REFLECTIONS TODAY
We often hear people say, “God is a God of surprises.” Many of us would probably agree. God is not under any law or principle determining his actions. The Jews argued that nothing is written in their Scripture that a prophet is to rise from Galilee, and they held on to this as if it was an absolute principle. But why would God bar anyone from Galilee to be his prophet? It is almost like Nathanael’s demeaning question, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (Jn 1:46). God can send anyone from anywhere. We are all guilty of holding on to a supposedly established saying or “wisdom” that we no longer question. What is wrong with being from the north or the south, or from the east or the west? Surely God does not make decisions based on geography. And that is why God surprised the world when he had his own Son given birth in Bethlehem, a very tiny town of Judah. And, contrary to all expectations, this Messiah would be crucified rather than be warmly enthroned, although ironically, this crucifixion is really his triumph. What prejudices do we have against people? Would God do the same to this or that person?
JOHN 7:40-53
Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said, “This is truly the Prophet.” Others said, “This is Christ.” But others said, “Christ will not come from Galilee, will he? Does not Scripture say that 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.
SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.