For every day during Lent, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
God placed prophetic words on the mouth of Caiaphas, the high priest, who said of Jesus, “. . . (I)t is better that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.”
Caiaphas was worried that the people following Jesus would incite the occupying power of Rome to cause a bloodbath. This would be disastrous for the nation of Israel. But we know that the words of Caiaphas pointed to a much greater reality that had already been ordained by God. Jesus, in his suffering and death, would save all of us.
Rather than all of us die, Jesus places our sins on the cross and washes them away in his atoning blood. He takes our guilt with him to his own death as the innocent Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
We enter Holy Week humbled at the reality of what Jesus did out of love for all of us.