Jospeh and the women put Jesus in a tomb.
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Peace be with you!

Not all of the Jewish leaders agreed with the majority decision to get rid of him. After Jesus dies yesterday, Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Jewish council shows his dissent by going to Pilate and asking for Jesus’s body (Luke 23:50-52). Luke tells us this story because he wants us to fully understand that Jesus is now dead. Because Joseph cares for Jesus’s body, he is in a position to assess and witness to this fact. Only dead bodies are placed in tombs.

Joseph takes great care with Jesus’s body, taking it down from the cross and wrapping it in linen cloth (Luke 23:53). Because the Sabbath is beginning at dusk, Joseph lays the dead Jesus in his own new tomb (Luke 23:53-54). Although Joseph is a Jewish authority figure, he gives Jesus a burial of honor after his unjust execution as a criminal.

Joseph does not hide his actions. The Galilean women (probably Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary mother of James, as noted in Luke 24:10) follow Joseph to the tomb and see where he lays Jesus’s body (Luke 23:55). The women who cared for Jesus during his ministry follow him to the cross and the grave. Their devotion stands in contrast to the fearful betrayals and denials of some of the disciples.

Since it is the Sabbath, Joseph and the women go home to rest according to the commandment (Luke 23:56). They are faithfully following the Ten Commandments and honoring their Lord. Their devotion to Jesus never ceases, even in his death. After the Sabbath, the woman will return with prepared spices and ointments to care for Jesus’ body (23:56). The women’s love for Jesus goes beyond death and the grave; they will keep his love and ministry alive.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Jesus, Thank you for taking our beating, our cross, our punishment for us. Help us to live a life worthy of your sacrifice. Thank you for the power of your love. Amen.

Jesus is crucified by Roman soldiers.
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Peace be with you!

Pilate hands Jesus over to the Roman soldiers to crucify him (see Luke 23:24-25), despite his own belief in Jesus’s innocence. The Roman soldiers lead Jesus to the Place of the Skull (see Luke 23:26, 33). Weakened by the floggings, Jesus can barely carry his crossbeam, so the soldiers draft Simon of Cyrene to carry it instead (see Luke 23:26). A crowd follows Jesus, and the women wail and beat their breasts in sorrow (see Luke 23:27).

Jesus turns to the women and says, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Luke 23:28-31 NRSV). Jesus is saying that the Jewish nation along with Jerusalem is going to have difficult times ahead. Family members will fight among themselves in his name. The women are weeping for the wrong reason; Jesus calls them to weep for themselves for there will be more trouble in the future.

Jesus, along with two criminals, is led to the Place of the Skull to be crucified. One criminal is crucified on Jesus’s left and the other one on his right (see Luke 23:33). “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing,” Jesus calls out as the soldiers cast lots for his clothing (see Luke 23:34). Even as Jesus is dying, he calls for God the Father to forgive the ones who crucified him. Jesus seeks forgiveness for the Jewish authorities, because they do not understand what they are doing; after all, the crucifixion fits mysteriously into God’s plan of salvation.

The soldiers continue to mock Jesus by offering him sour wine (see Luke 23:36) even as he hangs dying on the cross. They call out, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself” (Luke 23:37 NRSV). The soldiers even hang an inscription over him: “This is the King of the Jews” (Luke 23:38 NRSV). The soldiers taunt Jesus; they have finally stopped him. He who saved others cannot save himself.

The two criminals even join in the mocking and wailing:

“One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’” (Luke 23:39-43 NRSV).

The first criminal, like the soldiers, mocks Jesus for being the King of the Jews, telling Jesus to save both himself and the criminals. The first criminal sees Jesus as defeated and mocks him for not saving himself or the two criminals. The first criminal’s request is selfish and is meant to taunt Jesus. The second criminal accepts Jesus as the Messiah and asks him to remember him when Jesus is heaven. By asking Jesus to remember him, the second criminal echoes the cries of individuals facing danger and death in the Old Testament, like when Joseph asked his fellow prisoner to remember him when he was released (see Genesis 40:14) or when Hannah prayed for God to remember her (see 1 Samuel 1:11). Even close to death, Jesus offers the second criminal forgiveness and promises to see him in Paradise.

Darkness covers the land from noon until three in the afternoon, and the temple’s curtain is torn in two pieces (see Luke 23:44-45). The darkness symbolizes that the Lord’s work is not fulfilled, for Jesus’s death is only part of God’s plan. The curtain torn in two symbolizes God being for all people, not just for the Jews. There is no longer a barrier between humanity and God. The Gentiles are now invited into the kingdom of God.

