HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK OF LENT 23RD MARCH 2024

HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK OF LENT 23RD MARCH 2024

Ezekiel 37:21-28; Jer.31; John 11:45-57

Conspiracy against the Innocent

The gospel reading of today is a direct continuation of the raising of Lazarus back to life. This miracle was unlike other miraculous works associated with Jesus because it was about bringing the dead and buried back to physical life. The impact of this miracle must have been so deep in the hearts of those who heard it, how much more those who witnessed it directly. It was something so public that it could neither be denied nor explained away. So, we are told that many of those who came to pay condolence to Mary and Martha, ended up believing in Jesus. But some others were ready to make a fortune out of the situation. Knowing fully well that the Pharisees were looking for reasons to justify their plot to kill Jesus, some of those who witnessed the miracle went to report the matter to the Pharisees. They did not tell the story with the intention of glorifying the wonders of the Lord but in a bid to “play good boys” before the Pharisees. Instead of using their witnessing to become evangelists, they chose to become traitors.

The impression this made on the Pharisees was that not all those who witnessed and benefited from Jesus’ good works were actually on the side of Jesus. Later on, Judas will strengthen this conviction when he approached them to betray Jesus. Now, these same Pharisees have often times been afraid to arrest Jesus in public because the feared the crowd. Since some of the crowds were becoming traitors, their fear of arresting Jesus starting disappearing. Notice that towards the end of today’s gospel, the Pharisees were able to place a bounty on Jesus, namely, that anyone who sees Jesus should let them know. Surely, such a person will not go unrewarded.

We live in a world where some persons will do just anything to find favour in the eyes of authorities. Knowing fully well that the authority is not on the right, such people will often criticize the authority in secret but in the open, they will play to the gallery for some cheap favours. These kind of people were part of the crowds Jesus ministered to. I do not think they ever found fault with Jesus’ ministry; maybe like Judas, they just wanted to gain from both sides: Jesus and the authorities; maybe they just wanted to be smart, but they ended up becoming murderers.

Beloved, never you be part of a plot to bring the innocent down. Do not destroy people’s good name. Do not take people for a ride; don’t mistake their kindness for weakness or their gentility for stupidity. The consequence will be worse if this innocent person had been nice to you. Don’t say to yourself: Oh, he is very rich. Stealing this amount from him will not make him a poor man. It does not matter whether you are caught or not. If a good man/woman is down because of you, you will not only suffer for what you have done but you will also be responsible for the pains of those who would have benefited from the goodness of the man/woman. Conspiracy against the innocent is self-destruction. Let us repent and be healed.