Psalms 61,62 * 68:1-20(21-23)24-36; Job 40:1, 41:1-11; Acts 16:6-15; John 12:9-19You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!
Something in human nature makes some of us want to sabotage things. Some will do it aggressively and obviously, others will do it passively and not as obviously. The Pharisees have already been plotting to try and figure out a way to kill Jesus. We hear today that they have also decided that they must kill Lazarus as well, to try and wipe away all tangible vestiges of Jesus' miracles and life from this world. But then the crowd hears that Jesus is at Lazarus' house in Bethany and they flock to him. And then he makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, on the seat of a donkey's colt, with palm branches and exultations being sung at him, and the Pharisees throw their hands up in exasperation, saying, oh my! What are we going to do now! The whole world is following him.
We know they try anyway and they do succeed in killing Jesus' human body. We also know that they were not successful in stamping out his work and that, indeed, for 2000 years the whole world has gone after him. In those moments that we all have, of doubt, of questions, of total lack of understanding, this phrase and the Pharisees defeat is an anchor on which to hold as we seek for that illumination which Jesus' love can give to each and every one of us.
jfd+
Copyright 2008, John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.
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