But after his brothers had gone to the festival, he also went up, not publicly but in secret.
Some of the people of Jerusalem said, “Is this not the man they want to kill? And here
he is speaking freely, and they don’t say a word to him? Can it be, that the rulers know
that this is really the Christ? Yet we know where this man comes from; but when the
Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.”
So Jesus announced in a loud voice in the temple court where he was teaching, “You
say that you know me and know where I come from! I have not come of myself; I was
sent by the One who is true, and you don’t know him. I know him, for I come from him,
and he sent me.”
They would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him because his time had
not yet come.
Reflect
The Church father Tertullian is credited with saying that “The blood of the martyrs is the seed
of the Church.” By this, he means that the example of the martyrs – their faithful witness to Christ,
even unto death – inspired many other people to become Christian and be incorporated into the
Body of Christ. You might think that knowing you could die for your faith would discourage people
from becoming Christian. On the contrary, it made people wonder what was so valuable in this
faith that people were willing to sacrifice everything for it.
By accepting death on account of the faith, the ancient martyrs, as well as the martyrs from our
own time, were following the example of Jesus. Though he knew that his enemies sought his
death, Jesus remained faithful to his Father and to the truth. He calls his followers to do the
same. Even if the cost of our faith is not death, we will face necessary sacrifices and pain.
Following in the footsteps of Jesus, we ask for the grace to accept them willingly and to
remain ever faithful.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023