Unity of all people

In John’s Gospel from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today we read of the plot of the Pharisees to kill Jesus. Caiaphas, the high priest that year, proposes, ‘…50You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.’ This unity of the nation is the promise of the texts from Ezekiel and Jeremiah. The death of Jesus seemed inevitable and the threat of Roman force to put down Jesus popular movement was realistic. Caiaphas could be seen to be sacrificing Jesus life for the greater benefit of all. Sacrifice is finally offered by Jesus in obedience to the will of the Father to actually accomplish the unity, not only of Israel, but of all humans as children of God through the resonance of the indwelling Spirit to the Love and Forgiveness of Son Jesus.