Deacon Brigid Waszczak

Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, you would do what Abraham did, but now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God… “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God, and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? … because you cannot accept my word… because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which of you convicts me of sin? … why do you not believe me? Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.”
—John 8:39-40, 42-43, 45-47

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Jesus was speaking to Jews who believed in him, and then addressed the Pharisees present who opposed and sought to kill him. The Pharisees protested that they were morally upright because they were Abraham’s children; Abraham who uprooted his entire family because he listened to God’s word.

But Jesus admonished the Pharisees for not listening to God as well as Abraham did. He accused them of being inattentive to God, preferring their own knowledge and the material trappings of this world.

When we meet St Peter at the gates of Heaven, will our excuses include that we were simply following prevailing wisdom of our time? Will we allege that going along with the crowd didn’t demand that we examine whether our behavior conformed more to the world than to following Jesus? St Peter will give us the side-eye, for sure!

Sometimes, we know what we should do as followers of Jesus, but the lure of the world, the solace and comfort of going-along-to-get-along, is strong enough to divert our course.

My teen son attended a party where marijuana was present. (Before legalization) Eventually, he realized he should not be there and headed for home.

As he walked, he noticed police cars driving toward the house he’d just left and knew the police would take in his friends. Rather than continue toward home, he turned around, went back to the party house, and was rounded up with his friends.

Solidarity. That was his explanation to me. Going-along-to-get-along at his age was more important in that moment than his realization that he needed to get out of the situation.

The Pharisees refused to listen to Jesus because he threatened their religious dominance and attracted Jews who usually went-along-to-get-along under their guidance.

The Pharisees’ status as sons of Abraham should have inspired them to listen to and for God’s voice rather than assert that their knowledge was superior. Jesus called them on this error. For that public rebuke they wanted to silence him to maintain the status quo.

Today’s scripture inspires me to reflect on times I’ve not listened to God and regretted it.

Blessings,

—Deacon Brigid