Every day of Lent, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
The chief priests and the Pharisees began their plot against Jesus. They were concerned that his popularity with the crowds would cause their own power to wane, and perhaps, give the Romans a reason to destroy their nation. They were apparently not concerned that Jesus might actually be the Son of God as he claimed to be.
We are about to enter Holy Week, where the struggle between human sin and God’s love will be played out. Spoiler alert: God wins!
Yet, sometimes, as we are involved in the struggle between good and evil ourselves, we wonder whether God cares when evil sometimes seems to be winning this battle. With so much evil that we experience in our world, we wonder: “Where is God?”
The same thing happened at the end of the Gospel for today. It became known that Jesus was being hunted. Passover was approaching. Jesus was required to be a part of that religious event as an observant Jew. The people didn’t see him right away. Some thought that he was in hiding. We read, “They looked for Jesus and said to one another as they were in the Temple area, ’What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?’”
As we prepare to celebrate the Eucharist this Palm Sunday, let us be sure to know that Jesus is both coming to and ready for our Feast. And in the ongoing struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, we already know the outcome. Evil might win a battle here and there, but Jesus has already won the war from the cross.