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| The enemies of Jesus: |
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| “ All declared he deserves to be put to death” Mark 14, 64 |
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| How was it possible that Jesus had enemies when he spent his life doing good? |
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How was it possible that he who pronounced the sublime words of the Beatitudes was so quickly threatened to death? Jesus came to help every body to experience a full life, why did his enemies want to take away his life? He was on the side of the victims and became himself a victim. |
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| Who were these enemies that wanted to get rid of him? |
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| It is difficult to identify them: they have no visage, neither specific features. they wear a mask. They are designated as a group of men, “the Jews”, “the Pharisees” when the friends of Jesus had a name, a visage, a history. We appreciate their human character like Martha and Mary, their brother Lazar, the disciple that Jesus loved, Peter, John the Baptist… |
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| Certainly Jesus often went over the limits of the tradition and the law, he was free of a strict and fawning obedience to the law. “ You have been told…. I tell you…” So he dared to say that the Shabbat was done for the humans and not the reverse. He sat at the same table with those who were excluded. He got angry when he saw the Temple of Jerusalem transformed into a warehouse for business. He struggled without hatred and showed unlimited love. More so, in a new and striking way, he claimed his astonishing closeness to God. |
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In all his actions, Jesus proceeded like a free person, not afraid of any body or any authority including those who proclaimed to have the law. He moved the consciences and questioned the way people are living. |
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| Free men trouble the others. They are seen as subversive persons by those in power and are a danger for the established order. To stop them, they have to be put aside and if possible be eliminated. |
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| The enemies of Jesus understood this very well. Jesus could not continue to go acting and speaking that way any longer. He had to die. In the great Council “All declared he deserves to be put to death” Mark 14, 64. |
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| Have we enemies? Certainly. When you try to conduct your life the way Jesus did as we read in the Gospel, without trying to please the people in power. When we make the choice to be in solidarity with persons in danger. When we struggle for justice. |
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| A life without struggle, accepting any compromise, without taking a risk in helping those in need, such a life has a great chance to look like a long calm river. But does it satisfy your conscience? |
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