Saturday of the 5^th week of Lent

Ezekiel 37: 21-28      John 11: 45-57

Theme: I will be their God

In the 1^st reading of today from the prophet Ezekiel, we see a loving and merciful father. A God that is willing and ready to let the mistakes and sins of the people go, without holding it against them. He rather presents a message of hope, joy and peace to the people. Giving them a blessed assurance that everything is going to change for the good of the people. He went as far as pointing out the fact that “they will be his people, and he will be their God”. You will agree with me, that it can only be God who will come into a very bad situation and turn it around because of the love he has for his people. God promised the people that he will give them David his servant as their king, and there will be unity and love amongst them, and peace will reign supreme among the people. This points out to us the kind of God that we serve, a God that means well for us at any point in time and is willing to do anything for us to give us another chance to do the right thing. Ordinarily one would think God will be very angry because of their disobedience and the mistakes they have made in their lives as a people, but God was willing to let everything go and give them another chance to begin anew.

In the gospel reading of today from St. John, we see the extent to which people can go because of their insecurity, and the desire to continue to remain popular amongst the people. The chief priests, the Pharisees, and the council, knew that Jesus has not done anything wrong, but they were not just ready to allow Jesus to be popular and the people believing in him. They were not ready to lose their position in the eye of the people, and the plot to arrest Jesus and kill him started, and Jesus had to stop moving about openly.

The action of the chief priests and the Pharisees has continued even in our own time, may be in a different way. People are not willing to lose their position and popularity, so anyone that is seen as a treat may end up finding things very difficult, because they will make your life very difficult for you. Sometimes, we really must be mindful of the things we hold on to as if our life depends on it, forgetting that even our lives do not belong to us. It is God that determines what will happen at the end. We must learn to trust in God, who has helped us to get to that position, and continue to do our best, and allow him to fight for you. You don’t have to begin to fight dirty to keep your position that God has given to you. As you do this, may almighty God bless you in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit, Amen. Peace be with you.