Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/033112.cfm

Clover

...he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,
and not only for the nation,
but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.
So from that day on they planned to kill him.

Today’s gospel leads us directly to the celebration of Palm Sunday. It describes the tension in Jerusalem as people wondered, “Will he come to the feast?” Jesus, awaiting The Hour, has gone underground; he no longer walks “about in public among the Jews.” Meanwhile Caiaphas and his counsel, the Sanhedrin, are discussing what to do about Jesus. According to Saint Matthew they preferred not to arrest him during the Passover. With all the pilgrims in Jerusalem there was danger of disruption and rioting during the holiest of seasons. But, of course, they could not control God’s timing.

On this day before Palm Sunday, the Church has given for our reflection a passage from Ezekiel 37, a prophecy about the reunion of God’s divided people.

Never again shall they be two nations,
and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.

That reunification will not be a simple political settlement; rather it will signal the fidelity of the people, their observance of God’s laws and decrees, forgiveness and freedom from their sins, peaceful and secure settlement of the promised land, fertile farms and livestock, prosperity, large families with children and grandchildren, and holiness.

Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the LORD,
who make Israel holy,
when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever.

This Old Testament prophecy of unity inspires the same hope within the New Testament, and probably for the same reasons. The early church was no more united than it is today. That is why we hear in Jesus’ prayer of John 17: that they may be one just as we are. If he saw in advance our divisions – and for a man of his native intelligence that would be no great insight – the church that sponsored the Gospel of Saint John knew already sharp and painful divisions.

Recently I suggested in this blog that “organized religion” might not be about unified leadership and coherent doctrines. Perhaps it is primarily observing the times and seasons. In that respect, Christianity is rather unified. Almost all Christian churches observe Easter; and most, on the same Sunday. Many Protestant churches observe Ash Wednesday, Lent, Palm Sunday and Holy Week. For that we should be grateful. The Holy Spirit still governs our prayers, guiding us peacefully and hopefully to oneness of heart.