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 Christ.”
But others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he?
Does not Scripture say that the Christ 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 man.”
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 man 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 had an instruction manual for life – a manual that leads you to point the finger at others, believing that you are better than them. This was the Pharisees’ attitude, and many still have this same approach to life: thinking that they taught God how to write the Bible. These people often suffocate others with their know-it-all attitude. They believe they know everything about God. Remember, that we do not know it all, and we are not better than others. Also, let’s remember that it’s not about knowing, but by being close to God and having Him in our heart that we are saved. Does this happen in your life? Think about it.
2) Dividing and judging. Not all of us agree on everything; we can’t all think the same way. We don’t all worship the same way, but within what is allowed, we must respect what others think. I’m also referring to some things that are difficult for us to learn within the Church: unity and not judging others. Some say, “not the Dominicans, they are useless”; others say, “I don’t like the Franciscans because of this or that.” Then some say, “it’s wrong to receive Communion in the hand”, others say “it’s wrong on the tongue”, and so on…. We just keep dividing. And we keep judging others! Who are you to judge others in need or in difficulty? Do you judge the person who left the priesthood? Why? Do you judge the spouse of others? Why? We have become too judgmental, and we forget that only God has the right to judge. When are we going to come together? Today, society is beaten down and in order to go out to comfort and heal, we must be united and stop being critical and judgmental.
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 walks along with us. He invites us to live in truth, to build a strong heart by believing in Jesus Christ and helping others from a truthful heart. Today, all of us believers must be united and compassionate because the world has been divided and destructive for too long.
Remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you and guard you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
