Reflection: John 11: 45-56
We are now on the threshold of the Holy Week, and today’s Gospel sets the stage for the coming events. The tension between Jesus and the opposing Pharisees and high priests has reached a point of no return. An official meeting at the highest level is held, and a full-fledged decision is made. Instructions are given for its implementation. It is both tragic and paradoxical that the final reason for the decision to put him to death is because Jesus has brought a man back to life. By raising Lazarus to life, Jesus has sealed his death sentence. “…it is better for you that one man dies for the sake of the people than that the whole nation is destroyed.” Caiaphas, the high priest, did not know the God of Jesus. His “god” was the devil, a murderer from the beginning, the one from whom they inherited their unquestioned attitude to death [8:44]. He coolly passes the judgement: “it is better that one man dies”. Caiaphas’s cold-blooded pragmatism has been followed across the centuries by various national leaders. Their so-called national interest so often overrides the right to life of ordinary people. Even in the modern world, the excuse of nationalism is used as justification for immoral procedures, suppression of political or religious minorities or pre-emptive military strikes and torture. The members of the Sanhedrin were more concerned about their own power base than any national interest. They deliberately rejected Jesus’ message of love as the only way to life and freedom. Caiaphas succeeded in convincing the Sanhedrin that if the ordinary people followed Jesus, there could be riots in the society and the Romans would come and destroy them and their temple. They opted to kill the prince of peace to avoid riots! The raising of Lazarus from death to life finally led to the killing of Jesus. However, through his death, Jesus manifested the glory of God. Jesus, in his free will, determined the Hour of Grace – and it was not decided by political decision-makers. Jesus chose the Feast of the Passover for the journey to his life-giving death and freedom because the Israelites had taken their first steps towards freedom with the original Passover. During the first Passover, lambs were killed, and their blood sprinkled on doorsteps; the Israelites were saved from the sword of the angel of destruction. In the new Passover of Jesus, a new liberation begins. The actual liberation would no longer be by the blood of lambs but by the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God. Tomorrow, on Palm Sunday, we enter the Holy Week. Let us prepare ourselves to walk with Jesus to witness his passion, death and resurrection.