March 28, 2026 // Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: John 11:45-56
Reflect on the Word //
“If that baby had not miscarried, I would not exist.” The words of my daughter were startling, but even more so was her brother’s repetition of her words about another baby who had died in utero. If my mother had not become terminally ill with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), our family would not have come together in love and prayer to care for her and my father. If I had not suffered from Lyme disease for nearly a year, my husband and I would not have grown closer in self-giving love. In our fallen, suffering world, God has a way to redeem every circumstance, no matter how challenging.
In today’s Gospel, God works through the evil intentions of the high priest Caiaphus as the chief priests and Pharisees plan to put Jesus to death. As high priest, Caiaphus has the gift of prophecy, and his words that seem like a political move—to protect the Jews from their Roman rulers—has a deep spiritual meaning: “He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God” (John 11:51). Caiaphus did not know nor did he believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah that the Jews were waiting for—he likely saw Jesus as a rival teacher. But God worked through the evil acts of the priests and Pharisees, and brought about salvation for their nation as well as the whole world, through Christ’s offering of Himself and Resurrection.
Sister, we will all have trying times in our lives—unexplained losses, illnesses, division between family and friends. The Lord invites us to bring our suffering to Him, to join Him on the Cross, to offer these deep sufferings in and through His ultimate sacrifice. He already has and will continue to redeem all that is lost. Entrust your suffering to His care. Offer Him your loved ones. Sometimes all we can do is pray and let the Lord do the work of changing hearts.
Relate to the Lord // Look at Jesus in prayer today and give Him permission to change your heart and redeem your sufferings.
Susanna Spencer est titulaire d'une maîtrise en théologie de l'Université franciscaine de Steubenville et est l'éditrice théologique de Blessed is She. Elle vit avec son mari philosophe et ses quatre enfants à Saint Paul, Minnesota. Elle aime lire la théologie, assister à de belles liturgies, cuisiner de délicieux plats et suivre le baseball avec désinvolture. Elle était la narratrice de Maranatha, L'histoire de notre Sauveur et de notre livre pour enfants, Rise Up . En savoir plus sur elle ici .
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