First Reading
Jeremiah 11:18-20
I knew their plot because the LORD informed me;
at that time you, O LORD, showed me their doings.
Yet I, like a trusting lamb led to slaughter,
had not realized that they were hatching plots against me:
“Let us destroy the tree in its vigor;
let us cut him off from the land of the living,
so that his name will be spoken no more.”
But, you, O LORD of hosts, O just Judge,
searcher of mind and heart,
Let me witness the vengeance you take on them,
for to you I have entrusted my cause!
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 7:2-3, 9bc-10, 11-12
R. (2a) O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.
O LORD, my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers and rescue me,
Lest I become like the lion’s prey,
to be torn to pieces, with no one to rescue me.
R. O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.
Do me justice, O LORD, because I am just,
and because of the innocence that is mine.
Let the malice of the wicked come to an end,
but sustain the just,
O searcher of heart and soul, O just God.
R. O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.
A shield before me is God,
who saves the upright of heart;
A just judge is God,
a God who punishes day by day.
R. O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.
Gospel
John 7:40-53
Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said,
“This is truly the Prophet.”
Others said, “This is the Christ.”
But others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he?
Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David’s family
and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
So a division occurred in the crowd because of him.
Some of them even wanted to arrest him,
but no one laid hands on him.
So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees,
who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?”
The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this man.”
So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived?
Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?
But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.”
Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them,
“Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him
and finds out what he is doing?”
They answered and said to him,
“You are not from Galilee also, are you?
Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”
Then each went to his own house.
REFLECTION
SOURCE: One Bread One Body
TITLE: JESUS, THE "HOME-MAKER"
"Then each went off to his own house." –John 7:53
Zacchaeus encountered Jesus and opened his house to Him. That day, salvation came to his house (Lk 19:9). A royal official encountered Jesus, and Jesus promised to heal his son. "Jesus told him, 'Return home' " (Jn 4:50). His son was healed, and his entire household "became believers" (Jn 4:53). A demon-possessed man met Jesus and was set free. He wanted to follow Jesus, but Jesus "told him instead: 'Go home' " (Mk 5:19). The man told his family of the mercy of Jesus and all were amazed (Mk 5:20). For these people, Jesus was a home-maker.
The Jewish leaders of Jerusalem also encountered Jesus. They scorned Him, and returned home (Jn 7:53). Sadly, they missed the time of their visitation and lost the path to peace for their homes (Lk 19:42-44). Within forty years, their homes were totally destroyed by the Romans (Lk 19:44). The people of the towns of Chorazin and Bethsaida encountered Jesus and saw first-hand His miracles. However, they didn't take Jesus into their lives or their homes. As Jesus prophesied, their homes were also destroyed by the Roman army (Mt 11:20-24).
Bring Jesus into your home today. Give Him control of everything that takes place in your home. As Jesus takes charge of home repair, He may find it necessary to rip out some deteriorated or warped areas (see Lk 12:51-53). Yet Jesus is the "Restorer of ruined homesteads" (Is 58:12) and He tears down only to speed up the ultimate purpose of home restoration. Make Jesus the Lord of your home. Then your home will be so strong and united that it will survive even the worst trials (Mt 7:24-25).
PRAYER: Father, use my home as a launching pad for the spread of the Gospel.
PROMISE: "A Shield before me is God, Who saves the upright of heart." –Ps 7:11
PRAISE: St. Vincent's motto was: "Whatever you do, think not of yourself, but of God."
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