Took counsel against him to put him to death

Ex 12,37-42; Ps 135; Mt 12,14-21
20 JULY

Against whom do the Pharisees take advice to make him die? Against him whom the Lord has chosen, called, sent, constituted and established the alliance of his people and light of the nations. Who are the Pharisees? They define and proclaim themselves the defenders of the holiness of God and the lovers of his true religion. But if we listen to what Jesus says about them, we must conclude that they are the defenders of themselves and of the religion of their hearts.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. (But) these you should have done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing (Cf. Mt 23,13-28).

In all his words and works Christ reveals himself as a true sign of contradiction. If his works and his words that come directly from the Father’s heart, in the Holy Spirit, upset the Pharisees so much to push them to desire, want and decide his death, it is a clear sign that they are not in the Word of the Lord. They only take care of their sin business. Jesus is the realization of every prophecy of the Father.

Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, Upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, Not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smouldering wick he shall not quench, Until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching. Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spreads out the earth with its crops, Who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk on it: I, the Lord, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness. I am the Lord, this is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols. See, the earlier things have come to pass, new ones I now foretell; Before they spring into being, I announce them to you (Is 42,1-9).

The truth of Christ is the very pure truth of God. The truth of God becomes historical truth in fullness of justice and holiness in the truth of Christ. Who is against the truth of Christ, is against the truth of God. Whoever does not have the truth of God and in his place has enthroned in his heart falsehood and lies, he might never accept the truth of Christ the Lord. Because darkness hates light, if it wants to reign it must kill light. The decision to kill Christ attests that the Pharisees are well beyond all limits of sin.

But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him to put him to death. When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many (people) followed him, and he cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known. This was to fulfil what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, a smouldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Even today the modern Pharisees have decided to kill Christ. He is being killed in many ways. The most subtle, invisible and universal way is the one invented by Christians. They declared him no longer the only Saviour and Redeemer. He is one, but not the only one.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints ensure that that no Christian kills Christ and his truth.