dangerous

‘So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the Temple area.’  (John 8)

On Monday I went to a Ministry Enrichment Day at the Seminary to hear Sr. Dianne Bergant, a Professor of Biblical Studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.  Although she did not focus on the lectionary readings for the Triduum and Easter as promised, her talks did focus somewhat on our Lenten readings.  And one of the things she pointed out was the reason why Jesus was crucified.

Our typical Catholic response to that question is that Jesus was crucified because of our sins.  But she claims that is wrong.  Jesus was crucified because he was dangerous!  He was dangerous politically.  He was dangerous socially.  And he was dangerous religiously.  He was a threat to just about anyone and everyone, because what he preached overturned the existing way of life in every way conceivable, and no one likes to change from a what is familiar and comfortable to something that is difficult and uncomfortable, to say the least.

At first people just claimed he was insane to make claims such as the one that he existed before Abraham.  They thought he was out of his mind to give the voiceless of society a voice, to stand up for those who did not count and had no legal standing. 

But then, as this type of speaking continued and more and more people were attracted to him, he became a threat.  And that was why he was eventually crucified.

Yet his message has survived 2000 years, and it continues to be passed on today by followers such as you and me. 

In this most holy season, as we draw near to Holy Week and reflect more closely on the sufferings and Passion of Jesus, let us ask ourselves how we can unite ourselves more closely to his teachings, and thus help to further the work he came to this earth to do – to build the Father’s Kingdom of true and lasting peace.