Daily Catholic Lectio. Sat, 12 April ’25. One Man for All

Daily Catholic Lectio

Sat, 12 April ‘25

Fifth Week of Lent – Saturday

Ezekiel 37:21–28. John 11:45–57

One Man for All

As we prepare to enter Holy Week, today’s Gospel (John 11:45–57) marks a turning point: the debates between the Jews and Jesus disappear, and now they are ready to kill Him.

The high priest Caiaphas makes a chilling statement: “You do not realize that it is better for you that one man should die for the people than that the whole nation should perish.”

John says this was spoken not just as a political opinion but as a prophetic word.

In other words, “It is better for something small to be lost than something great to be destroyed.”

Reading this disturbs us. Like it or not, life seems to work this way: the good of the majority often demands the sacrifice of the individual.

Caiaphas says that individual wellbeing may be sacrificed for the common good.

A similar scene is found in the Mahabharata.

Yudhishthira, leader of the Pandavas, is deceived by the Kauravas—especially Duryodhana and his uncle Shakuni—and summoned for a dice game. As he is systematically losing everything, the wise Vidura urges King Dhritarashtra to stop the game. He says:

“To save a family, one may sacrifice an individual.

To save a village, one may sacrifice a family.

To save a nation, one may sacrifice a village.

To save a soul, one may sacrifice the whole world.” (Mahabharata II.55.10)

But the king ignores him. Soon Yudhishthira loses everything—including his wife and his dignity.

This idea—that the small must suffer for the sake of the great—has been written into our cultural and moral logic.

A small chick may be sacrificed for the sins of a great man.

To preserve a large institution, an underpaid employee silently self-destructs.

To preserve a family’s reputation, husband and wife may sacrifice their own happiness.

To save the body, cancerous tissues are cut out.

Thus, the small are often sacrificed for the large.

And this is often presented as just and necessary.

Here, Jesus willingly becomes the one who suffers for all.

A mother working tirelessly for her family,

A father sacrificing sleep and strength,

A child going abroad to support the home—

All reflect this same principle.

We might ask: Is this ethic right?

But the Scriptures often affirm:

“What is needed is what is righteous.”

From the moment it is said, “Better for one man to die than the whole nation,” Jesus begins to withdraw. He no longer walks openly.

In the First Reading (Ezekiel 37:21–28), God says: “I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” God stands with the scattered and the small. He Himself brings the divided peoples back together.

Today’s readings challenge us on two fronts:

We may be the ones who are sacrificed—the small ones suffering for the sake of the big. Or perhaps we have made others into that role. Living with a “victim complex” is wrong. So is treating others as expendable. But if we begin to think—when others treat us as a sacrifice—

“I am not a victim. I am a leader.” —then we rise to God’s own standard.

Jeremiah says:

“The Lord protects us like a shepherd guarding his flock.” A shepherd is not a sacrificial lamb. Even if he loses his body, wealth, or life for the flock, he remains their leader.

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

Missionary of Mercy