The Die Is Cast

 

  Jn 11:45-56

 The Plot to Kill Jesus

⁴⁵ Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. ⁴⁶ But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

⁴⁹ Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰ You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

⁵¹ He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, ⁵² and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. ⁵³ So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

⁵⁴ Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.

⁵⁵ When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. ⁵⁶ They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?”

The scene is set. The anger of the Pharisees has reached the point where it's either Jesus be eliminated or  the nation perish. We know what happens. Jesus chose the path of Truth and certainly fidelity to his mission. He came into this world to die in reparation for our sins and the wheels were now in motion for this to be accomplished.  Holy Week begins tomorrow, the final days before the Triduum beginning next Thursday. Lent is almost over. May we use these final days to reflect on what our Lenten disciplines have accomplished in our spiritual lives, and may we make the effort to find extra time to reflect on the   Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, "the die is cast."  Your hour is at hand. Help me to walk closer with you as we enter this final week of Lent. Amen.

Bro. Rene