Gospel Reflection For The 23rd day of March in the year of Our Lord, 2024
Gospel
John 11:45-56
45 Many therefore of the Jews, who were come to Mary and Martha, and had seen the things that Jesus did, believed in him.
46 But some of them went to the Pharisees, and told them the things that Jesus had done. 47 The chief priests therefore, and the Pharisees, gathered a council, and said: What do we, for this man doth many miracles? 48 If we let him alone so, all will believe in him; and the Romans will come, and take away our place and nation. 49 But one of them, named Caiphas, being the high priest that year, said to them: You know nothing. 50 Neither do you consider that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
51 And this he spoke not of himself: but being the high priest of that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation. 52 And not only for the nation, but to gather together in one the children of God, that were dispersed. 53 From that day therefore they devised to put him to death. 54 Wherefore Jesus walked no more openly among the Jews; but he went into a country near the desert, unto a city that is called Ephrem, and there he abode with his disciples. 55 And the pasch of the Jews was at hand; and many from the country went up to Jerusalem, before the pasch to purify themselves.
56 They sought therefore for Jesus; and they discoursed one with another, standing in the temple: What think you that he is not come to the festival day? And the chief priests and Pharisees had given a commandment, that if any man knew where he was, he should tell, that they might apprehend him.
Again, we must not be too quick to judge the religious Jewish officials of Jesus’ time. Israel was under Roman rule and was known to be a rebellious nation. Those who ruled over them, given power by Rome, knew their prophecies. They knew that the Jews were awaiting the Messiah, who would be king. Word of Jesus was spreading, and they rightly feared that He may lead a nationalistic uprising. If He was not the true Messiah, this would mean disaster for the entire nation. Rome was not lenient toward nations that rebelled. For all the reasons we have already discussed, the religious officials did not believe that Jesus was God incarnate. Most, if not all did not believe the Messiah would be God in human form. They expected a chosen one by God, who would be a nationalistic figure and would vanquish all nations that opposed Judaism.
Many have speculated that Judas’ betrayal of Jesus may have been because of this very belief – if he could force Jesus' hand, surely, He would have to assert His authority! But no, Judas and likely may of the Jews who believed that our Lord may be the Messiah, but not in His divinity, were very mistaken. Those who welcomed Him as a king on Palm Sunday would demand His execution and revile Him only days later, perhaps in apart because they felt disappointed and misled due to their own error.
In today’s first reading from Ezekiel we learn of one of the prophecies that caused them to think this:
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I will take the children of Israel from among the nations
to which they have come,
and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land.
I will make them one nation upon the land,
in the mountains of Israel,
and there shall be one prince for them all.
Never again shall they be two nations,
and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.
No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols,
their abominations, and all their transgressions.
I will deliver them from all their sins of apostasy,
and cleanse them so that they may be my people
and I may be their God.
My servant David shall be prince over them,
and there shall be one shepherd for them all;
they shall live by my statutes and carefully observe my decrees.
They shall live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob,
the land where their fathers lived;
they shall live on it forever,
they, and their children, and their children’s children,
with my servant David their prince forever.
I will make with them a covenant of peace;
it shall be an everlasting covenant with them,
and I will multiply them, and put my sanctuary among them forever.
My dwelling shall be with them;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the LORD,
who make Israel holy,
when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever.
What they could not understand is that Jesus would, indeed come to gather the faithful from all nations. The Hebrew people were an analogy for all of humanity. Just as God promised to reunite the tribes of Israel, He would unite all of humanity in Christendom through the Catholic Church that He would establish. The Son of David would indeed by the Good Shepherd. He cares for all of His sheep. The Chosen People forgot that God makes all people, each one of us, and cares for us all. The Bible teaches that the Good Shepherd will make every effort, even leaving His flock, to search out one lost sheep and bring it safely into the fold. God's plan was for all of humanity to, as the Church teaches, find “salvation through the Jews.” God was not nationalistic. He planned to set up a universal church and give the inheritance promised to the Jews to all peoples. This, He left in the care of Saint Peter and his successors when He left him in authority as the first pope saying, “Feed my sheep.” We are fed with the Body, blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ. This is our life. We cannot receive it outside of the Catholic Church. The Sanctuary God promised to Israel through Ezekiel is the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church… a sanctuary not for one nation, but for the entire world, even the universe. Jesus Christ is King of the Universe and all is under His authority.
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Gospel passages are taken from the Douay Rheims Bible.