3rd Thursday of Lent (March 12). Where the light shines

Prepare to Listen.  The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
 
Prayerfully Read John 8:13-20
13Then the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.” 
14Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.  
15You judge by human standards; I judge no one.  16Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid, for it is not I alone who judge but I and the Father who sent me.  17In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid.  18I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf.”  19Then they said to him, “Where is your Father?”  Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father.  If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”  20He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
 
Prayerfully Wonder
The Pharisees rejected Jesus’ light, preferring their darkness, and continued to attack him.  The dialogue repeats the same themes of chapters 5 and 7, but with a difference.  Instead of Pharisees being in control, Jesus took charge, reversed roles, put them on trial.  The light of the world shone his light and revealed their darkness.  Instead of paying attention to what the light revealed, they complained that his testimony was invalid.
 
Most of us today don’t find these Pharisees attractive.  We hope we’re not like them.  But, in this polarized society it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we’re right and ‘they’ (whoever they be) are wrong.  We too avoid the light that reveals our darkness and stupidity, refusing to hear, really hear the other side and honestly admit error and change when necessary.  We may not put Jesus on trial, but we may not be allowing his light to reveal the truth.  Especially when they’re right and we’re wrong.  We hold onto the familiar, insisting we’re right.
 
The Pharisee were confident they knew Jesus wasn’t from God, and thus, his testimony was invalid.  Jesus was blunt, repeating an earlier accusation that they didn’t know God (7:28): “You know neither me nor my Father.  If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”  The Pharisees were silenced, but not transformed.  They remained in the darkness, waiting for another time.
 
How about yourself?  Have you ever tried to avoid or reject what Jesus’ light reveals?  Tell that story.
 
Prayerfully Respond
Forgive me, Lord when I behave like the Pharisees and seek to avoid your light.  Give me the courage to let your light shine in my darkness and make the necessary changes.  Amen.
 
Live obediently.  Pay attention to what the light reveals.