Date: March 31, 2020 ()

Bible Text: First Reading: NM 21:4-9; Gospel Reading JN 8:21-30 |

Series:

“The Great I Am” was easily touched by the pleading of His people.

At the burning bush, God made known to Moses His name as: “I am.” As He spoke to Moses, immediately we will have an idea what kind of Person He is. I-am said: “And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them (Ex. 3:9).” I-am was deeply disturbed by their torment and He desired to liberate them.

This is the same “I am” who was hurt by the complaint and stubbornness of the same people He saved. And as a punishment to their ingratitude, He sent them a poisonous serpent biting several of them to death. But “the Great I Am” was easily touched by the pleading of His people. His anger did not last long. He sent them a remedy from the poison - a Bronze Serpent mounted on a pole so that whoever looked up to it will be healed.

Today we hear Jesus say: “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM.” First, Jesus identifies himself with the identity of “I am.” “I am” is God and Jesus is His Son. Second, when He mentioned the “lifting-up”, He wanted us to recognize Him as the Bronze Serpent mounted on the pole. He is the medicinal serpent sent from heaven who will be lifted up on the cross to become a remedy for all who were wounded by the poisonous serpent at the garden of Eden. Jesus is the Bronze Serpent who heals and who saves us from Death. Jesus is the “Great I am.” He is the Savior, the Healer.

It was a touching sight to see a priest who went around the empty streets of one of the areas in Italy that were afflicted by the coronavirus outbreak. The priest in an empty procession hoisted the Blessed Sacrament for the people to see. Perhaps, many of them who saw it were sick and may have died already, but having seen Jesus raised before them was for sure a great healing to their spirit. I am humbled to know that every day, I am tasked to raise Jesus at the holy altar of sacrifice. I do this because Jesus meant it, that at this celebration He will be raised. He must be raised that people may be healed. And on our part, let us look upon Jesus with a contrite heart and humble spirit as we plead for His mercy.