Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Friday of the fourth week of Lent, April 4, 2025

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Wisdom 2: 1a.12-22; Rs psalm 34: 17-18.19-20.21-23; John 7: 1-2.10.25-30THE TIME HAS NOT YET COME The theme for our meditation today is: The Time HasNot Yet Come. Soon, about a week from now, we will be celebrating Holy Week.The passion and death of Jesus Christ was the culminating experience of Hissuffering. We will meet in anticipation of this great celebration in the daysleading up to it, including today. The type of anticipation shown in variousdifficulties to be the resistance Jesus had to face. The threat to Him wasreal, immediate, and definite. He was on the verge of persecution. Long before the real experience of Jesus Christ, thebook of Wisdom had described this persecution. It says in this way: Let us testhim with persecution and torment, that we may know his tenderness and patience.We should sentence him to death, for according to him he will surely get help (Wis2:19-20). The Gospel of John that we have just heard rejoins the image of the vergeof persecution, and saying in this way: the Pharisees tried to arrest Jesus,but no one touched him, because his hour had not yet come (Jn 7:30). His time that has not yet come depends entirely onGod's providence. Thursday night and Good Friday have not yet arrived. Allparties from our part are obliged to comply with the provision of this not yetcome condition. All must respect to what important aspects are on the verge ofpersecution of Jesus Christ. Although the waves of anger, envy, hatred, andviolence seem unstoppable, they were obliged to restrain themselves. Eventhough the wave was very strong, God had not allowed the time to come.  How do we interpret "The time for God has not yetcome?" We first interpret it by acknowledging and accepting it. We acceptthis reality and believe it as a form of fulfillment of the Father's will onJesus' part, and as the content of our faith. In the prayer "IBelieve" we express our faith by saying: He who suffered under the powerof Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. Agreeing to this alsomeans that we accept the Lord's teachings and invitation to follow Him in everyverge of persecution we face in our lives.  We also interpret this in a view that we have no fearto maintain the truth and goodness as a sign of our belongingness to God.Usually the temptation for those who are on the verge of suffering andpersecution is to be afraid or surrender and submit to the persecutor. If thepersecutor wants to quickly execute, we must not give in to that will.Authentic followers of Christ do not surrender in such manner. On the verge ofpersecution and death we dare to cry out: this submmission of self is for thesake of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us pray. In the name of the Father... Father in heaven,strengthen us always, especially when we are in the midst of suffering andpersecution, so that we may remain on your side. Our Father who art inheaven... In the name of the Father ...