Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of John (11: 45-56) in which the Chief Priests and Pharisees meet to decide what to do about Jesus. Fr Paul says the Gospel reading takes us to the aftermath of the raising of Lazarus. It is typical of John’s contrasts that the gift of life given to Lazarus brings death to Jesus: It is because the crowds are going out from Jerusalem and walking the 20 minutes to Bethany to see the renewed Lazarus that the High Priest holds this meeting.   The most important point of the meeting of the Jewish leaders is Caiaphas’ unconscious prophecy. Caiaphas says more than he realizes; you fail to see that it is better for one man to die for the people, than for the whole nation to be destroyed. These words of Caiaphas have an uncanny echo, when Jesus, himself, says, ‘The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’.In closing, Fr Paul puts this Gospel Challenge for our reflection – Jesus has to die and he dies for us.