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[Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said,
“Is he not the one they are trying to kill?
And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him.
Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?
But we know where he is from.
When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.”] (Jn. 7:25-27)

Once again Jesus surprises the Jews by His actions.  First, He’s in Jerusalem where the authorities are trying to kill Him.  Second, He is the Christ long awaited by the Jews.  However He is not recognized because the Jews think they know where He is from. They and really no one could have imagined that God would take on flesh in Jesus.  God surprised the Jews as He does us.

St. Augustine exclaims in his Confessions, “Oh Beauty ever ancient, ever new.” God is wholly active in our lives. He existed from all eternity and will continue to exist for all eternity.  God is ever ancient and ever new simultaneously.  He never changes.  Yet, He  transforms the world.  God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Yet, He always catches us by surprise.

God never acts as we expect.  We can’t “box Him in”.  He is full of surprises.  He has plans for you that you haven’t even imagined. Allow God to surprise you today. We abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent so that we can draw closer to Jesus.  Today, allow Jesus to draw closer to you.  Let Him surprise you.