Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 7,40-53
Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said, “This is truly the Prophet.”
Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But others said, “The Messiah will not come from Galilee, will he?
Does not scripture say that the Messiah will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
So a division occurred in the crowd because of him.
Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?”
The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this one.”
So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived?
Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?
But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.”
Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them,
Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?
They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”
Then each went to his own house.
Prophets of hope
1) Pharisaism: This is when you think you know everything. As if you have an instruction manual for life. A manual that leads you to point the finger at others, believing that you are superior. This is the Pharisees’ attitude, and many of us have this same approach to life; even those of us who are involved in the Church. Remember, that we do not know it all, and we are not better people than others. We may be better than others at values and virtues, but not better people. We can never be better, because we are all God’s children.
2) Division: not all of us agree on everything. We cannot all think the same way. We do not all worship in the same way, but within what is allowed, we must respect what others think. In this I am also referring to something that is difficult for us to learn within the Church … something that we must strengthen is unity. Some say, “not the Dominicans, they are useless”; others say, ” I do not like the Franciscans because they are like this or like that.” Then some say, “it is wrong to commune with the hand”, others “that it is wrong on the knees”, still others say,“it is wrong with the mouth”…. and so on…. We just keep dividing. Hey! Stop! When are we going to stop making excuses and divisions? When are we going to come together in earnest? Today, humanity needs us more united than ever! Today, society is beaten down and in order to go out to console and heal, we must be united.
3) Announce: Jesus shows a different way of relating to God. He shows him as his Father: close, simple and straightforward. Today, you and I must show others a God who is close and who is next to us, walking with us. Today, we ask all believers to be united and compassionate, because the world has been divided and destructive for too long.
God-bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Don’t forget heaven is our goal !
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