Gospel (Jn 11,45-56) - At that time, many of the Jews who had come to Mary, at the sight of what Jesus had accomplished, [i.e. the resurrection of Lazarus,] believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the Sanhedrin and said: «What do we do? This man performs many signs. If we let him continue like this, everyone will believe in him, the Romans will come and destroy our temple and our nation." But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them: «You understand nothing! Don't you realize that it is convenient for you that just one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not be ruined! This, however, he did not say of himself, but, being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus must die for the nation; and not only for the nation, but also to gather together the children of God who were scattered abroad. From that day on they decided to kill him. Jesus therefore no longer went in public among the Jews, but from there he withdrew to the region near the desert, to a city called Ephraim, where he remained with his disciples. The Passover of the Jews was near and many from the region went up to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. They were looking for Jesus and, being in the temple, they said to each other: «What do you think? He won't come to the party?".

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

This evangelical passage which immediately follows the resurrection of Lazarus aims to prepare us for the celebration of the holy week of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. The high priests understood that the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus was such an extraordinary event that it could have led to growth in a movement of adhesion to Jesus in an unstoppable way. And at that point it was easy for their power to be shattered. What happened at the moment of Jesus' birth was repeated in a similar way, when Herod tried to kill that Child fearing that he might undermine his throne. This time too the chief priests decide to kill Jesus. Caiaphas, in full assembly, takes the floor and solemnly says: "It is convenient for you that just one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not be ruined." He didn't know it, but he interpreted the truest and deepest meaning of the mystery of Jesus, indeed, the "only" true savior of the world: "he prophesied that Jesus had to die for the nation; and not only for the nation, but also to gather together the children of God who were scattered abroad.” In fact, the death of Jesus would have knocked down the walls that divided peoples and history would have taken a new course, that of unity among all peoples. Not only "the children of Israel" will be saved but all "the children of God". It is truly singular that in the assembly that opened the horizon of salvation for all, the decision was made to kill Jesus. The decision was the conclusion of a process of opposition that reached its culmination. Jesus understands more and more clearly that the opposition has now reached the decision to capture him, as he had repeatedly announced to the disciples, he withdraws and goes to Ephraim with his followers. It is a time for prayer and reflection. It was necessary to grow in communion, strengthen the bonds of friendship and brotherhood and, for the disciples, grow in faith towards that Master. Jesus knew well how necessary it was, especially at that moment, to gather and strengthen their faith. And he spent a lot of energy to teach them and exhort them to remain steadfast on the path of love, overcoming fears, closures and fears. Jesus tried to hide to prevent the crowd, who had learned to recognize him, from gathering. But the desire that many had to see him, to talk to him, to touch him was so great that many of the pilgrims who came to Jerusalem for Easter came to the temple to see him. This desire of the crowds to see Jesus is also an invitation to us in these days not to detach ourselves from this master who "did everything well".