Prophet Jeremiah felt the pinch of the gang up
against him, “But I was like a lamb led to the slaughter.” In his helplessness
in the face of sin and evil, the prophet cried out to God for justice and
vengeance. “But, O lord of hosts, who judge righteously, who test the heart and
the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my
cause.”
In the Gospel of today, we hear different voices, arguing and planning against Jesus. Some identified Him as THE PROPHET, while others acknowledged Him as THE CHRIST. While the division was raging on, the officers were on standby to arrest Him. But they too were confused and could not lay hands on Him. The Pharisees, who planned all the tricks, waited patiently for the officers to deliver Jesus to them, but they came back empty handed. The officers answered them, “No man ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees were angry and confused. Their evil thoughts blocked their sense of justice. However, one of them tried to defend Jesus and correct them. They angrily shut him down saying, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee.”
All these arguments, confusion and anger were simply because they did not want to accept Jesus, and accept Him wholeheartedly. While Jesus was at peace within Him, those who opposed Him were restless. Their fierce anger and evil plans left no mercy for Him; He is the true lamb that was led to the slaughter. This is what sin does. It disrupts our inner peace, inclining us to discomfort and dissatisfaction. But it is paid for by the BLOOD JESUS, which also cries to God for our vengeance. Already we feel the pinch of the gang up against our life of holiness by numerous temptations lurking in our hearts.
This Lenten season, let us entrust ourselves to Jesus, washed in His Blood our hearts shall know peace. Amen.
Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Saturday March 20th, 2021.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com
