The feast of Tabernacles
JOHN 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
JESUS moved about within Galilee; but He did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill Him. But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near.
But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, He Himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret.
So some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is He not the One they are trying to kill? And look, He is speaking openly and they say nothing to Him. Could the authorities have realized that He is the Christ? But we know where He is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.” So Jesus cried out in the temple area as He was teaching and said, “You know Me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on My own, but the One who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me.” So they tried to arrest Him, but no one laid a hand upon Him, because His hour had not yet come.
REFLECTION I KNOW HIM, BECAUSE I AM FROM HIM. The Gospel presents a contrast between the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Jesus in terms of knowledge: The inhabitants of Jerusalem do not know who sent Jesus, but Jesus knows very well His origin, which is not human but divine, as already mentioned in the Prologue (cf Jn. 1:1-18).
The people of Jerusalem know only the human origin of Jesus, the main reason they cannot accept Him as the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus’ awareness of His divine origin makes Him also aware of His mission: He is sent by the One whom they do not know.
Because of their lack of knowledge on the true identity of Jesus, they try to arrest Him, but no one lays a hand upon Him, because His hour has not yet come (cf v 30).
How can we know Jesus more? Through catechism, Mother Church instructs us on our faith. We can also learn through study, reflection, and prayer on the word of God. “Ignorance of Scriptures is ignorance of Christ” (St. Jerome). SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2017,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 8957328; E-mail: books@stpauls.ph; Website: http:// www.stpauls.ph.