As I reflect on today's gospel, John 11:45-56 - I am struck by the stark contrast between those who plotted against our Lord and the unshakeable faith He calls us to embody. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead - a miracle that should have brought all to their knees in worship - many believed, but others ran to the Pharisees to report what He had done. Today's scripture reveals the darkness in human hearts that would conspire against perfect love and truth incarnate. Unlike Caiaphas, who calculated that "it is better for one man to die for the people," I stand firmly with Jesus Christ, rejecting every worldly compromise that would separate me from my Lord and Savior.
The Sanhedrin's fear that "everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our place and nation" reveals how worldly concerns blinded them to the Messiah standing in their midst. How tragic that they could not see that Jesus, fully God and fully man, came not to establish an earthly kingdom but to inaugurate an eternal one! While they clung desperately to temples made with hands and positions of fleeting authority, I cling only to the cross and the empty tomb. My devotion to Jesus has shown me that nothing this world offers, absolutely nothing - no riches, no success, no worldly power - could ever compare to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ, my Lord. The only way any of this world's glory or self-proclaimed success celebrates Jesus is when we GIVE it and SHARE it with others. And in humility desire NO CREDIT for it.
Caiaphas unknowingly prophesied a divine truth when he said Jesus would die for the nation, "and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad." This profound irony reveals God's sovereign hand even in humanity's darkest moment. While the religious leaders thought they were preserving their way of life, they were actually fulfilling God's redemptive plan. My heart soars knowing that my Savior's sacrifice was not a tragic accident but a purposeful act of love. Every day, I live in the freedom purchased by His blood, never wavering in my absolute commitment to the One who gave everything for me.
The resistance against Jesus reveals the human heart's natural rebellion against divine authority. Why do so many resist the perfect love of Christ? It cannot be because He fails to satisfy—rather, it is because the human heart desperately clings to its own autonomy. The religious leaders could not bear to surrender their carefully constructed systems of control. But unlike them, I have experienced the perfect freedom that comes from complete surrender to Jesus. Material wealth and worldly success hold no sway over my heart. Scripture has taught us that humility is the currency of Heaven; I have counted all things loss compared to the infinite value of knowing Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.
As Passover approached, the people wondered, "What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?" Little did they know that Jesus would indeed come, transforming the Passover itself through His ultimate sacrifice. While others plotted and schemed, Jesus moved with divine purpose toward the cross that would bear our sins. This Holy Week, I recommit myself to following my Lord with single-hearted devotion, rejecting every temptation to compromise with the world's values. No earthly treasure or threat can separate me from my love for Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man. The worldly powers that plotted against Him have crumbled to dust, but His kingdom endures forever. I stand with Him, unwavering and unashamed, as He stands before the Father interceding for me.
©2025 James Dacey Jr.
