Gospel Reflection For The 15th day of March in the year of Our Lord, 2024
Gospel
John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2 Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.
10 But after his brethren were gone up, then he also went up to the feast, not openly, but, as it were, in secret.
25 Some therefore of Jerusalem said: Is not this he whom they seek to kill?
26 And behold, he speaketh openly, and they say nothing to him. Have the rulers known for a truth, that this is the Christ? 27 But we know this man, whence he is: but when the Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. 28 Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching, and saying: You both know me, and you know whence I am: and I am not come of myself; but he that sent me, is true, whom you know not. 29 I know him, because I am from him, and he hath sent me. 30 They sought therefore to apprehend him: and no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
31 But of the people many believed in him, and said: When the Christ cometh, shall he do more miracles, than these which this man doth? 32 The Pharisees heard the people murmuring these things concerning him: and the rulers and Pharisees sent ministers to apprehend him. 33 Jesus therefore said to them: Yet a little while I am with you: and then I go to him that sent me. 34 You shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither you cannot come. 35 The Jews therefore said among themselves: Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
We must remember that our Lord was always in control of his fate. In today’s Gospel, He openly defies the religious authorities and they try to arrest Him. But, “His hour had not yet come.” Similarly, in previous readings we are told that He walked through the crowds who wished to kill Him, unharmed. Even when Judas came to betray Him, our Lord gave Him leave to do what he intended, because His hour had come. Only once was anyone able to convince Him to act when He seemed to be resistant. He said to His blessed mother, when she urged Him to provide wine for the wedding, “my hour has not yet come.” Yet, surely this was for our benefit. Jesus, God, who could control all things could not be persuaded against His will. This was a clear sign that He would refuse His mother nothing and would grant any request she brought to Him on behalf of others. We may have full faith that God will answer our prayers when we ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to pray for us, so long as they are in accord with His will. He assigned her this role and wants us to become more a part of the family of God through His mother…. Among His last words were, “Man, behold your mother,” when He gave her to all humanity, and “Woman, behold your son,” when He gave us all to her care.
Not only did Jesus know how He would die and die willingly for us, He foretold it through the prophets. Today’s first reading is from Wisdom:
The wicked said among themselves,
thinking not aright:
"Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us;
he sets himself against our doings,
Reproaches us for transgressions of the law
and charges us with violations of our training.
He professes to have knowledge of God
and styles himself a child of the LORD.
To us he is the censure of our thoughts;
merely to see him is a hardship for us,
Because his life is not like that of others,
and different are his ways.
He judges us debased;
he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure.
He calls blest the destiny of the just
and boasts that God is his Father.
Let us see whether his words be true;
let us find out what will happen to him.
For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him
and deliver him from the hand of his foes.
With revilement and torture let us put him to the test
that we may have proof of his gentleness
and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death;
for according to his own words, God will take care of him."
These were their thoughts, but they erred;
for their wickedness blinded them,
and they knew not the hidden counsels of God;
neither did they count on a recompense of holiness
nor discern the innocent souls' reward.
In our Lenten reflections, we should meditate on these words. Not only did our Lord willingly suffer for each of us due to His immense and incomprehensible personal love for each one of us…. But we are called to suffer, as well. The more we conform our lives to His will, the more we will be opposed and hated. We will be tried and tested. We may even be killed. This a very good time of year to read the histories of the martyrs and to see how they went willingly and joyfully to be tortured and killed, truly joining their suffering to Christ. In comparison, our trials and tribulations usually seem very trivial, but they are suffering none the less. To whatever extent we are called, we must take up our cross and follow Jesus. But, we do so knowing we are not alone. Jesus will help us carry the cross and our Mother Mary will be by our side, innumerable angels and saints will strengthen and support us through their prayers. When you are Catholic, you are never alone; you are family and the most welcome home is waiting for you when this journey ends!
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Gospel passages are taken from the Douay Rheims Bible.