Lent 4. 2016 12th March - miracles and teachings were not enough

12th March

(C)Br Luke Efo 2010

Scripture John 7: 40-52

40 Many of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, “This is truly the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But some said, “What, does the Messiah come out of Galilee? 42 Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Messiah comes of the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So a division arose in the multitude because of him. 44 Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him. 45 The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him?”
46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!”
47 The Pharisees therefore answered them, “You aren’t also led astray, are you? 48 Have any of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees? 49 But this multitude that doesn’t know the Torah is cursed.”
50 Nicodemus (he who came to him by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 “Does our Torah judge a man, unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?”
52 They answered him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search, and see that no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”


Reflection:

The miracles and teachings were not enough, they needed proof that fitted with their expectations, their knowledge of the “law” or their painstaking studies. When they did not find what they expected to see, they judged and ultimately condemned him. When one sticks rigidly to one’s expectations, one will often miss what is all around. The people knew, but the people were treated with contempt. What about you? Do you stick rigidly to your expectations, or can you see beyond – into the mystery that is God?

Your thoughts: