Lenten Reflection – 13 April – “What are we going to do? “

Lenten Reflection – 13 April – Saturday of the Fifth week of Lent, Year C

The Readings:
Ezekiel 37:21-28; Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12ABCD, 13; John 11:45-46

Daily Meditation:
Now we rejoice in Your great love.
Our journey has brought us here.
It is as though we, too, are gathering in Jerusalem
to celebrate our Passover week.
We are ready to enter into the Passion drama,
and to celebrate the Paschal Mystery,
with mind and heart renewed.

We are ready to rejoice that the death of Jesus is “for me”
and that it is the ultimate victory over sin and death –
my sin and my death.

Christ was sacrificed so that he could gather together
the scattered children of God.
John 11:52

“So the chief priests and the Pharisees
convened the Sanhedrin and said,
“What are we going to do?
This man is performing many signs.”…John 11:47

Origen of Alexandria (c 185-253) (part 2 of Pope Benedict’s reflections on Origen) comments on this verse from the Gospel proclaimed at Mass today:

“I think the phrase “this man” was used to diminish Jesus’ glory because they did not believe what was said about Him being God.   Notice both the audacity and the blindness of their evil.   It was audacious because they had already witnessed the fact that He had performed many signs and yet, they thought they could plot against Him — as if He could do nothing when they plotted against Him!
On the other hand, they were no less blind either, because it makes more sense to be on the side of someone who performs such miracles than to be a part of the plot, of those who do not want to allow Him to live.
Or perhaps they thought that He performed signs that were not the result of divine power and that this was why He could not do all things, or deliver Himself from their plot.
They resolved, therefore, not to let Him live, thinking that they would place an impediment in the way of those who believed in Him and also prevent the Romans from taking away, their place and nation.” (Commentary on the Gospel of John)

Closing Prayer:
Loving God,
Your eternal watchfulness keeps me safe from harm.
I am filled with a great happiness
when I feel your endless love for me.
Thank you for your care for me, one of your children.
I ask you to protect from harm
those who will soon be your children,
joined in the joy of your church.
Please continue to pour out your blessings
on all of us who have been given
the lifegiving waters of baptism.

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.