Daily Gospel Reflection
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April 8, 2025
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“I am going away and you will look for me,
but you will die in your sin.
Where I am going you cannot come.”
So the Jews said,
“He is not going to kill himself, is he,
because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?”
He said to them, “You belong to what is below,
I belong to what is above.
You belong to this world,
but I do not belong to this world.
That is why I told you that you will die in your sins.
For if you do not believe that I AM,
you will die in your sins.”
So they said to him, “Who are you?”
Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning.
I have much to say about you in condemnation.
But the one who sent me is true,
and what I heard from him I tell the world.”
They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father.
So Jesus said to them,
“When you lift up the Son of Man,
then you will realize that I AM,
and that I do nothing on my own,
but I say only what the Father taught me.
The one who sent me is with me.
He has not left me alone,
because I always do what is pleasing to him.”
Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.
My first impression of this reading is that Jesus is coming across as a bit harsh when he tells the Pharisees, “You will die in your sin.” But in context, being cruel is far from what is happening here.
A few passages earlier, Jesus spared the woman, an adulterer, from being stoned to death. He saved her not by approving of her wrongdoings but rather by turning a mirror on those who looked to persecute her.
Likewise, this seems to be Jesus’ approach to the Pharisees as he patiently and repeatedly attempts to reveal his identity and purpose through God the Father. He is not one to condemn but to do the work of his Father. The Pharisees, however, continue to lack understanding—even after revealing himself as I AM—a Jewish designation that the Pharisees should have surely recognized.
It is important to realize that through this confrontation, Jesus does not hide from the condemnation of the Father for those who do not believe and live their lives accordingly. He foreshadows that his own death will reveal the truths he is destined to fulfill. Jesus stands firm in his identity as he points toward God, to whom we all must ultimately answer.
In a world where it may feel that so many of us are at odds with one another, what better example do we have than Jesus above? Remaining firm in the truth but patiently and persistently orienting one another toward God together.
Prayer
Father, Jesus your Son proclaimed your reign and embodied it in his intimacy with you and his generous self-sacrificing life. Be with us in our Lenten pilgrimage of faith. May our prayer, fasting, and repentance draw us ever more deeply into Christ’s example of oneness with you and kind attentiveness to others. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Though St. Walter of Pontoise did not want to be in the public eye and longed for a life of solitude, he could not escape the leadership roles to which he was called.
He lived in 11th century France and was a professor of philosophy before joining a community of Benedictine monks. Because of his intellect, the king asked him to serve as the first abbot of a new monastery in Pontoise.
He was fearless in speaking to those in power, which made him rise in their estimation. The honor that he received from executing his position well made him anxious. He had always desired a life of silence and prayer, so he fled to a distant monastery, hoping to escape his responsibilities. His monks found him, though, and brought him back.
He tried a number of other escapes as well—he tried to live in solitude on an island but was found, and a pilgrim recognized him when he attempted to hide in another, different monastery after that.
Walter eventually appealed to the pope himself, asking to be relieved of his duties. The pope told him to make good use of the talents God had given him and told him to never leave again. Walter took that as a definitive answer and gave up on looking for a way out of his public ministry.
He spoke out against priests who abused their positions and faced angry opposition. He was even seized, beaten, and thrown into prison at one point—the monks of his community had him released.
As he aged, he increased his devotions and disciplines. It is said that he rarely sat down while praying in church—he would lean on his staff instead. He would often be the last man to leave the monk’s night prayer, lost in contemplation, and sometimes would fall asleep there to be discovered in the morning in a heap on the floor.
St. Walter died on this date in 1095, which happened to be Good Friday. He is a patron saint of prisoners, and of those who experience job-related stress.
The chapel in Duncan Hall, a men's hall on Notre Dame's campus, is named after St. Walter of Pontoise, a designation that is marked with this plaque that stands near its door.
St. Walter of Pontoise, patron saint of those who suffer from job-related stress—pray for us!
Image credit: This icon comes from St. Walter Pontoise Parish in Roselle, Illinois.