St. John’s gospel carefully suggests that Jesus went regularly to Jerusalem to celebrate the main Jewish feasts. The beginning of chapter 7 sees him celebrating the feast of Tabernacles, a popular autumn feast that drew crowds of visitors to the city. As he enters the city, he’s noticed by some officials who earlier in his ministry in Galilee thought him dangerous and should be put to death. They’re watching him.

Another interesting group notices his arrival as well – “the inhabitants of the city.” They’re not the city’s leaders, nor visitors coming from outside; they’re the people who live there all the time.  They’re those who see who’s coming and going,  who watch the leaders, who follow the trends and pass the gossip. They watch Jesus with curiosity as he enters the temple area and begins to teach.

“Do our leaders now believe he’s the Messiah?” they say. “How can he be, because he’s from Galilee and no one will know where the Messiah is from?” 

Can we call the inhabitants of the city the undecided, the people who go back and forth and wait to see who wins or loses before taking sides, who wait to see what most people say, waiting for public opinion to tell them? 

Jesus criticizes  them, because they are undecided, because they stay on the fence and just watch. Life isn’t just for watching, life is for choosing what’s right and living according to your choice. (Jn 7, 1-2,10,25-30)

That’s what Lent is about–choosing what’s right and living according to that choice.  God asks us to be committed , to reaffirm our choice, and God’s grace is given to be committed. Pray for the grace, not to sit on the fence and just watch, but to decide. Pray to take sides, the right side.

Lord, give us the grace to know you, to love you and to serve you.

Give us the grace to make right decisions,

Give that grace now.

Give that grace always. 

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.