With his last breath, Jesus cries out, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46 NRSV). Even in death, Jesus gives himself to God the Father. Jesus never wavers in his love for God the Father.

The Centurion, a Gentile, makes the final statement on Jesus’s death: “Certainly this man was innocent” (Luke 23:47 NRSV). The Roman government never sees Jesus as guilty; he is innocent. The crowd goes home wailing and weeping (see Luke 23:48), but Jesus’s followers stay, watching from a distance (see Luke 23:49).

Dear Jesus, Thank you for taking our beating, our cross, our punishment for us. Help us to live a life worthy of your sacrifice. Remember us and grant us entrance into your Paradise. Thank you for the power of your love. Amen.

Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified.
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Peace be with you! 

Yesterday Pilate sends Jesus, a  Galilean, to see Herod since Galilee is his jurisdiction (see Luke 23:6-7). Herod is glad to finally meet Jesus; he has heard a lot about him and wants to see Jesus perform a miracle (see Luke 23:8). However, Herod likely wants see “famous” Jesus perform a sign as a spectacular—not as a believer. Early in Jesus’s ministry, Herod expressed intent to cause harm to Jesus out of jealousy (see Luke 9:9; 13:31). King Herod is jealous of his popularity and feels threatened by Jesus’s claim to kingship, though it means something different to Jesus than it does to Herod. His interest in Jesus performing signs is likely Herod’s way of trying to find a reason to cause harm to him, not to see his glory.

Herod questioned Jesus at length, but Jesus did not answer any of his questions (see Luke 23:9) or perform any signs, and therefore, Herod has no reason to cause him harm. The chief priests continue to argue that Jesus is causing a ruckus throughout Judea and Galilee (see Luke 23:10).

The scene with Herod is a power play as the chief priests and the scribes try to convince him to crucify Jesus, even when they have no evidence for their accusations. As stated yesterday, Jesus is not challenging the Roman government, did not tell his followers not to pay their taxes, nor did he claimed to be the Messiah. Although both parties have a common goal of causing harm to Jesus, without evidence there can be no death penalty. With the help of his soldiers, Herod treats Jesus with contempt and mocks him by dressing him in an elegant robe (see Luke 23:11). This mockery points to Herod’s disregard of Jesus causing a ruckus throughout Judea and Galilee. Herod just wants one reason to have Jesus crucified and is coming up empty handed.

Feeling defensive, Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate (see Luke 23:11). Both Herod and Pilate find no reason to crucify Jesus, yet they both make sport of Jesus and of the chief priests whom they despise. Herod is theatrical in his treatment of Jesus, having him in an elegant robe and agonizing the chief priests with his long questioning of Jesus. Herod and Pilate both perform power plays when they have Jesus on trial.

Pilate calls the chief priests, scribes, leaders, and the people back together and says, “You have brought me this man who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. I will therefore have him flogged and release him” (Luke 23:13-16 NRSV). Pilate upholds his verdict from when he first he questioned Jesus. The chief priests, scribes, leaders, and the people have not provided any new evidence to change Pilate’s mind.

However, the chief priests, scribes, leaders, and the people will not allow Pilate to release Jesus. The whole crowd keeps yelling, “Away with Jesus! Release Barabbas for us!” (Luke 23:18 NRSV). Now, Barabbas has caused protests in the city and has even killed a few people (see Luke 23:19). Pilate cannot understand why the crowd wants Barabbas released instead of Jesus. Pilate asks the crowd what he should do with Jesus, and the people say, “Crucify, crucify him!” (see Luke 23:20-21). Pilate appeals to the crowd one last time: “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.” (Luke 23:22 NRSV).

The crowd continues to yell, “Crucify, crucify him!” No amount of pleading with the crowd will change their minds. The more Pilate pleads to have Jesus flogged and released, the more the crowd yells, “Crucify, crucify him!” (see Luke 23:23). Finally, Pilate gives into the crowd’s demands and orders his soldiers to crucify Jesus and releases Barabbas (see Luke 23:24-25). Pilate succumbed to the pressures of the Jewish leadership by releasing the criminal and having the innocent man crucified. Jesus takes the place of the criminal and is sent to his death, despite being found innocent by both Herod and Pilate. Jesus takes on the sin of the world, so we may have the forgiveness and have a relationship with God the Father.

Dear Jesus, Thank you for taking our beating, our cross, our punishment for us. Help us to live a life worthy of your sacrifice. Grant us the courage and the strength to follow Jesus to the cross. Thank you for the power of your love. Amen

The high priest questioning Jesus.
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Peace be with you!

