Jn 11: 45-56
Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what he had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.”
But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God. So from that day on they planned to put him to death.
Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews, but went from there to a town called Ephraim in the region near the wilderness; and he remained there with the disciples. Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. They were looking for Jesus and were asking one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Guiding Principles
Jesus has a way of cutting to the heart of human realties. Our beautiful and confusing reality is that each day we must make A LOT of decisions. The way we make these decisions varies greatly, but one thing remains consistent – God’s great gift to us is our freedom to choose. These choices are influenced by realities outside of our control, but in our Gospel today we see some very common guiding principles driving the Pharisees’ decision to put an end to Jesus’ ministry: fear, pride, and utilitarian calculation. It doesn’t take long to recognize the role these three principles play in the decision-making of our own lives. Thankfully, Jesus offers us another set of guiding principles: love, humility, and grace.
Which principles have been guiding your decisions these days? Speak to Jesus about his hope for you and for the many decisions you must make.
—Michael Pederson, SJ, is a Jesuit scholastic of the Midwest Province teaching environmental science at Arrupe College in Chicago.
Prayer
Teach me Thy Paths
Show, O Lord, Thy ways to me,
And teach me Thy paths.
Direct me in Thy truth, and teach me;
For Thou art God my Savior.
—St. Peter Faber, SJ