Scripture:
Wisdom 2:1a,12-22
John 7:1-2,10,25-30
Reflection:
“…they were trying to kill Him…”
Jesus came to our world with a living message of unity, forgiveness, hope and unconditional love – His life both a gift from God and a challenge to contemporary people! His preaching, teaching, signs and miracles came to be seen not as a means to personal salvation but rather as threats to safety and the status quo. The spiritual leaders of Jesus’ time felt that His death was necessary for their “safety” …and “they were trying to kill Him…”
Today’s first reading from the Book of Wisdom supports the plot Jesus later faced:
“…the wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright: ‘Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the Law and charges us with violations of our training. He professes to have knowledge of God and styles himself a child of the Lord. To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us, because his life is not like that of others, and different are his ways…”
Jesus was a living “thorn-in-the-side” for the wicked spiritual leaders of his day – “…and they were trying to kill Him…”.
As 21st Century believers, we know that Jesus’ eventual suffering and death on the cross was not the end of His ministry of forgiveness, reconciliation and selfless love, but rather His means to sharing eternal life and salvation for all humankind. My favorite saying from an author of long ago: “Good Friday didn’t spoil the weekend…”
We are called to grow as Jesus’ 21st Century disciples as helped by Lenten journey, including its griefs and graces. We are invited to be bold in living out our faith in Jesus. He encourages us to live lives of charity, patience, justice, purity, prayerfulness, and respect for life in all its forms — combating the force of evil which exists in our 21st Century world. Jesus leads the way for us, reaching out to us and encouraging us from the wooden beams of His Cross on Calvary…hailed as “The Tree of Life”.
Our journey continues in this last half of Lent 2025, pilgrims of hope in and through Jesus Crucified! May these grace-filled days renew us in every way and help motivate us to be credible disciples of Jesus Crucified by our love and service of our sisters and brothers worldwide.
Our Holy Founder, St. Paul of the Cross, pray for us!
Fr. John Schork, C.P. serves as the Province Vocation Director and also as Local Superior of the Passionist Community of Holy Name in Houston, Texas.