The fate of Jesus is in the hands of the high priest, chief priests, scribes, and the Jewish council. Men are restraining Jesus as they mock and beat him (Luke 22:63). The guards blindfold Jesus and play the sick game of making Jesus guess who is beating him (Luke 22:64). They insult Jesus (Luke 22:65), and yet he does not fight back.

The chief priests have gathered the high priest, scribes, and the assembly of elders to question Jesus (Luke 22:66). The chief priests ask Jesus, “If you are the Messiah, tell us.” He replied, “If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I question you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God” (Luke 22:67-69 NRSV). Then the chief priests ask if he is the Son of God, and he replies, “You say I am.” (Luke 22:70).

The high priest, scribes, and the assembly of elders are convinced Jesus is committing blasphemy and take him to see Pilate (Luke 22:71-23:1). Nothing Jesus would have said could have changed their minds. The chief priests have been waiting for their chance to get their hands on Jesus and stop him from being “disturbance.” The chief priests bring three charges against Jesus: that he 1) misleads the Jewish nation, 2) forbids his followers from paying the emperor’s taxes, and 3) calls himself the Messiah, the King of the Jews (Luke 23:2). The first charge demonstrates the chief priests’ ignorance to Jesus’s message. The chief priests want nothing to do with the good news, because it would disrupt their way of life—their entitlement over the other Jews. The second charge is a lie, for Jesus endorsed paying taxes by saying, give to Caesar what he is owed (Luke 20:25). Jesus does not disrespect the political system, though he asks the tax collectors to only take what is owed. The third charge paints Jesus as a revolutionary trying to overthrow the Roman government. Although Jesus claims to be the Anointed One—a king, Jesus is not trying to lead a revolution; rather Jesus is trying to spread the good news and bring people into a relationship with God the Father. The chief priests have twisted Jesus’s words and actions to bring charges against him to evoke the death penalty.

Pilate asks Jesus if he is the King of the Jews, and Jesus answers, “You say so” (Luke 23:3). Pilate finds no basis to hold Jesus and finds the crowd annoying for bringing charges against an innocent man (Luke 23:4). There is no evidence to back the accusations the chief priests bring against Jesus. Pilate has no right to hold Jesus any longer.

However, the chief priests are insistent that Jesus has been disrupting in Galilee for years, and now he is disrupting the peace throughout Judea (Luke 23:5). When Pilate finds out Jesus is a Galilean, he sends him to see Herod since that is his jurisdiction (Luke 23:6-7).

The Jewish authorities and the Roman government are having a power struggle. Jesus is a problem for the Jewish authorities, but they cannot crucify him without the assistance of the Roman government. There is not enough evidence for the Roman government to kill Jesus. Yet the Lord finds a way to fulfill his scriptures.

Dear Jesus, thank you for taking our beating, our cross, our punishment for us. Help us to live a life worthy of your sacrifice. Be with us as we fight against the temptations in the world. Thank you for the power of your love. Amen.

Judas Iscariot betraying Jesus Christ with a kiss.
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Peace be with you!

Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives to pray with his disciples. He urges his disciples to pray that they will not fall when things gets tough (Luke 22:40) and then goes off alone to pray a very solemn prayer as he faces the cross: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet not my will but your will be done” (Luke 22:42 NRSV). Jesus acknowledges God the Father is in control of everything, even the journey to the cross and the hardship Jesus faces. No one, not even Jesus, would face crucifixion with a light heart and joy. The weight of the world is on Jesus’s shoulders, and it is a bit intimating.

An angel appears to Jesus and gives him strength (Luke 22:43). God the Father understands that he has given Jesus a heavy load and sends an angel to give him strength. As he prays, Jesus sweats huge drops like blood (Luke 22:44) as he turns to the cross.

Jesus goes back and finds his disciples sleeping; he awakens them and urges them to pray for strength and courage as they watch him go to the cross (Luke 22:46-47). Just then, Judas and the Pharisees approach Jesus. Jesus sees them coming and asks, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” (Luke 22:48 NRSV). Jesus knows what Judas is doing even before he does it.

The disciples ask Jesus if they should get their swords out and, before he can answer, one of the disciples cuts off the high priest’s slave’s ear (Luke 22:49-50). Jesus quickly turns around and scolds his disciples; then he turns to the slave and heals him (Luke 22:51). Although Jesus is about to face more pain than anyone thought possible, he does not wish harm on anyone else—he even heals someone who means to cause him harm. The world may wish harm to Jesus, but he still loves his Father’s creation.

Then Jesus turns to the chief priests and the crowds and asks, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!” (Luke 22:52-53 NRSV). This is Jesus’s last statement of length that provides any clue as to what is going on. Jesus only speaks a few words while on trial. The chief priests take Jesus to the high priest’s house, and Peter follows at a distance (Luke 22:52).

