THIS    IS  WHAT’S  KILLING  ME

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “This Is What’s  Killing  Me.”

That one liner gives me a possible reflection point from both readings for today.

Yet - I find this message mysterious and complicated - and I don’t think I can get my hands on exactly what is going on with these 2 readings.  Sorry!

FIRST READING

In the first reading from the Book of Numbers,  we hear that snakes  are  killing people.  Moses says to the crowd in the desert, “Grab a saraph snake after it bites you, put it up on a pole and then take a good look at it.” [Cf. Numbers 21; 4-9.]

“If you do that, you will live.”  

It’s kind of a mysterious message - but that’s a possible message from what the story here is telling us.

To clarify this message, to broadcast this message, he says to make it a bronze snake - and put it up on the pole.

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION

That bronze symbol of snake on the pole should sound familiar. It’s the symbol of the medical profession.  A doctor sees a patient, examines a patient, and tries to name the sickness.

Tests…. Tests …. Tests …. The stuff of being a doctor today…. The first step is to diagnosis what’s wrong - what’s the  sickness.  Hopefully that can lead to healing that person.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Today’s gospel from John 8: 21-30 refers to that story from the Book of Numbers. Jesus says he’s going to be lifted up and then you will know who I AM.

I assume that the text is referring to Jesus on the cross - and the horror of what happened to him.

I assume that these two texts - are put here - as we move towards the end of Lent.

I assume that Lent is a time of sitting and standing under the cross - and studying Jesus - where made of bronze, wooden, plaster, marble - getting us in touch with the flesh and blood Good Friday Jesus on the cross.

Jesus, the Healer, allows the same thing to happen to him.  He is nailed to a pole after telling us: “This is what kills you.”

If we read the crucifixion story - we can pick up the anger, the suffering, righteousness, the spitting on others,  crucifying others,  yelling at others….

People have been doing these horrible types of downing others -  down through the years - in all kinds of ways and means.

The Christian enters into all this - into the passion - death - and then the resurrection of Christ.

So once more Lent is a time of sitting and standing under the cross - and studying Jesus - bronze, wooden, plaster, marble

WHAT KILLS YOU?

I think the question: “What kills me?” is an important question to ask.

How do we crucify ourselves?

It could be a $20 dollar bill. Jesus was sold for 30 pieces of silver.

It could be food.

It could be over binging by watching television  or the computer into mesmeration. Is that  killing me?

We need to name our self-destroyers - or family destroyers.

CONCLUSION

This theme - this looking at what kills us - what crucifies us - should be in the mix of what we’re going to be reflecting on as we move to the end of Lent and as we move closer and closer to Holy Week  - which is next week. Amen.