The Jews accuse Jesus of blasphemy so much so that they want to stone him.

While we believers recognize Jesus as the Son of God, just like the Jews we also “stone” him in various ways. When we deliberately choose sin, knowing it offends God, we symbolically pick up stones against him.

When we reject his presence in others by treating them with disdain, judgment, or indifference—especially those in the peripheries— we stone Jesus who said, “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40).

When we refuse his invitation to forgive, to be kind, and to be compassionate, we stone his message of love.

The good news is that just as Jesus did not retaliate against those who wanted to stone him, he continues to deal with us with patience and mercy and gentleness, always inviting us to lay down our stones and open our hearts to his love.

The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?”

The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.”

Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and Scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?

If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”

Then they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power. He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained.

Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” And many there began to believe in him.