Peter falls into trouble in the high priest’s courtyard. He has just seen the chief priests take Jesus off as a bandit. People are looking at him as if they recognize him from somewhere. One servant girl recognizes Peter as one of the men who was with Jesus, but he denies knowing him (Luke 22:56-57). Another man confirms the
servant girl’s proclamation and says, “Surely, you were one of the men with Jesus.” Still Peter denies it (Luke 22:58). Yet another man insists Peter was with Jesus since he is a Galilean (Luke 22:59). Peter exclaims, “Man, I do not know what you are taking about.” (Luke 22:60 NRSV). Just as Jesus predicted, Peter denies knowing Jesus three times before the cock crows. The realization causes Peter to hide and weep. He has denied the one person who loved him for who he was. How could he do such a selfish thing?

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for having Jesus fulfill your will. Help us to continue to follow Jesus to the cross this week. Remind us that you will always raise us back up, even when we fall. Guide us back into the light from the darkness. Thank you for understanding our faults and loving us despite them. Amen.

Jesus with his disciples at the Last Supper.
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Peace be with you!

The Festival of Unleavened Bread is under way in the Jewish community. Jewish families are making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The temple is starting to get busy with preparations for the annual sacrifice ceremonies.

Even Jesus has the Passover meal with his disciples in an upstairs room of a Jerusalem home. Jesus pauses to spend one last night with his disciples before the events of the passion unravel. During the meal, Jesus says,

“I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:15-20 NRSV).

These words are so familiar to us that it is easy for us to gloss over them since we hear them every time we take communion. We forget this is not just another meal; Jesus was looking forward to this Passover meal for a while. He must have run through the speech he would deliver to the disciples a million times.

Can you imagine being the disciples hearing these words for the first time? “This is my body … This is my blood poured out for you … This is the new covenant. Do this in remembrance of me.” These words have power and glory in them. Not only that, but Jesus commissioned his disciples to share this experience and these words with the world. It was not a one-time event; it is an ongoing event to remember Jesus came down into the world to rescue us from Satan and his temptations.

However, with any large gathering, there always seems to be a black sheep in the room. Knowing what will transpire in the next few hours, Jesus predicts his betrayal (see Luke 22:21-22), yet he acknowledges it must happen in order to fulfill the scriptures (see Luke 22:37). The disciples are appalled that one of them could do such a thing. Who could be bold to do such a thing?

Then the disciples begin to argue as to which one of them is the greatest (see Luke 22:24). Jesus stops the argument and says, “No one is greater. The leader must be like the one who serves. Who is greater: the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? Yet I am among you as the one who serves” (see Luke 22:25-27). These words are powerful: no one is greater. Each of us must be like the One who serves. We should follow Jesus’s example and respect and help each other.

Jesus goes on to say, “You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Luke 22:28-30 NRSV). Jesus treats his disciples as God the Father has treated him. He is honored that his disciples had stood by him through all of his trials.

Jesus turns to Peter and says, “You will deny me before the crow sounds three times” (see Luke 22:32, 34). Peter says, “I would never deny you. I would follow you to prison and death if I had to” (see Luke 22:33). Jesus understands that everyone will fall away, but he says that when Peter turns back he will strengthen his brothers (see Luke 22:32). Peter will not stay lost for very long, and when he finds his way back, he will be stronger. Jesus reminds his disciples that when he sent them out with nothing, they never lacked a thing (see Luke 22:35). Even when they fall away, Jesus will find and take care of them.

As if to set things in motion by giving Judas permission to go to the Sanhedrin, Jesus says, “But now, the one who has a money bag must take it, and likewise a traveler’s bag too. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was counted with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me is being fulfilled” (Luke 22:36-37 NRSV emphasis mine).

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for letting us continue to share the Last Supper with Jesus. Help us to understand the wisdom Jesus shared with his disciple. Remind us no one is greater than the one who is a servant. Guide us to help, serve, and respect one another. And when we fall away, come and find us in the darkness. Thank you for fulfilling the scriptures. Amen.

Jesus riding into Jerusalem.
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Peace be with you!

Early in the morning, two men claiming to be Jesus’s disciples approach a man in a village outside of Bethany and tell him the Lord needs his colt to ride into Jerusalem (Luke 19:29, 34). The man claims the colt has never been ridden, but the two men persist; Jesus needed it (Luke 19:30, 34). Jesus is seen later riding the colt though the Mount of Olives and the mountains and coming into Jerusalem. As Jesus and the colt go through the streets of Jerusalem, people throw their cloaks down on the road, shouting, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven” (Luke 19:38 NRSV). The people are excited to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem. These people have seen Jesus perform miracles and heard him speak with authority. A few of them have also shared a meal with Jesus and have had conversations with him.

