Trying to Keep Them in the Dark

The gospel of John in the Roman Catholic Lectionary today tells of the response of the Pharisees to Jesus proclamation of His mission to be the “Light of the World” and guide all people from the darkness. The imminent usurping of the leadership of the people by Jesus places the Pharisees in the position of questioning the authority of Jesus testimony. As Jesus links Himself to the Father, He reasserts the understanding of the relationship with the Divine as being without judgment. It reminds us of the nature of the relationship expressed by the psalmist through the words of the 23rd psalm. The “healing wisdom of the 23rd psalm” is the message of an inspiring book by Rabbi Harold Kushner. (Kushner, 2003) Kushner, H. (2003). The Lord is my Shepherd. New York: Anchor Books.