Daily Gospel Reflection
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March 24, 2023
Jesus moved about within Galilee;
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.
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
Initially, Jesus did not want to travel to Judea to avoid being recognized by the Jews. He still travels for the feast of Tabernacles, trying to keep his presence a secret. Despite his efforts, the inhabitants of Jerusalem recognize him as the one the Jews are trying to kill. Ironically, they fail to recognize Jesus as the Christ because they know where he is from—they are expecting a messiah whose identity will be unknown.
The murmuring about Jesus causes him to cry out in the middle of his teaching. As a former teacher, this image resonates with me. Jesus is trying to teach an important lesson, but they seem fixated on unnecessary details. During my two years as an ACE teacher, I experienced many moments like Jesus in today’s gospel.
Amid a Spanish lesson on how La Semana Santa (Holy Week) is celebrated in various Spanish-speaking countries, some students focused more on the upcoming school prom. Or when I was leading my American literature class in a discussion on symbolism in The Great Gatsby, some students were more interested in comparing the details in the book and the movie. In moments like these, sometimes I wanted to shout, “This is irrelevant right now! I’m trying to teach you about something more important!”.
Today’s gospel is a reminder that, like the inhabitants of Jerusalem, we, too, can often become distracted by superficial things and fail to recognize Christ’s presence in our lives.
Now four weeks into Lent, perhaps we are more focused on how we have stumbled in keeping our Lenten commitments of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Or maybe we have already started to focus on planning our upcoming Easter celebrations.
Today, let us remember that Christ is calling us into deeper union with him during this Lenten season, and let us stop for a moment to recognize Christ’s presence in our lives.
Prayer
Jesus, Son of God the most high, you live in intimate union with the Father and you invite us to share in your life. May the fruits of our own Baptism be more evident than ever these Lenten days, that we may celebrate Easter with unrestrained rejoicing. You live and reign with the Father and the Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Aldemar was a monk in 11th century Italy who was known for wisdom and for the ability to work miracles through prayer.
As a boy, he was sent to the famous monastery founded by St. Benedict, Monte Cassino. He grew in his studies and became known as “Aldemar the Wise.”
Because of his learning and insight, a princess of a nearby region asked Aldemar to lead a new convent she had founded. He accepted and was given permission to take on the role, and in the course of his duties it became clear that he had been given the gift of working miracles. The wonders he worked attracted much attention, however, so his abbot recalled him to Monte Cassino.
The princess took offense at this, and a dispute arose. Aldemar decided to escape to a different town to live with three religious brothers there. One of the brothers came to dislike him, and even tried to murder Aldemar.
The brother intended to shoot Aldemar with a crossbow, but mishandled the weapon and wounded himself in the arm. The injury worsened until Aldemar prayed for the brother, and he was cured.
After that, Aldemar struck out on his own and built a new monastery. In time, he founded several other houses, and directed all of these communities. He later died around 1080.
St. Aldemar, you prayed for the brother who tried to kill you with a crossbow—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Aldemar is used with permission from Catholic Online. Last accessed February 6, 2025.