In the Gospel today, Jesus is not speaking but is spoken about. The religious leaders gather and discuss a way of dealing with Jesus and is teachings that were challenging them. The high priest Caiaphas suggested that it is better for one man to die for the people than the whole nation to perish'. In other words, Jesus was to be destroyed violently as a scapegoat. He was the problem and the solution was to unite against him and kill him. How often have we seen this scapegoating mechanism in human history and behaviour? 'It's not my fault, it's his!' I'm not to blame, it's them!' Think here of how the Jews became the scapegoat for Germany in the build up to the second world war. Yet this is a wake up call for us. The teachings of Jesus Christ challenge each of us to repent, to change and to take responsibility for the presence of sin and dysfunction in our lives. This is why Jesus came - to do battle with all that is wrong with us and the world.
Thanks again to Fr Martin Pender and his community at Ballymitty for these daily readings and reflection.
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