In the Gospel, Nicodemus is one of the chief priests and a Pharisee—yet he does something revolutionary: he requests that Jesus be given a legal hearing. What makes this revolutionary is that in the Old Testament or rabbinic law there is no legal precedent for the accused to be accorded a legal hearing.
As a Christian, could I devise something equally revolutionary that would defend Jesus? Or maybe I could help the poor and demonstrate more mercy. Maybe mercy is the revolution.
Father Jim McCabe, C.Ss.R.
Bethpage, N.Y.
Scripture readings for today: Jeremiah 11:18-20; Psalm 7; John 7:40-53