Gospel: John 10:31-42
The Jews then picked up stones to throw at him; so Jesus said, “I have openly done many good works among you, which the Father gave me to do. For which of these do you stone me?”The Jews answered, “We are not stoning you for doing a good work, but for insulting God; you are only a man, and you make yourself God.”Then Jesus replied, “Is this not written in your law: I said, you are gods? So those who received this word of God were called gods, and the Scripture is always true. What then should be said of the one anointed, and sent into the world, by the Father? Am I insulting God when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’?If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me. But if I do them, even if you have no faith in me, believe because of

the works I do; and know that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”Again they tried to arrest him, but Jesus escaped from their hands. He went away again to the other side of the Jordan, to the place where John had baptized, and there he stayed.Many people came to Jesus, and said, “John worked no miracles, but he spoke about you, and everything he said was true.” And many in that place became believers.

Reflections

“The Father is in me, and I in the Father.”The Jews cannot take Jesus anymore. They have become more violent. They stone him. Jesus asks why? Not because of his good works, but because he makes himself equal to God. Still they are wrong. The good works should lead them to believe in him that he is sent by the Father. There is so much trouble when people have already made up their minds. They have a set of beliefs or framework of mind that cannot be bent. They can no longer accommodate other frameworks or paradigms, even that of Jesus. They consider it as an insult to God. They cannot be convinced otherwise.Religion can be a source of violence if it is not handled very well. When a believer is annoyed (mindless), he becomes dangerous. Anything can happen. A religious group can become a mob or a gangster. Far be it from us! Those who are fanatical.Again, faith is the key to understand what Jesus is saying. We cannot get his point if we are just there to argue with him. It is a gift. It is developed when one becomes a faithful follower, absorbing whatever comes from the mouth of Jesus.
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