Posted on 03/20/2026 9:59:33 PM PDT by fidelis
Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said, “This is truly the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he? Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David's family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. John 7:40–43
Today’s Gospel takes place on the last and greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths. This annual celebration was one of three major feasts when many Jews made a pilgrimage to the Temple. For seven days, they lived in temporary shelters—booths—as a reminder of God’s providence and protection during their forty years of wandering in the wilderness. It was also a time to give thanks for the year’s harvest, recognizing God’s ongoing provision.
The eighth day, following the seven days of Sukkot, was known as Shemini Atzeret, a solemn assembly focused on prayers, especially for rain for the coming year’s crops—another acknowledgment of dependence on God. It was likely during this festival that “Jesus stood up and exclaimed, ‘Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink’” (John 7:37). That exclamation comes just prior to today’s Gospel, which shows the varied responses of the people who heard Jesus’ words.
The context of the Feast of Tabernacles and its religious meaning are crucial to understanding the significance of Jesus’ declaration. One of the central rituals of Sukkot was the daily water-drawing ceremony in which water from the Pool of Siloam was carried to the Temple and poured out before the altar... It also evoked messianic hope, recalling prophetic visions of spiritual renewal when living water would flow from the Temple: “I saw water flowing out from under the threshold of the temple” (cf. Ezekiel 47:1–12) and “fresh water will flow from Jerusalem” (Zechariah 14:8).
By this time, many scribes, Pharisees, and religious leaders were already plotting against Jesus. They condemned Him for performing miracles on the Sabbath, speaking with divine authority, and making claims that suggested equality with God. There was much speculation about whether Jesus would attend the festival, and He did, initially in secret (John 7:10). By the middle of the feast, He appeared publicly in the Temple, boldly preaching and teaching. On the final day, He identified Himself as the source of the living water that would quench the spiritual thirst of God’s people, fulfilling the ancient prophecies. This caused an uproar, leading to divided reactions...
This Feast of Tabernacles occurred about six months before the Feast of Passover, when Jesus would be arrested and crucified. In the intervening months, the controversy surrounding Him deepened as the religious leaders continued plotting, while Jesus performed more miracles and delivered urgent teachings about the need to believe in Him as the Messiah.
In some ways, the Feast of Tabernacles marked the beginning of the end.
Reflect today on the controversy Jesus sparked at the Feast of Tabernacles. Each of us must choose a side. There is no room for middle ground. Either Jesus is the Messiah, and we must follow Him wholeheartedly, or He is not. There is no place for complacency or mediocrity. Jesus is the Living Water, the one and only source of divine provision. Stand with Him and be counted among those who boldly proclaim Him as the Christ of God, so that He may provide for you, just as He sustained the Israelites during their forty years in the desert.
My providential Lord, You and You alone are the source of Living Water that refreshes and renews my soul. Only in You do I find eternal salvation, for You are the Messiah and Christ of God. Please give me courage and wisdom so that I will trust You and rely upon Your ongoing providence in my life. Jesus, I do trust in You.
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The Month of March is Dedicated to St. Joseph
“And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:51-52)
Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of March, 2026:
For disarmament and peace
Let us pray that nations move toward effective disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, and that world leaders choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy instead of violence.
Today’s First Reading
From: Jeremiah 11:18-20
Jeremiah’s First “Confession”
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[18] The LORD made it known to me and I knew; then thou didst show me their evil deeds. [19] But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more." [20] But, O LORD of hosts, who judgest righteously, who triest the heart and the mind, let me see thy vengeance upon them, for to thee have I committed my cause.
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Commentary:
11:18-12:6. Then are five passages in the book usually called the. “confessions of Jeremiah”, (cf. the note on 11:1-20:18)--trusting prayers in which the prophet opens his heart to the Lord and tells him his deepest feelings. They are given this name because they are reminiscent of St Augustine’s well-known book with that title.
