Lent Wk 4th: Friday 24th March, 2023 March 24, 2023
Reflection on the WORD
Jesus – Enemies: In today’s Gospel, “Jesus could not travel round Judaea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.” Ponder on: The ‘evil’ and ‘spiritual blindness’ of people and of this world, fear and reject the Truth that Jesus proclaims, because they refuse to change their lives for the better and prefer the darkness of sin they are in.
John 7:1-2, 10, 25-27, 30
Jesus travelled round Galilee; he could not travel round Judaea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. As the Jewish feast of Shelters drew near, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went up as well, not publicly but secretly.
Meanwhile some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, ‘Isn't this the man they want to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they have nothing to say to him! Can it be true the authorities have recognised that he is the Christ? Yet we all know where he comes from, but when the Christ appears no one will know where he comes from.’
They wanted to arrest him then, but because his hour had not yet come no one laid a hand on him.
Today's Pointers on God's Word
As you read the passage what words, phases or meanings caught your attention?
- What was the purpose of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection? He wants to redeem us from sin and to restore our relationship with God the Father by willingly suffered and died on the cross.
- No one can treat Jesus with indifference. We either accept or reject His claims and promises. If we reject Him with disbelief and contempt, the consequences are inseparable from of our life on earth and in eternity.
- Jesus met opposition and hostility with grace and determination to accomplish His Father’s Will. He did all this because God loves us so much. Will we still be blind to His love after all that He has done for us?