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Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they
are trying to kill? And look, he is speaking openly and they say
nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the
Christ? But we know where he is from. When the Christ comes, no one
will know where he is from.” John 7:25–27
Though Jesus was perfect, His sermons flawless, and His miracles
astonishing, many remained hardened in their disbelief. People of
the time had various expectations about the Messiah. Some were
looking for a mysterious, heavenly figure; others, a political
leader; still others envisioned the Messiah would suddenly appear
without prior knowledge of His origins. These expectations were all
based on an incomplete understanding of the prophets.
The Messiah’s arrival uprooted many of the preconceived ideas about
who He would be. He arrived as a poor carpenter, raised in the
unimpressive village of Nazareth, and without any ambitions to
overthrow the Roman occupation of Israel. Yet, Jesus performed
miracles. His sermons penetrated hearts, winning over many humble
converts. His mere presence exuded confidence, purpose, and
dignity. Could He really be the Messiah?
Just like the people of Jesus’ time, it is easy for us to develop
preconceived ideas about Who God is and how our lives should change
once we choose to follow Him. If you give your life to Christ, what
do you expect from Him? Do you expect that God will bless you with
great success in business? Your children will love and obey God?
Your family and friends will be perfectly united? Material
provisions will enable you to live a comfortable life? Or do you
expect rejection, suffering, and death? We must always align our
expectations with God’s will, knowing that His ultimate plan is for
our salvation.
Some of the Jews rejected Jesus because He did not meet their
expectations of Who the Messiah would be. The particular group in
today’s Gospel held the belief that the Messiah would arrive on the
scene instantaneously, and no one would know where He came from.
Their comment, “But we know where He is from,” reflects their
disbelief, as they were expecting a more mysterious or sudden
appearance. That misunderstanding of the prophets resulted in them
rejecting Jesus, the true Messiah.
Similarly, it is easy for us to have certain expectations about God
that, when not fulfilled, lead to doubt or confusion. This is our
fault for forming false expectations about what should happen once
we choose to follow Christ. The remedy is simple—turn to the Gospel
and believe what Jesus said.
What did Jesus say? That He would suffer greatly at the hands of
the scribes, Pharisees, and elders of the people. That He would be
handed over, tortured, and crucified, but that He would also rise
on the third day. And that is exactly what happened.
When we choose to follow Christ, does Jesus promise that life will
be easy, comfortable, and that we will be loved by all? Certainly
not. He tells us that we will suffer the same fate He did, but if
we persevere through the crosses of life, we will share in His
ultimate victory.
Reflect today on any false notions you might have about being a
Christian. Embracing the Gospel—culminating in Christ’s Passion—is
difficult. The call to live sacrificially, to lay our lives down
for others, to do penance, live selflessly, be generous, repent of
every sin, pray continuously, and embrace Christ’s Cross with
unwavering determination is difficult at first. Doing so is only
possible if we dismiss false expectations about being a Christian,
so that the full Gospel and its demands will not shock us but
inspire us to follow Christ down the path He has chosen for
us.
My Lord and Messiah, Your life and mission did not live up to
the expectations that many people had of the Messiah. Similarly, I
often have expectations of You that are contrary to Your will.
Please open my mind and heart to see and embrace Your will so that
I can lay down my life along with You, so as to share in Your
Resurrection. Jesus, I trust in You.
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