What are we to do?

John 11.45-end

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what he had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, ‘What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.’ But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.’ He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God. So from that day on they planned to put him to death.

Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews, but went from there to a town called Ephraim in the region near the wilderness; and he remained there with the disciples.

Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. They were looking for Jesus and were asking one another as they stood in the temple, ‘What do you think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?’ Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

The last one of our 'midweek Holy Communion Gospel readings' thoughts...tomorrow, it's Palm Sunday! (Maybe make a 'palm cross', if you can - instructions in 'boredom buster - 20' )


Today, however, we have Jesus near the wilderness, in Ephraim. Those in positions of authority in Israel were after Jesus because they saw their way of life threatened because of him. Looking at how the world has reacted to the current pandemic their actions aren't that surprising. Covid-19 has forced most people across the world to change how they live, temporarily. Here we have people that were worried, afraid and desperate to do something to maintain the status quo, because they thought their way of life might be changed forever.
However, this panic led them towards poor decision making... Thinking about this passage has given me a stark reminder to reflect upon how I react to others when they 'upset the balance'... How tempted can I be to do what I know is wrong, in the hope that something good might come out of it - or even simply that it will make life smoother for me? Do I try and stick to the status quo just because it's easier? and am I really as open as I think I am to hear what someone else has to say, even if I don't think I'll believe it - or know I won't want to believe it?



As a prayer activity - maybe today, or maybe spread over the course of Holy Week, how about making a set of prayer beads? It could be a rosary. Or perhaps a set of beads where each one means something to you - they can act as a reminder to pray for each of those things or people whenever you use the beads. Alternatively, you can make 'prayer bracelets', where each bead represents part of the Lord's Prayer, or Psalm 23, etc.
If you don't have beads you could use pasta, or buttons, or whatever you can thread or join together - or make your own beads (which means you can also write prayers to go inside them!) - instructions here.)


♫ A song that seems to fit both now, and the events of Holy Week: Lean on me