Daily Office Readings for January 8: Year 2
Morning, Psalm 117 and 118; Evening, Psalm 112 and 113;
Exodus 17:1 to 7; Colossians 1:15 to 23; John 7:37 to 52:
“They replied, ‘Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.’ (John 7: 52)
The “they” in this exchange are the Pharisees. They are jumping on Nicodemus for asking, “Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?” The Pharisees did not know the whole story of our Lord Jesus. He in fact was born in Bethlehem. But I say even beyond his birth place, they should have taken in for consideration his compassion and deeds of power. Sometimes they, and we, have our minds so fixed on what we think God is doing that we don’t leave room for what God is really doing.
I visited Galilee in February of 2018. I loved Galilee more than Jerusalem and Judea. Galilee is where our Lord Jesus began his ministry. Galilee is where our Lord Jesus called his disciples to follow him. Capernaum is the first place Jesus went of his own free will and accord. He was born in Bethlehem, taken to Egypt as a baby, and then taken to Nazareth where he was raised to adulthood. But of his own choice he went to Capernaum where he met fishermen.
The Pharisees want to accuse even the temple police of being deceived. Nicodemus will be seen again at the end of this Gospel account bringing ointment for the dead body of Jesus. Nicodemus was a closet disciple. Many of us are as well. I pray that we come out of the closet of denial and stand boldly in the faith, the faith that proclaims Christ as Lord and God’s salvation plan for us all.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
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