Daily Gospel Reflection
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March 23, 2024
Many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him.
But some of them went to the Pharisees
and told them what Jesus had done.
So the chief priests and the Pharisees
convened the Sanhedrin and said,
“What are we going to do?
This man is performing many signs.
If we leave him alone, all will believe in him,
and the Romans will come
and take away both our land and our nation.”
But one of them, Caiaphas,
who was high priest that year, said to them,
“You know nothing,
nor do you consider that it is better for you
that one man should die instead of the people,
so that the whole nation may not perish.”
He did not say this on his own,
but since he was high priest for that year,
he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,
and not only for the nation,
but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.
So from that day on they planned to kill him.
So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews,
but he left for the region near the desert,
to a town called Ephraim,
and there he remained with his disciples.
Now the Passover of the Jews was near,
and many went up from the country to Jerusalem
before Passover to purify themselves.
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?”
Today’s gospel clearly reminds us how easily fear and self-interest can cloud our judgment. The chief priests and Pharisees are scrambling: “If we leave him alone… all will believe in him, and the Romans will come.”
In the passage before this one, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. But instead of learning from this incredible miracle—among many others—and turning to Jesus, the Pharisees lean into their fear. They are afraid of what may happen if people begin to follow Jesus—that it will lead to an uprising and Roman intervention. But their unstated fear in this passage is perhaps even more significant; namely, that their authority and primacy in the eyes of the Jewish people will diminish. And so their plan to kill Jesus is set in motion.
How often does our self-interested fear—of change, of decreased influence or importance, even of mere inconvenience—lead us to turn away from Jesus rather than toward him? It is unnervingly easy to, like the Pharisees, convince ourselves that our motivations are really out of our desire to do what is best for our families, communities, or country, when it is self-preservation we are most concerned about.
As we approach Holy Week and turn our eyes to the Cross, let us always remember that Jesus suffered and died knowing full well who we are—in all of our fear, selfishness, and imperfection. That, as Caiaphas prophesied, Jesus died “not only for the nation but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.”
May we remember to be courageous in the face of fear, seek comfort in God, turn toward rather than away, and know our salvation lies in the Lord.
Prayer
Father, your beloved Son Jesus was anointed in the Spirit and brought your healing love to our world. We pray that Christ, the light of the world, will sustain us always in faith, hope, and love. Amen.
Saint of the Day

Toribio Alfonso de Mogrovejo was a 16th century Spanish missionary to the new world who defended the rights of Latin American natives.
He was born to a noble family in Spain, and capitalized on a very good education by studiously developing a sharp intellect. He went on to teach law at the famous University of Salamanca. His virtue and wisdom led him to appointments from the king, and he was ordained a priest.
In 1578, he was sent to Peru and named Archbishop of Lima. He often traveled throughout the immense diocese on foot, engaging anyone he met. He learned the local dialects in order to converse with the native people there—he instructed and baptized them. He traveled alone and was exposed to extreme weather, wild animals, tropical diseases, and even threats from hostile tribes.
He was a powerful voice for reform in the new world. The conquistadores exploited the indigenous people, and the clergy were often complicit in this oppression. He was known as a staunch defender of the rights of natives against the Spanish settlers, and though he met powerful opposition from Spanish governors in Peru, he persisted in his advocacy.
In Peru, he built roads and churches, schools, and hospitals, and opened the first seminary in the western hemisphere. It is said he welcomed 500,000 people into the Church in Peru, and among those he confirmed were St. Rose of Lima and St. Martin de Porres.
He died on this date in 1606 from a fever, and his image is used here with permission from Catholic.org. Relics of one saint named Turibius rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica on campus.
St. Toribio Alfonso de Mogrovejo, who defended indigenous people from Spanish conquistadores—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Toribio Alfonso de Mogrovejo is in the public domain. Last accessed February 6, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.