11-Mar-16

Gospel JN 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
Jesus moved about within Galilee;
he did not wish to travel in Judea,
because the Jews were trying to kill him.
But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near.
But when his brothers had gone up to the feast,
he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret.
Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said,
“Is he not the one they are trying to kill?
And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him.
Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?
But we know where he is from.
When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.”
So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said,
“You know me and also know where I am from.
Yet I did not come on my own,
but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.
I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”
So they tried to arrest him,
but no one laid a hand upon him,
because his hour had not yet come.
Reflection:
"Jesus moved about within Galilee;
he did not wish to travel in Judea,
because the Jews were trying to kill him.
But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near.
But when his brothers had gone up to the feast,
he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret."
It appears that there is either a contradiction or a change of mind by Jesus in today's gospel.
We are told in the book of Ecclesiastes that there is a time for everything. Jesus is showing us that there is a time for one to be still and a time to make one's self known.
Popular rumor has it that Pope Francis on occasion will quietly mix in among the citizens of Rome.
Jesus had become both famous and controversial at this point in His ministry. Perhaps Jesus wanted to go to the feast incognito so He could freely intermingle with the crowd to hear what people were saying about Him.
"So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said,
“You know me and also know where I am from.
Yet I did not come on my own,
but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.
I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”
Clearly, Jesus knew why He had been sent by God; He was not afraid to make His presence and message known at the appropriate time.
"So they tried to arrest him,
but no one laid a hand upon him,
because his hour had not yet come."
We have all heard the expression, "All things in God's time."
The time for the glorification of Jesus Christ had not yet arrived.
But, even in the midst of His enemies, Jesus continued to make known
the word of God.
It should be our prayer that we too have the faith and the courage to spread the Good News of the love and hope of God our Father, to all we encounter.

"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6