4th Week of Lent 2018 - Thursday - It's no secret

In the Gospel of Mark, we often read of Jesus guarding his identity. For example, when he asks the disciples that famous question, “who do you say that I am?” and Peter replies, “You are the Messiah”, Jesus warns the disciples not to tell anyone about him.

Again, after healing the leper, Jesus tells the leper, “tell no one who I am, but go and show yourself to the priest.”

Scholars call Jesus’ elusiveness about his divine identity in Mark’s Gospel, the Messianic Secret. Many, in Jesus’ times, were looking for the Messiah to be a political revolutionary, who would launch a military campaign against the enemies of Israel. So, likely Jesus was mysterious at times about his identity so not to feed into this earthly notion of Messiahship. He had a job to do—the Father’s Will—and these erroneous preconceptions about the Messiah mustn’t get in the way.

And perhaps, the mysteriousness of Jesus’ identity in Mark, could have brought some comfort to the Christians of Rome, for whom the Gospel was originally written. For they had to often be a bit secretive or mysterious about their Christian identity, lest they be arrested and sent to their death. But there is a point, in Mark, where the Messianic Secret is unveiled. During His Passion, Jesus is asked by the high priest, “are you the Messiah, the son of the Blessed One?” And Jesus answers, “I Am.” His identity is further revealed, as the obedient Son of the Father, as he lays down his life on the cross.

Well, in John’s Gospel, the secret is unveiled from the beginning. As we read today, John portrays Jesus standing before large groups of Jews, saying things like, “my works testify to who I Am, why the Father sent me, His Son.” John’s Gospel is unambiguous about the identity of Jesus from the prologue: From the beginning the Word was with God, and the Word was God; Jesus is the Word made flesh, the source of life and truth for mankind; and only those who rightly believe in Him and his Truth and His Works can rightly be called “God’s children”.

And we read from John, especially in the latter part of Lent, because this is the time for unambiguous conviction, that Jesus has the power to cleanse us of our sins and transform our lives. Lent is the time that we are to show that we are God’s true children, by performing good works, fasting and prayer.
Our Lenten tests prepare us for Easter testimony. In a sense, we are to be the works of Jesus, testifying to his divine identity, to his power to transform lives, and his mission to bring forgiveness and eternal life to the repentant, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That God may be pleased to increase faith and understanding in the catechumens and candidates who approach the sacraments of initiation in the coming Paschal Solemnity.

That those in need may find assistance in the charity of faithful Christians and that peace and security may be firmly established in all places.

For strength to resist temptation, and the humility to sincerely repent of sin.

That through fasting and self-denial, we may be ever more conformed to Christ.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.