Scripture: Luke 18:31-34
Then Jesus took the twelve aside and said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be handed over to the Gentiles; and he will be mocked and insulted and spat upon. After they have flogged him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise again.” But they understood nothing about all these things; in fact, what he said was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
Thought for the Day: Our sermon series during Lent has focused on the relentless and unconditional love of Jesus, but alongside this love has been an underlying theme of misunderstanding or a complete lack of awareness. Jesus doesn’t hold much back in this explanation. Though he does use the language of Son of Man (the model human) as a reference point (and self description), the rest of it is pretty straight forward. In fact, he gives a lot of details. Yet the disciples did not understand or did not want to understand. To be honest, had I been in that moment, I think I would have pretended not to understand. Don’t you imagine those who loved him going into denial in hopes that it would bring an alternative ending to the story. Avoidance is not a sin referenced in scripture, for it is not the same as laziness or apathy. Avoidance is the intentional work of skirting the issue. Again, can we blame them? Yet at the end of the day, Jesus does not need a bunch of folks who are well trained in the skill of avoidance. This week demands for us to follow into the pain, and to make ourselves fully aware of the story in its entirety. Let’s continue our journey to the cross.
Prayer: Direct me along this path, O Merciful and Kind God. Though my spirit may be looking for an excuse to avoid this week, it is not a week to avoid. Let me meet you in the ugliness and pain of these next few days. I make this request, not because it will be enjoyable, but because it is necessary if I wish to understand the story. Amen.
