sonship: (1) God the Father (vv.32, 37, 28); (2) John the Baptist (vv. 33-35); (3) His own works (v. 36); and (4) the Old Testament Scriptures, through which Moses gives His testimony (vv. 39-47)."

"Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved." A note here reads, "The testimony from man is that of John the Baptist." This is a powerful theme that is repeated in all the Gospels. Who bears witness to Jesus'divinity? From whence comes His authority? It is repeated throughout the stories of His conflicts with the authorities in the temple, and with other authority figures in these books. Who is He? Who can bear witness of Him and tell us about Him? The key to this mystery is in this verse: Jesus' authority rests in Himself and in His identity with the Father. His mission is to save - to that end He ministers, "for God so loved the world."

"He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish -- the very works that I do -- bear witness of me, that the Father has sent Me". John was the "burning and shining lamp" - a lamp lit with the grace of God, lit by the light of the flame that is God, giving us light to declare what is to come. Jesus also performs the works which the Father has given to Him to perform, and they bear witness of the Father's presence in this ministry. Miracles are not proofs but rather testimony. Can you hear true testimony? Can they? Jesus is speaking to the temple leadership, who seek at this point in the Gospel to persecute Him.

"And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe." And here we have a very interesting passage, with a key to the understanding of the faith which He asks of us. When we read of the confession of faith of Peter, speaking for all the apostles, Jesus tells Peter, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven." There is an internal connection to the presence of the Father in each of us, and it is this connection that reveals faith, understanding, trust, connection. It is relationship, relatedness that comes from the Father, working in each of us to create recognition, this bond of faith, of love. This word abides in us, if we let it. For this reason, Christ says, they haven't this seed of truth - the Father's word - abiding in them; the implication is they have rejected it, they do not truly love it.

"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. I do not receive honor from men. But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you." A note here says, "Jesus is aware they do not possess the love of God; it does not remain in them because they do not receive Him who comes in the name of His Father." There is a depth of connection, a bond that creates relatedness; it is a shared love. They do not possess it, and cannot recognize that which acts, works, lives in the name of the Father. To be "in the name of" someone is to bear that someone's image, to act as an extension of that person.

"I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from only God?" Jesus makes a clear distinction about the things we choose to love. Do we love God, or the honor that comes from men? If someone is acclaimed by others, socially prominent in the highest places, is this our verification that he or she is someone worthwhile? Or is there another kind of discernment or judgment deep within us that teaches us who and what to love? Which do we place above the other? What do we love?

"Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you -- Moses, in whom you trust. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" And here Jesus gets to the heart of this question -- do we love the praise of men or the praise of God? Moses' words come from Moses' love of God. But the people to whom Jesus speaks read Moses, "in whom they trust," not with the love of God, but with the love of the praise of men, of that which is exalted in the world. Can we, too, understand this difference?

There is a powerful meaning for us as we who feel ourselves a part of this Church 2,000 years later read these words. If it is possible for the experts in the Law, and all the temple leadership, to read Moses and to trust in Moses, without the love of God, then surely it is possible for us to exalt Jesus in all external ways, and to read these Scriptures and say we trust in them, and yet be missing the important connection in our hearts to the love of God. Hypocrisy, without doubt, is not something reserved for the ones whom Jesus rebukes here, those who seek to destroy Him. Rather, we must look to these words and consider what we put first and what we love in our lives. Jesus does not attack Moses, nor does He attack the Scriptures - His condemnation here is for those who do not burn with the love of God, but rather who act for the praise of men, who take honor from one another rather than from God the Father. How can we avoid this pitfall ourselves? In the West, where I live, the great Christmas celebrations are filled with splendor, with planning for gatherings, beautiful appearances and services, and all kinds of holiday frenzy as they are an important part of commerce. It is easy to get caught up in the spirit of this time and all of the spectacle of it all. But now in Advent, these words remind us of something more powerful than all of that, than all of the collective energies of celebration and commerce, and images driven from the season, and that is the love of God, of truth, of that flame that must burn in our hearts - otherwise it is all just spectacle. Jesus' words remind us that beyond the images of our world, and all the things we praise and honor and make a great fuss about, there is a depth within us of connection and love that teaches us how and what to honor, that will always tell us the truth, that speaks in us and lives and abides in us if we love it. Can you make that connection of love in the secret place, amidst all the bustle of this season? This flame lives, it is alive, and we must allow it to live in us, to love and nurture that connection so that we will understand its work and know it when we see it. It's not just about reading the Scriptures, but about life, and what lives within us and in our midst at all times. Remember the child for whom there will be no place in Bethlehem, who will not even be counted in the great census, and for whom comes no honor and recognition, save from those who have the word of God in their hearts. We trust in His words, but do we love them and live them? Can we be like Him?