To prepare our hearts for next week's celebrations of Holy Week, today's gospel passage places us in the presence of Jesus and the Pharisees. He tells them: When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am (Jn 8:28). This is a direct reference to the story of Moses that is recounted in today's first reading (Num 21:4-9): a text which these learned men should have known very well, and the use of the name 'I am' is a direct reference to the revelation of the name of God (cf Ex 3:14) which was made to Moses.
In his Angelus address this past Sunday, Pope Francis told us: those who wish to know Jesus must look deeper - to the cross - where his true glory is revealed (Angelus, 18 March 2018). Jesus is very aware of the temptations that we face every day. Like the serpents in the desert, if we give in to these temptations, they will slowly drain the joy and spiritual life from us, but God always hears the cries of his people, and he is always ready to offer us a solution.
In the desert, Moses fashioned a serpent out of bronze. If anyone was bitten, they simply had to look upon this bronze serpent and they would live. Today, we no longer have bronze serpents, but we have crucifixes. Every time we feel weighed down by life's burdens, all we need to do is look to the cross, where Jesus true glory is revealed. He is always there, willing to console us, willing to enfold us in his loving arms, willing to restore and refresh us.
Have a great day.
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