Duality of Man
Mar. 14: Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Today’s readings seem to be about two things at once. Or maybe it’s just that I can’t make up my mind?
Reading 1
Wis 2:1a, 12-22
The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright: "Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, Reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training. He professes to have knowledge of God and styles himself a child of the LORD. To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us, Because his life is not like that of others, and different are his ways. He judges us debased; he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure. He calls blest the destiny of the just and boasts that God is his Father. Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what will happen to him. For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. With revilement and torture let us put him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him." These were their thoughts, but they erred; for their wickedness blinded them, and they knew not the hidden counsels of God; neither did they count on a recompense of holiness nor discern the innocent souls' reward.
When we read about “the wicked” in the Bible, it can be easy to dismiss. “Well, I’m not wicked. I do bad stuff sometimes, but I’m not wicked.”
Here’s the thing…
When you hear “wicked,” you probably aren’t that bad, but it still applies to you, and me, and the priest at the front of the church, and the kindly nun who sits behind you. Everyone.1
When we see someone who seems good, or in Jesus’ case, is good, we remember that only half our heart is on that side. No one likes to be reminded of that, and so we lash out.
This is why we read the CROWD part during the reading of the Passion on Palm Sunday. We are the crowd.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 34:17-18, 19-20, 21 and 23
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
He watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
Similar to the quote above, Solzhenitsyn writes: “If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”2
That’s exactly what God wants, though. He wants to confront the evildoers (us) and rescue the just (also us).
Verse Before the Gospel
Mt 4:4b
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
Not sure what this has to do with anything. Good reminder, though.
Gospel
Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
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.
Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, "Is he not the one they are trying to kill? And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ? But we know where he is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."
So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, "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." So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come.
So many people are of two minds in this short passage. Jesus doesn’t want to be killed (yet; it’s not his time), but it’s the feast of Tabernacles, so he has go into Jerusalem.
The people of Jerusalem debate whether or not this means the authorities have decided that He’s the Messiah after all. But then they themselves have doubts, since they know where Jesus is from.
Finally, Jesus cuts through the crap. He is both from Nazareth and from God. Confoundingly, this doesn’t mean he’s of two minds and a split heart like the rest of us; Jesus is both True God and True Man, and He has only one thing on his mind—fulfilling God’s mission, the one He was sent on.
We have to accept this on faith, and follow the example He’s given us. Don’t let our hearts be divided between good and evil. It’s not easy, and we’ll probably3 fail, but that's why God is open to forgiving us—so we can stand back up and try again.
Except Mary and Jesus, of course.
The Gulag Archipelago is a three-volume set, and he uses the “line through the heart” metaphor a few times.
Definitely.