Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. The next day the great crowds that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches from the palm tree and went out to meet him.
John’s gospel says that Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus whom he raised from the dead. He was honored at a Sabbath banquet there, John’s gospel for Monday tells us. The next day, our Palm Sunday, crowds that have come to Jerusalem for Passover will honor him by placing palm branches before him as he goes into city.
We have a picture day by day as we approach the mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Most of the gospel readings in these last weeks of Lent, Holy Week and the Easter season are from John’s gospel. None of the other evangelists dwell so much on the end of Jesus life, his death and resurrection. Only John tells us of his visit to Bethany where he miraculously raised Lazarus from the tomb. Only John reports his long discourses with the Jews during the Jewish feasts and with his apostles at the Last Supper. Only John tells us about the appearances of Jesus to Mary Magdalen and the other apostles after he rises from the dead. Only John tells us about the meeting of Jewish leaders plotting his death, which we read today.
We also read John’s gospel of the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday. There too only John tells us of Jesus’ conversation with Pilate, about blood and water flowing out from his side, about Mary and John standing beneath his cross.
John is not an historian limiting himself to bare historical facts to tell us the story of Jesus, as some commentators like Bill O’Reilly does in his book “Killing Jesus”. He doesn’t try to shock us as Mel Gibson does in his movie “The Passion of the Christ.”
John goes beyond the facts and the raw details of crucifixion and death.
Today’s gospel is a good example of what he does. The Jewish leaders meet because they’re afraid of what the Romans will do if Jesus stirs up trouble. They decide the best move for the nation and for themselves is to do away with him.
The chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God. So from that day on they planned to kill him. (John 11:45-56)
Another plan is at work, God’s plan, John indicates. God will bring the dispersed children of God into one. The Divine Shepherd gathers all the nations into one, the Prophet Ezekiel says in our first reading for today. ”I will make them one nation upon the land, in the mountains of Israel, and there shall be one prince for them all. Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.” (Ezekiel 37,22)
Politics , political decisions and a violent execution dominates the meeting of the Sanhedrin. Politics, political decisions and violence seem to dominate our world today. We only see so far, but we don’t see far enough. We have to listen to God’s word more.
God’s plan is bigger than politics, but it’s hard to see. The passion and resurrection of Jesus is God’s great sign, but it’s not easy to read. It’s hard to believe in God’s plan when politics dominate everything and wars like the one in Ukraine and Gaza are more shocking that anything Mel Gibson could make a movie of.
I suppose that’s why we read the Gospel of John in our liturgy these days. Seeing God’s plan appearing in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, perhaps we will see it more in our lives and our world today.
In the final weeks of Lent the readings from John’s Gospel describe Jesus’ various visits to Jerusalem to celebrate different Jewish feasts. In John’s gospel today, Jesus is in Jerusalem celebrating the Jewish feast of Pentecost, which took place 7 weeks after Passover. (John 5, 31-47) Our Pentecost comes from the Jewish feast.
The Jewish feast of Pentecost goes by different names. It’s called Shavuot, meaning weeks, which originally celebrated the beginning of the barley harvest, but also recalls Moses handing on the law to the Jews as he comes down from Sinai. This year the Jewish feast begins at sundown, June 11. The Christian feast of Pentecost falls on Sunday, June 19th, this year.
Our first reading today recalls the descent of Moses from Sinai to an unbelieving people.”I see how stiff-necked this people is. Let me alone, then, that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them.Then I will make of you a great nation,” God says to him. (Exodus 34:7-14)
But Moses pleas for his people, lest Egypt be convinced the God of Israel is cruel. Moses also recalls God’s covenant made to Abraham. Jesus appears as the new Moses on this feast, pleading for forgiveness for his people and promising to open the graves of their dead.
The miracles and his works of healing testify to him, Jesus says. The scriptures, long searched by the Jews as the way to eternal life also “testify on my behalf,” Jesus says. Above all, his heavenly Father, who through an interior call draws to his Son those who are humble, speaks for him.
Faith in Jesus still comes in these ways. The Jewish scriptures still point him out. On their feast of Shavuot, Jews study the Torah, the law of Moses. One Jewish custom is to stay up all night and read the Torah.
