DAILY REFLECTION — Saturday, 4th Week in Lent, 28 March 2020
(REFLECTION after the readings of the day)
First reading, Jeremiah 11:18-20
‘Let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name may be quickly forgotten’
THE Lord revealed it to me; I was warned. O Lord, that was when you opened my eyes to their scheming. I for my part was like a trustful lamb being led to the slaughter-house, not knowing the schemes they were plotting against me, ‘Let us destroy the tree in its strength, let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name may be quickly forgotten!’
But you, the Lord of Hosts, who pronounce a just sentence, who probe the loins and heart, let me see the vengeance you will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you.
Gospel, John 7:40-52
The Law does not allow us to pass judgement on a man without hearing him
SEVERAL people who had been listening to Jesus said, ‘Surely he must be the prophet’, and some said, ‘He is the Christ’, but others said, ‘Would the Christ be from Galilee? Does not scripture say that the Christ must be descended from David and come from the town of Bethlehem?’ So the people could not agree about him. Some would have liked to arrest him, but no one actually laid hands on him.
The police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees who said to them, ‘Why haven’t you brought him?’ The police replied, ‘There has never been anybody who has spoken like him.’ ‘So’ the Pharisees answered ‘you have been led astray as well? Have any of the authorities believed in him? Any of the Pharisees? This rabble knows nothing about the Law – they are damned.’
One of them, Nicodemus – the same man who had come to Jesus earlier – said to them, ‘But surely the Law does not allow us to pass judgement on a man without giving him a hearing and discovering what he is about?’
To this they answered, ‘Are you a Galilean too? Go into the matter, and see for yourself: prophets do not come out of Galilee.’
REFLECTION
THE Word today continues to remind us on how real and testing the godless are, but the Word also leads us to the right response which should ultimately be the response of our dear Lord and Master Jesus.
In the gospel, there is so much of fake news circulating around about Jesus! He speaks well, He must be a prophet, but he is from Ulu Galilee not from Bethlehem the royal city of David. Believe, don’t believe?
A word on leadership. First, as leaders, don’t spread sensational news when we are not sure if it’s true, necessary or useful. Only seekers of quick and cheap popularity, victims of unlove with a desperate need for attention, who are unfit to be leaders, do that.
He does not exact vengeance by himself, but leaves true justice in the hands of God whom he trusts fully and to whom he has fully committed his life and mission. What a man of faith!
– Fr Cosmas Lee, Saturday, 4th Week in Lent
Second, don’t share the bad leadership of the chief priests and Pharisees. In telling off the police for not arresting and bringing in Jesus, they have clearly looked at Jesus simply as a threat to their position and power. Nicodemus has to challenge them (who are the experts of the Law) on the illegality to arrest without giving a fair hearing.
When we are in leadership, whether out there in the world or in the parish and home, and especially as elders and parents in the family, do we first give a fair hearing to God on the issue, on what is right and wrong, a fair hearing to others, instead of just deciding on what pleases us or what only pleases others under our care?
Back to the wicked who scheme against poor Jeremiah. Like an innocent lamb led to the slaughter, this kind soul didn’t suspect the murderous plot of his enemies.
We should be extremely careful about picking up patterns of worldly behaviour. Everyone does it.
– Fr Cosmas Lee, Saturday, 4th Week in Lent
Knowing it now, the prophet still declares to “see the vengeance you (God) will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you”. He does not exact vengeance by himself, but leaves true justice in the hands of God whom he trusts fully and to whom he has fully committed his life and mission. What a man of faith!
In real life, to be persecuted is expected (a lot of times due to our own fault though), but to be led to the slaughter like an innocent lamb without complaint??? When we discover their malice, how do we respond to the nasty persecutors? To judge and curse, to harm and murder; to bless and pray, to feel responsible and bear their sins, to suffer and die for them out of true love like Jesus?
The honest choice we make will define clearly if we are true or fake disciples of Jesus. It’s not fashionable or common; it’s rare to be “weak”, blessing and forgiving. But it is Christian.
We should be extremely careful about picking up patterns of worldly behaviour. Everyone does it. But even if the whole world does it, it does not make it right and godly, does not make it the Way of Jesus, the Truth … our Life and Resurrection this Easter.
St Simon Catholic Church Likas 