AN INDISPENSABLE LESSON TO LEARN

Saturday in the 5th Week of Lent
Jn 11:45-57

I have a confession to make today. There was a time in my ministry when I used to say, “No one is indispensable.” Having grown into the ministry after ten years now, I humbly recognize my arrogance in making such a claim. The Lord showed me that I was wrong. Every one is indispensable. No one is worth spending in favor of anything. We are all precious, irreplaceable, important, special. No one is dispensable.

It was a pity, Caiaphas, the high priest during the time of Jesus, did not learn this indispensable lesson. “It is better for one man to die for the people, than for the whole nation to perish,” he said. Worse majority of the Sanhedrin agreed to Caiaphas’ arrogant claim. This claim claimed the life of Jesus.

Many times, we are confronted with a choice between one life and another. Many times, we want to win over another. Many times, we say, “It is okay to dispense with this guy in favor of the other.” Many times, we approach dialogue not as a win-win situation but a win-lose battle, and we do anything to win. Many times, we sacrifice the life of another to preserve ours. We have not yet learned the lesson. No one is dispensable. Life is indispensable…no matter whose life it is.

As Holy Week begins tomorrow, we should realize that the characters in the Holy Week story mirror each of us. The call to reflection during these days reflects to us our own selves in the story of every character. Their stories are our stories. Their mistakes are our mistakes, too. The lesson they failed to learn, we must learn.