Our heavenly Father draws us to his Son in lent. The voice of the Father says once more: “listen to him.” We listen to him in the scriptures.
We’re reminded by scholars that in these passages from John’s Gospel, “the Jews” who condemned Jesus are not the Jewish people but a powerful group that turned against him at that time. We approach the mystery of God together with our Jewish brothers and sisters..
Prayer
O God I come to you who have given so much to me. You know “my inmost being” and “all my thoughts from afar.” I want to listen to you and be changed by what I hear.
There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.
Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” He answered them, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.'” They asked him, “Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there. After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, “Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.
The miracle Jesus worked on the paralyzed man on the Sabbath is behind the dialogue he has with the Jews found in our readings for Wednesday and Thursday of this week. “My father is at work until now, so I am at work.”
Like the man born blind, the paralyzed man does not approach Jesus. Jesus approaches him. The man never enters the healing waters. God’s Healing Water, God’s Son, heals him.
John’s gospel describes the place where the miracle happened in Jerusalem. It is close by the temple. In our first reading today Ezechiel promises life-giving water will flow from the temple. Jesus, the new Temple, offers life and light to a paralyzed world.
Archeologists have uncovered the place. Here are some pictures:
Jerusalem model, Jewish Museum
Reconstruction of Bethesda, located near the temple and the Fortress Antonia, where the paralyzed man was healed; from the Jerusalem model, Jewish Museum
Wikipedia Commons
Ruins of the healing pool of Bethesda.
Until the 19th century, there was no clear archaeological evidence for the pool but archeologists have uncovered the ruins of the ancient healing place marked by ancient churches since the 5th century. The beautiful 12th century church of St. Ann stands today next to the ruins. Tradition says the birthplace of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is nearby. The site, near St. Stephen’s gate, is a popular pilgrim destination today.
Joakim Slpvgard, Museum of Art, Norway
Artist rendering of the pool. The Fortress Antonia is in the background. Not only the Jews, but also the gentiles were among the ill, the blind, the lame, to be healed in this pool.
Until now, many of our lenten gospels were from St. Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount – Jesus’ teaching on prayer and mercy and forgiveness– and also some important readings from Luke’s Gospel, like the parable of the Prodigal Son and the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. They originate in Galilee where Jesus taught and worked wonders, but finally was not well received.
Our gospel readings for this week and the remaining days of lent are from St. John’s gospel and bring us to Jerusalem where Jesus celebrated various Jewish feasts. During the feasts he worked wonders, gave sight to a man born blind, raised Lazarus from the dead and taught in the temple
All the while, opposition in the Holy City mounted until he was arrested, judged guilty, crucified and died; then he rose from the dead.
John’s gospel sees Jerusalem as the place where Jesus manifests himself. Because he worked wonders in Jerusalem he’s welcomed into Galilee. “When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves had gone to the feast.” (John 4:45) Jesus speaks and works wonders on the Jewish feasts.
More than other gospel writers, John describes a glorious Christ accomplishing his mission to bring life to the world, even as the world opposes him and clings to darkness. Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, suffers and dies and rises again. God’s mercy, made flesh in Jesus Christ, is revealed in Jerusalem, on a Passover feast.
What does he accomplish by the mystery of his death and resurrection? The Prophet Isaiah announces it in our first reading on Monday:
Thus says the LORD:
Lo, I am about to create new heavens
and a new earth;
The things of the past shall not be remembered
or come to mind.
Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness
Dear Jesus, what is a God moment? – Is it when we see something beautiful and realize You put it there just for us? – Is it a sudden feeling of happiness or a strong feeling of empathy? – Is it a thank You that comes out of nowhere to You , my God? – Is it a thought or a vision that we realize comes from you? – Is it a need to get on that Cross with You and empty ourselves of all that is of this world? -Is it the realization that we are not of this world, but only visitors? – Is it a word of love ; a look of understanding; a smile from a stranger; a touch from someone when we need it the most? – What about when we share with others Your love, my God? We love together. We are one with each other and with You! – Is it when I look at my husband, my children, my grandchildren, my friends, my Church, my life, and see that they are all gifts from you? Thank You my God! We need moments with You now more than ever! Have mercy on us! Fill us with Your Light, Your Love! , Your All!! We Love You! Thank You! Berta Hernández
The Victor's Place 