“With revilement and torture let us put him [the just man] to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness.”
This was written about 50 years before Jesus the Christ came onto the scene.
It is not believed to have been written specifically about him (a future man and time), but has been readily used in liturgy to refer to the Christ.
How could that not be?
Listen to it. It perfectly describes Jesus, especially as he willingly accepts his sufferings, trusting completely in the Father; and never losing his peace of mind, his ability to love and forgive, and his deep faith to see purpose in absurdity.
Oh, what a just man indeed!
+ Now the Gospel adds a most important new dimension to Jesus uniquely in John’s Gospel.
And Jesus would refer to “this hour” on multiple occasions just like this one.
And “that hour” was not a matter of 60 minutes; that hour was the suffering and death, and burial and resurrection. The hour of glory.
+ And so both liturgically and spiritually, we draw closer and closer to a kind of reenactment of sorts through liturgical celebration of all the important moments leading up to “the hour,” and to that hour itself.
What impression will it make on us? How will it transform our inner spirit?
How will we become “just men,” “just women,” in the process?
And “that hour” was not a matter of 60 minutes; that hour was the suffering and death, and burial and resurrection. The hour of glory.
That is how we see “that hour,” and hopefully embrace it with all of our hearts!
