Qua Bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta được thấy cuộc tranh luận giữa những người Do Thái về nguồn gốc của Chúa Giêsu Kitô. Ngài chưa bao giờ được học ở một trường nào đạo nào của người Do Thái, vì thế, đâu là nguồn gốc về những kiến thức của Ngài? Ngài có đáng giá gì đâu? Làm thế nào mà Ngài có thể là một Đấng Thiên Sai (Messiah ) khi Ngài được sinh ra trong máng cỏ, hang lừa, được lớn lên trong một làng nhỏ bé Nazareth? Làm thế nào mà Ngài có thể là Con Thiên Chúa khi cha mẹ củ Ngài chính làông thợ mộc nghèo Giuse và bà Maria?
Có lẽ chúng ta cũng chẳng khác gì hơn những người Do Thái thời bấy giờ, bởi vìchúng ta cũng có nhiều nghi vấn về Chúa Giêsu Kitô. Nếu Ngài thực sự là Con Thiên Chúa, tại sao Ngài không giúp chúng ta? Tại sao những lời cầu nguyện của chúng ta không được Ngài đáp lại và ban cho chúng ta những gì chúng ta muốn? Tại sao trongcuộc sống của chúng ta lại có rất nhiều đau khổ ? Còn kẻ thù của chúng ta thì thanh thản, có chức quyền cao, có tiền, có của??... Chúa Giêsu Kitô của chúng ta là ai? Có phải Ngài đến chỉ để ban cho chúng ta hạnh phúc và những ước mơ vật chất như chúng ta mong muốn?
Chúa Kitô muốn cho chúng ta một kinh nghiệm của hạnh phúc ở giữa những nỗi đau khổ, hòa bình ở giữa những xung đột, tình yêu ở trong những sự thù hằn. Nhưng những ân sủng và hồng ân đó sẽ mãi mãi bền lâu vì chúng thuộc về Đức Kitô, Con Thiên Chúa. Những gì là hạnh phúc, sung túc mà chúng ta muốn có ở trên cõi đời này có phải là niềm hạnh phúc thật và vĩnh cửu?
"Lạy Thiên Chúa hằng hữu, Chúa chính là ánh sáng của những tâm hồn mà biết Chúa, là niềm vui của những tấm lòng hay những trái tim biết yêu Chúavà là sức mạnh của những ý chí muốn phục vụ Chúa, Xin Chúa ban cho chúngcon một tâm hồn mở rộng để nhận biết Chúa, để chúng con có thể thật lòng yêuChúa, và vì yêu mến Chúa mà chúng con có thể hoàn toàn biết sẵn sằng phục vụ Chúa, Vì Chúa đã đem đến cho chúng con sự tự do hoàn hảo, trong Đức Giêsu Kitô, Chúa chúng ta. "(Thánh Augustinô)
There is a discussion among the Jews about the origin of Christ. He has never been a pupil of the rabbis, so where is the source of his knowledge? Is he worth anything? How can he be the Messiah when he was born in Nazareth, an insignificant town? How can he be the Son of God when his parents are Joseph and Mary? We are not any different from the Jews because we, too, have many doubts about Christ. If he really is the Son of God, why doesn't he help me? Why are my prayers unanswered? Why are there a lot of suffering in my life?
Who is Jesus Christ for us? Is he there only to give us the happiness we want? Christ wants to give us an experience of happiness in the midst of woe, peace in the midst of conflict, love when there is enmity. These gifts last because they belong to Christ, the Son of God. What about the earthly happiness that we want – is this eternal?
Jesus moved about within Galilee; he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret. John 7:1–2; 10
The Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was one of three great feasts during which the people made a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem to commemorate God’s saving action in their lives. This particular feast was to commemorate the 40 years that the Israelites traveled through the desert and dwelt in tents, or booths, as they wandered and were led by Moses. Therefore, the feast is also referred to as the “Feast of Booths.” During the seven days of this feast, people would set up tents (booths) around the Temple area and live in them to commemorate the journey of their ancestors.
In the Gospel passage quoted above, we read that Jesus went up to the feast secretly. Saint Augustine explains that this means that though Jesus was present, the full revelation of His divine identity was hidden from many. He was physically there, but many did not know Who He was.
