Scripture: Luke 23:26-27 As they led Jesus away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. Thought for the Day: Discipleship is a choice, not something that
Scripture: Luke 22:7 The Day of Unleavened Bread arrived, when the Passover had to be sacrificed. Thought for the Day: Today is Maundy Thursday, the day in the Christian calendar when we remember the story of Jesus in the Upper Room. It was the Jewish Festival of Passover, and Jesus and his disciples were going to do what most of them had done all their lives. The Passover
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
Scripture: Luke 17:20-21 Pharisees asked Jesus when God’s kingdom was coming. He replied, “God’s kingdom isn’t coming with signs that are easily noticed. Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ Don’t you see? God’s kingdom is already among you.” Thought for the Day: There are so many passages of scripture that a person might claim as important for defining and understanding the central
Prayer for the Week: Everyone loves a parade. Even Jesus appeared to love a parade, yet he also seemed to be aware of how the parade was an entrance to both Jerusalem and his last days. We love a parade, O Holy Redeemer, but let us not lose sight of our destination amidst all the fanfare and excitement. Keep us focused; keep us moving forward; keep us faithful
Scripture: Luke 17:11-13 On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men with skin diseases approached him. Keeping their distance from him, they raised their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, show us mercy!” Thought for the Day: This is one of my favorite stories in the Gospels. I love the many ways a person can interpret
Scripture: Luke 17:1-2 Jesus said to his disciples, “Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble.” Thought for the Day: Notice how Jesus describes the stumbling itself. He
Scripture: Luke 16:20-25 At his gate lay a certain poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. Lazarus longed to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Instead, dogs would come and lick his sores. “The poor man died and was carried by angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. While being tormented in the place of the dead,
Scripture: Luke 16:1-4 Jesus also said to the disciples, “A certain rich man heard that his household manager was wasting his estate. He called the manager in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give me a report of your administration because you can no longer serve as my manager.’ “The household manager said to himself, What will I do now that my master
Scripture: Luke 15:1-2 All the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around Jesus to listen to him. The Pharisees and legal experts were grumbling, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Thought for the Day: I don’t think Christianity today can really be accused of what Jesus was accused of doing. We are spending so much time bickering and debating who are today’s tax collectors and