TRASH TALK

wisdom 2:1,12-22; Ps 34 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; John 7:1-2,10, 25-30

The readings today contain the quintessential "Trash talk."

"with revilement and torture let us put him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience." book of wisdom

In the gospel Jesus is being taunted. Men are whispering behind his back, "is he not the one they are trying to kill? he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him.  Could the authorities have realized he is the Christ? But we know where he is from."

Then JEsus Cries out in the temple area.  He had enough.  He reached his breaking point.  He is about to lay down the smack.  Oh wait, that would be our reaction.   We are the ones that insist on getting even.  We are the ones that insist on making sure we get a word in edge ways.  We are the ones that return smack with smack, trash talk with trash talk, taunts with taunts.

Jesus, however, just clarifies for them what they were talking about, "You know me and you 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."

Then they tries to arrest him.

Jesus is constantly getting into trash talk sessions with the people he comes to save.  They taunt him, ridicule him, deride him, tease him.  They genuinely try to get his goat, as they say.

All the while, he picks his moment to unleash his fury.

That moment of release is on the cross.  He bears the insults in such a way they become a life giving remedy for the trash and taunts and teasing he endures.  By his wounds we are healed.

How is that for transferring the negative into a positive.