That particular year, when the feast was half over, Jesus appeared in the Temple area and began to teach. Many were amazed at His words, and others thought He was possessed. After teaching the people, there was much disagreement among them about our Lord’s identity. Jesus said to them, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” In that statement, Jesus essentially was saying that among those listening to Him, some had come to faith in Him and discovered His true identity as the Messiah, while others lacked the gift of faith and remained blind to Him. To them, His divine essence remained a secret.
In a symbolic way, Jesus’ presence at the Feast of Tabernacles reveals Him as the new Moses. It was Moses who led the people through the desert for 40 years toward the promised land while they dwelt in tents. Our Lord now took on that role of leading the people who were commemorating this 40-year journey by appearing in the Temple and pointing the people to Heaven, the true Promised Land.
Today, our Lord continues to lead His people through the journey of life by coming to each of us to teach us and to reveal His divine presence. Some listen and believe and continue on the journey. To them, the secrets of our Lord are revealed. Others do not believe and, as a result of their lack of faith, fail to discover the hidden presence of our Lord all around them.
Reflect, today, upon the image of Jesus coming to you during your long journey through the desert of this life. He initially comes to you in secret, veiled in His true essence. As He teaches you, He desires to lift that veil and reveal to You His true glory. He desires that you dwell with Him through prayer and remain attentive to His Word. As you gaze upon our Lord, reflect upon the question of how clearly you hear Him speak each day. He is here, with you always. But are you with Him? Do you hear Him, believe in Him, follow Him and serve Him? Do you allow Him to lead you every day toward His promises of new life? Allow our Lord to pitch His tent next to yours so that You will daily be attentive to His teaching and be led by Him to the glories of Heaven.
My hidden Lord, You came to reveal to all people Your burning love and invitation to eternal life. Please come and dwell with me during my journey through life, and open my mind and heart to all that You wish to reveal. May I know You fully and follow You to the Promised Land of Heaven. Jesus, I trust in You.
1. Opposition to Jesus: The Judeans, John tells us, were trying to arrest and kill Jesus. Earlier, in Chapter Five, John identified the reason for this opposition: “This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God” (5:18). Jesus is fully aware of the increasing opposition to his doctrine, to his miracles, and to his person. Instead of going with his disciples to the feast, Jesus chooses to go up to Jerusalem in secret. The occasion is the Feast of Tabernacles, an autumn feast of seven days that followed the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:33-38). The feast recalled the forty years the Israelites wandered in the desert, celebrated God's presence with his Covenant people, and looked forward to the coming of the Messiah. A pilgrimage to the Temple during this time was obligatory (Deuteronomy 16:13-15). The prophet Zechariah sees the day when all nations – and not just Israel – will travel to Jerusalem for the feast to worship the Lord (Zechariah 14:16-19). Jesus does not hide while he is in Jerusalem for the feast and instead preaches openly. He continues to preach his message about the Father sending him as the only begotten Son to save the world from sin and death.
The Jews were already after Jesus, but still he went around his mission of teaching the people. He was so passionate with what he was doing that he did not mind if his life was in danger. All he knew was that he was doing the will of his Father. Some of the people who heard him recognized him. They knew his parents Joseph and Mary. They were surprised. They could not believe that the son of the carpenter could be the Messiah. Even though he was speaking with authority, they doubted the origin of his wisdom and miracles.
"A prophet is despised in his own country among his own relation and in his own house." (Mark 6:4) Jesus was amazed at the lack of faith among the people he knew, but he praised the faith of the centurion who did not doubt him – "In truth I tell you, no one in Israel have I found faith as great as this." (Mt. 8:10)
We can learn from the actions of the townspeople. They were quick to judge Jesus about his credibility. What standard did they use – his poor background? Just because he was the son of Joseph the carpenter? They did not know that he was sent by his Father in heaven, his source
“You know where I am from… But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him.”
To know Jesus' native place is information, but to know Jesus himself is a revelation. Smart phones, Wi-Fi, internet connections can provide information but do not lead us to a deeper revelation of the Divine.
Jesus derived his identity from his relationship with his Father — a relationship he built on the awareness of his Father's abiding presence. How blessed are we if we too derive our identity from our relationship with Jesus! Now, during Lent, is a time for us consciously to experience the love of Christ crucified and to deepen our response to that passionate love. Your love for us, Lord, we realize, is an experience and not information. We pray, Lord, that we may experience more of that love and let not our sinfulness blind us to your abounding love.
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