His Hour Had Not Yet Come

Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent

By Melanie Rigney

The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright: “Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our trainings.” (Wisdom 2:12)

When the just cry out, the Lord hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. (Psalm 34:18)

So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come. (John 7:28-30)

Piety

Patience is a virtue of the Lord: He awaits the return of His children. Forgive my trespasses Oh Lord Jesus, for many times have I tested You. I deserved the wrath of Your hand, but You saw greater things for me: Your patience has been enormous! Grant me a droplet of such endurance, That I may abolish my impious impatience, Refraining from using unpleasant words, and always reflecting Your serenity. Great is the Lord Jesus in His ways! (Prayer for the Virtue of Patience from Catholic.org)

Study

A woman asked about deliverance prayers at a conference I attended recently. Both speakers looked a bit flummoxed; finally, one of them referred her to the Lord’s Prayer as the best deliverance prayer ever.

I felt a connection with the woman as someone who’s not a psychologist or learned scholar. Aren’t there times you just say to God, “Enough’s enough! I can’t take anymore!” about what seems to be intolerable suffering or pain or frustration? Sometimes, it ends. Sometimes, it doesn’t. And in those cases, we summon up strength or patience or endurance from inner wells we thought were completely drained or didn’t know existed to begin with.

In today’s Gospel reading, we see the people of Jerusalem in essence taunting Jesus, and Jesus responding by all but saying he is the Messiah. But his arrest does not come; John tells us Jesus’s hour has not come. And so he soldiers on, just as we must, knowing God remains by our side, even when our deliverance cries appear to be vanishing into the ether.

Action

Try not to ask for deliverance from anything today. Instead, try a gratitude prayer for the good things in your life.