Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all!
It is better to have one man die for the people than to let the whole nation be destroyed.”
In saying this Caiaphas did not speak for himself, but being High Priest that year, he foretold like a prophet that Jesus would die for the nation,
and not for the nation only, but also would die in order to gather into one the scattered children of God. So, from that day on,
they were determined to kill him. Because of this, Jesus no longer moved about freely among the Jews. He withdrew instead to the country near the wilderness,
and stayed with his disciples in a town called Ephraim. The Passover of the Jews was at hand,
and people from everywhere were coming to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover.
They looked for Jesus and, as they stood in the temple, they talked with one another, “What do you think? Will he come to the festival?”
REFLECTION:
There are times in our life, especially dark and difficult ones, when we forget that no matter how challenging things can get,
no matter how seemingly hopeless, faith in God’s love for us is capable of unleashing a power that brings life even from death,
a power that transforms and renews all things, including hearts,
minds and souls that sometimes grow fearful and weary because of the headaches and heartaches that life brings.
The light of God’s love and care for us can never be defeated, even by the deepest and darkest moments of suffering and pain;
in fact, it is precisely at those moments that it shines even more brightly, as it did in Jesus’ own life.
Is there something that has burdened you for sometime now, something that has prevented you from living your life to the full?
An unforgiven grudge perhaps? A hurt from a past relationship or experience? A wound that remains unhealed?
Bring it to prayer and ask the Lord to give you the grace to cling to his light, no matter how deep the darkness.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2020
