Conspiracy Theories

Gospel: John 11: 45-57

The single largest cottage industry nowadays is the development and cultivation of conspiracy theories.  Whatever you are unhappy about in the world, there is a conspiracy theory that will assign blame to some dark entity that is more than likely someone or group you already do not like.  It is a great way of avoiding any personal or collective responsibility for any problem individual or communal.  

In today's Gospel portion we find a conspiracy against Jesus, and we find him blamed for various problems real and imagined in his time.  We also see how Jesus responds to the conspiracy against him.  He does not allow it to run his life and dominate his thoughts.  In spite of the dangers, Jesus goes to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, knowing it will likely lead to his arrest and death.  He is at peace with the situation, for he is in union with God.  

The reason we perseverate on conspiracy theories is because we find ourselves both personally and collectively under threat from them.  If true, these conspiracies threaten our status and power - and really we want to be the ones creating the conspiracies against other people. For we have given in to the temptations of the evil one, the temptation to our own power and status.  We must, instead, imitate the example of Jesus - to not fixate on conspiracies, to entrust our lives to God's will, and to accept whatever comes as God's gift to us.