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.
Responsorial Psalm 7:2-3,9-12
Lord God, I take refuge in you.
Lord God, I take refuge in you.
From my pursuer save me and rescue me,
lest he tear me to pieces like a lion
and drag me off with no one to rescue me.
Give judgement for me, Lord; I am just
and innocent of heart.
Put an end to the evil of the wicked!
Make the just stand firm,
you who test mind and heart,
O just God!
God is the shield that protects me,
who saves the upright of heart.
God is a just judge
slow to anger;
but he threatens the wicked every day.
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.’
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To know Jesus
In today’s gospel, the people were perplexed with who Jesus was. Was He a prophet? Was He the Christ? Would the long-awaited Messiah come from Galilee? The Pharisees ordered the guards to arrest Jesus on the basis that He did not fit their idea of how the Messiah should be. Jesus was a “rabble” for them despite all the good things they had witnessed Him doing. In the end, the guards who were sent to arrest Jesus were confused with Him. They listened to Jesus speaking about God and His Kingdom and were intrigued by Him. They went back empty-handed without arresting Him. Thus, the people were divided over Jesus.
Are we really so different from the crowds, the Pharisees and the guards? Our pride, indifference, narrow-mindedness and inattention can make us miss knowing Jesus as who He is. May we be open to experiencing Jesus, our Friend, and be conscious of His presence with us. Listen to Jesus as He asks us, “Who am I for you?” Let Jesus be the person we want to know more and love more.
Reflective question:
How am I making time to know Jesus and having heart-to-heart encounters with Him?
How am I making time to know Jesus and having heart-to-heart encounters with Him?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