Some commentators think that this first “confession” goes back to the early years of the prophet’s ministry when the priests of Anathoth opposed him because his preaching provided backing for Josiah’s religious reform (the preceding passage, .11:1-17, would only go to show that). The reform went against the vested, interests of those priests, because it sought to concentrate all formal religious worship in the temple of Jerusalem. In any event, Jeremiah complains to God about being persecuted by his fellow citizens and even by members of his own family (11:18—21; 12:6). That explains why Christian tradition has seen Jeremiah as a figure of Jesus Christ, who was also rejected by his own people (cf. Mt 13:57; Mk 6:4; Lk 4:24; In 7:3-5) and who was sacrificed as the Lamb of God to atone for the sins of men (11:19; cf. Is 53:7; Jn 1:29; 19:31). St Jerome, commenting on this passage, says: “All of the churches believe that what is said of Jeremiah refers also to the person of Christ” ("Commentarii in Ieremiam", 2, 11).
The words of the prophet, similar to those found in Job and in the Psalms (cf. Job 21:7-13; Ps 37, 49, 73), express the pain, puzzlement and feelings of someone who sees the wicked prosper and is only too aware of his personal limitations when he tries to do what God asks of him (12:1-4). The Lord’s answer seems very harsh: the opposition shown the prophet by his family is only the start: he needs to be more circumspect and to be ready to cope with even more difficult situations (12:5-6).
The fact that Jeremiah puts on record not only his inner complaint to God but also the uncompromising answer he is given, indicates that he accepted that answer, it invites us always to respond, to God generously and bravely and not to give importance to obstacles. Commenting on this passage, St John of the Cross has this to say to those who seem to want to serve God but who baulk at the effort entailed: “If you continue to satisfy the comfort and tastes of the flesh your sensuality, and never arm yourself for battle or deny your body in anything, how will you ever desire to enter the troubled waters of the spiritual trials and works that lie deep within? O souls that desire to journey calmly and safely through the life of the Spirit! If only you knew that suffering is the source of true calm and safety, [...] you would never seek consolation front God or take comfort in created things. You would take up the cross, and be crucified, and drink the vinegar and gall (cf. Jn 19:29), and you would discover that by dying to this life and to yourself, you are brought to life in the joy of God” ("Flame of Living Love", 2:27-28).
From: John 7:40-53
Different Opinions About Jesus (Continuation)
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[40] When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This is really the prophet." [41] Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee? [42] Has not the Scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" [43] So there was a division among the people over Him. [44] Some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
[45] The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring Him?" [46] The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!" [47] The Pharisees answered them, "Are you led astray, you also? [48] Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in Him? [49] But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed." [50] Nicodemus, who had gone to Him before, and who was one of them, said to them, [51] "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" [52] They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee." [53] They went each to his own house, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
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Commentary:
40-43. "The prophet" refers to Deuteronomy 18:18, which predicts the coming of a prophet during the last times, a prophet to whom all must listen (cf. John 1:21; 6:14); and "the Christ" ("the Messiah") was the title most used in the Old Testament to designate the future Savior whom God would send. This passage shows us, once again, the range of people's attitudes towards Jesus. Many Jews--not taking the trouble to check--did not know that He had been born in Bethlehem, the city of David, where Micah (5:2) says the Lord will be born. It was their own fault that they used this ignorance as an excuse for not accepting Christ. Others, however, realized from His miracles that He must be the Messiah. The same pattern obtains throughout history: some people see Him simply as an extraordinary man, not wanting to admit that His greatness comes precisely from the fact the He is the Son of God.
46. The truth begins to influence the straightforward souls of the servants of the Sanhedrin but it cannot make headway against the obstinacy of the Pharisees. "Notice that the Pharisees and scribes derive no benefit either from witnessing miracles or reading the Scriptures; whereas their servants, without these helps, were captivated by a single discourse, and those who set out to arrest Jesus went back under the influence of His authority. And they did not say, `We cannot arrest Him, the people will not let us'; instead they extolled Christ's wisdom. Not only is their prudence admirable, for they did not need signs; it is also impressive that they were won over by His teaching on its own; they did not say, in effect, `No man has ever worked such miracles,' but `No man ever spoke like this man.' Their conviction also is worthy of admiration: they go to the Pharisees, who were opposed to Christ, and address them in the way they do" (St. John Chrysostom, "Hom. On St. John", 9).
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