Posted by The WORD in other words (2022) by Fr Roland Aquino SVD – Saint Jude Catholic School
Saturday 5th Week of Lent
Jesus’ growing number of believers and followers had finally created a big stir and disturbance among the religious authorities in Jerusalem. The many signs that he performed that resulted in an explosion of faith in him came as a big hindrance to the authority of the chief priests and the Pharisees. Hence, disturbed by the many miracles performed by Jesus, they plotted to kill him.
Religion is at times the product of the monopoly by some people and their traditions. The Jewish monopoly of God was broken by Jesus when he opened a new way of understanding that God is present whenever human need is found. The miracles performed in the margins of society were powerful occasions to address concrete human needs, which were too far from the formalities of religious authorities in Jerusalem.
Once a religion, a church, or a mission begins to wrap itself with a monopoly on truth, holiness, or salvation, isolating itself with arrogance of indifference to other peoples, cultures, and traditions, there can never be a way to reconcile with the way Jesus has carried out the message of salvation.
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