Read Online
Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done
began to believe in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and
told them what Jesus had done. So 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.” John 11:45–48
Tomorrow we begin Holy Week with Palm Sunday, commemorating Jesus’
triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Today’s Gospel recounts events
shortly after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, which took place
in Bethany, near Jerusalem—just days before He would ride into the
city on a donkey, greeted with shouts of “Hosanna! Blessed is he
who comes in the name of the Lord!” (John 12:13).
During the final months of His life, Jesus often stayed out of the
public eye to avoid those plotting His death. However, He briefly
emerged to perform His final recorded miracle: raising Lazarus from
the dead. This miracle became the decisive moment that prompted the
Pharisees to actively plot against Him. Some witnesses reported it
to the authorities, and the Sanhedrin feared Jesus’ growing
popularity would provoke a Roman persecution upon the Jews. At the
high priest Caiaphas’ suggestion, they decided it was better for
Jesus to die than for the nation to suffer.
As high priest, Caiaphas spoke prophetically—even unknowingly—about
Jesus’ death, saying, “It is better for you that one man should die
instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish”
(John 11:49–50). Commenting on this, Saint Augustine teaches: “This
passage shows that the Spirit of prophecy can even work through
wicked people to reveal future events” (Tractate 49 on the Gospel
of John).
Knowing that God’s omnipotent power can use even evil actions to
accomplish His divine plan should console us when we encounter
injustice or malice in our own lives. Jesus was never a victim of
circumstance; He remained in full control of His mission. At His
arrest, He reminded His disciples: “Do you think that I cannot call
upon my Father, and He will not provide me at this moment with more
than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53).
Jesus could have commanded the angels to overthrow the Sanhedrin
and the Roman authorities, taking His place as an earthly king by
force. But instead, He chose to submit to the Father’s will,
allowing the malice of Caiaphas to set His Passion in motion.
Though Caiaphas acted with selfish intent, God, in His providence,
used this evil act to advance His plan of salvation for all who
would turn to Him in faith.
This insight is essential as we enter the “Holy Weeks” of our
lives—those times of trial, suffering, or injustice that we do not
always fully understand. When we encounter crosses, it is easy to
see them as obstacles to joy and peace. But Romans 8:28 reminds us:
“All things work for good for those who love God, who are called
according to His purpose.” Every cross, injustice, or hardship is
within God’s providential care, just as Holy Week was. When we
trust Him, even the evil we experience can be transformed into a
path toward God’s glory and for our good.
Reflect today on the perfect wisdom of God’s plan, which used even
the sins of wicked people to bring about salvation. Consider any
crosses, sufferings, or injustices you currently face. Instead of
giving in to anger or despair, have faith that God can use them for
good. If you remain in God’s grace, trust that whatever He permits
in your life is an expression of His almighty power and love,
working all things for His glory and your good. Just as Jesus set
His face toward Jerusalem, knowing that great suffering awaited
Him, so too must we turn our eyes to our own “Jerusalem”—to the
challenges and difficulties we encounter—and trust that God will
work all things for good.
All-powerful Lord, nothing deterred You from fulfilling Your
Father’s will. Your mission was to save many souls and to do so
through the instrumentality of both the good and the wicked. Evil
was conquered because You, in Your goodness, drew even greater good
from it. Please help me to imitate You and to participate in Your
glorious victory over sin and death by uniting every injustice and
suffering I endure with Your Passion so as to achieve Your glory
and victory in my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: The Judgment of the Sanhedrin: He is Guilty! by
Nikolai Ge
Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com —
Copyright 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This
content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use.
Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use
within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without
written permission.
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.