Philip Raj A csc –
Readings: Ez 37:21-28; Jn 11: 45-56
In the first reading, God promised to the prophet Ezekiel that he would bring all people together and make them one nation, and moreover, one king shall rule over them, that king shall come from the root of David. The king referred to here is none other than the promised Messiah who saved the world by shedding his precious blood on the cross. God established his everlasting presence and covenant through Jesus. In the gospel reading, the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
These religious officials were extremely concerned about Jesus and his growing influence with the people. They were angry but also fearful. The Sanhedrin realized that they were losing some of their power with the people. Jesus was someone who thought differently and acted differently; he broke illogical traditions and customs in society and focused on empowering the marginalized and downtrodden sections of society. For this, he had to pay the price of laying his life on the cross.
In society, when a person tends to do something good, there are people to criticize and pass sarcastic comments on him/her. We see the example of Fr. Stan Swamy who wanted to create awareness about human rights among the tribals and help them to live a dignified life in society. The actions of Fr. Stan became a kind of threat to the elite, and finally, they found a way to stop Fr. Stan. As we prepare ourselves to enter Holy Week, we are invited to be blessings for people and work to make this world a better place to live.