Fifth Saturday of Lent

“…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….” – Jn 11:49-51

Have you ever said something truly profound and wondered, “What was that I just said, that thing that was so inspiring?  Did that come from me?  Did I really say that?  Why is everybody suddenly writing in their notebooks (or in the margins of their books)?”  Caiaphas didn’t mean what he said in the way that we understand it now, but he certainly spoke the truth.  John says that Caiaphas prophesied so truly because he was high priest for that year, that words were put into his mouth by God because he was the high priest.  Most of us do not hold such high office, but sometimes God does put words into our mouths. Sometimes, even when we are at our worst, God uses us, uses even our faults for his purposes.  God has a wonderful way of turning everything upside down from the way we expect it to be.

Subversive Love

Just when I think

I’m lost, abandoned,

shivering alone at

the brink of the abyss,

I discover I’m found

flying with angels,

soaring among stars.

YHWH,

You turn my life

downside-up-inside-out.

You heal my wounds into

blessings.

You transform my failures into

grace,

grace that washes

my heart

with an everlasting

baptismal

rain of love.

When has God surprised me?  What was my response?

Reflection and poem by Sharon Sullivan