Reflection for Saturday, March 28th 2020

Today's Readings:   Jeremiah 11:18-20;  Psalm 7;  John 7:40-53
Look Them Up!

In today's gospel, Jesus is in Jerusalem, and it's getting closer to his 'hour'.  The 'hour' in scripture refers to Jesus' passion and death.

Some of the people who heard Jesus speak said, "This is the prophet."  So who is "the prophet" they are referring to?

One thousand years before Jesus was born, Moses, the great and respected deliverer of the Israelites, told the people about the prophet who would come.  We read this prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:15 (Look it up!); "A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kinsmen; to him you shall listen."  Every faithful Jew knew this prophecy, and expected 'the great prophet' to come into their world and speak to them from God the way Moses did.
In a general sense, Moses was referring to all of the true prophets that would succeed him.  But since Christ is the Great Prophet who fulfills all of the prophecies, Moses' words have been understood to refer to Jesus, the Christ ('Anointed One').  

The following scripture passages show us that both the Jewish people of Jesus' time, and the Apostles believed Jesus to be this Great Prophet.  Look them up!

John 6:14, John 7:40 (today's gospel),  Acts 3:19-26,  Acts Chapter 7 - Stephen's discourse before he is martyred

Moses was a foreshadowing of Jesus, and Jesus is the new Moses!

The daily readings reveal to us that Jesus' hour is getting closer.  Our Lenten Journey takes us alongside Jesus as we read the events that lead up to his passion.  We're getting closer to Holy Week.  How are we doing with our Lenten fasting, prayer and almsgiving?

In Christ's Peace.....
Carol Mullins