However, the Pharisees are beside themselves. The people are shouting, “Blessed is the king!” and that makes the Pharisees anxious. The religious leaders may have been nervous because of fear of a backlash from Rome. Jesus did claim to be God—particularly in the book of John—the one who will save us from our sins through forgiveness and grace. No one should be called “king who comes in the name of the Lord.” That is blasphemy according to the Pharisees. How dare these people claim this man Jesus comes in the name of the Lord!

The Pharisees approach Jesus and demand his disciples to stop the commotion (Luke 19:39). The people are disturbing the peace with all of their shouting, “Blessed is the king.” The Pharisees must be thinking, Do his disciples and his followers not know the seriousness of their statement? What are they thinking, calling Jesus the king? This man Jesus does not come in the name of the Lord. How dare these people make such a bold blasphemy? What will the Roman government think of this outcry of foolishness? The Pharisees have religious and political concerns, which cause them to take action. What will King Herod think of all of this commotion? These people are acting as though this Jesus man is a king, which he is not.

Jesus answers the Pharisees, “No, and if I did, the stones would shout” (Luke 19:40). Somehow, God the Father will find a way for Jesus, the one he has sent, to be worshipped and glorified. It is impossible for Jesus to not be glorified on this day. Jesus is to be glorified, because he is the Son of Man and the Son of God and was sent by the Lord to redeem all the people in the world.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for letting us glorify your Son, Jesus, as he enters Jerusalem. Help us to recall the excitement of Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem as we follow him to the cross. Grant us the emotional strength to follow Jesus to the cross. Thank you for sending Jesus to the cross so that we might be saved. Amen.

Peace be with you!           

As Christians, we live with a difficult tension between “already” and “not yet” of Jesus’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Jesus has already walked the earth, done his ministry, and suffered greatly for our sins, and yet he will also come again to judge the living and the dead.

The next two weeks also have us on edge as we observe the passion and are tempted to jump to the ending: Jesus’s resurrection. We do not want to remember the pain and suffering Jesus went through on our behalf. We do not want to imagine Jesus being beaten and whipped, crawling to Golgotha with his crossbeam, falling under its weight, being crucified, and dying. We would like to go from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday without the detour to the cross. However, we have to take the painful road to the cross, because without it we miss the point of Jesus’s resurrection—that God the Father loves us so much that he sent his only begotten Son into the world to experience our pain and sorrow and to ultimately defeat these broken things.

The story of Mary anointing Jesus lives out this “already” and “not yet” oxymoron. Jesus is alive and well when Mary anoints his body with perfume (John 12:3)—a selfless act performed on Jesus’ behalf. Mary’s devotion is one of deep love and affection for her Savior. Jesus will show his disciples the same kind of love when he washes their feet at the Last Supper (John 13:8). Like Mary, Jesus expresses his humility towards his disciples—the master is not greater than his workers.

Mary anoints Jesus’s feet with expensive perfume and wipes them with her hair (John 12:3a). When people anointed others’ feet, it was common to use water and to be done by a servant. When people are anointed with oil, it is normally done on the head. Mary shows humility when she anoints Jesus’ feet with the expensive nard perfume and wipes them with her hair. Mary lives out the command to love one another even before Jesus teaches it (John 13:34-35). Mary responds to the true reason Jesus has to die on the cross before he explains it (John 14:2-4; 16:19-24). Mary anoints Jesus out of love and devotion. Mary’s act demonstrates what discipleship looks like. Discipleship is the pouring out of your love for God and Jesus Christ into the world. It is the kind of selflessness that will also work later to help the poor, the homeless, the disabled, and the naked. Mary shows her devotion to Jesus by giving of herself in his time of need.

Judas Iscariot is outraged with Mary for wasting such an expensive perfume on anointing Jesus’s feet, saying it could have been sold to help the poor (John 12:4-5). The author clues us in on Judas’s selfish reasons for wanting to keep the perfume: he takes care of the common purse and would sometimes steal out of it (John 12:6). His intentions are self-centered. Judas Iscariot is an example of an individual who tends to the needs and wants of the world and serves only himself. If the perfume is sold for money, it would get a year’s salary and would allow Judas to have [whatever “it” was] that he wanted. Judas does not care about the poor, the homeless, the disabled, and the naked. Judas is not interested in living as a disciple or loving God and his neighbor. Judas is only concerned with his own needs and desirers.

Jesus scolds Judas Iscariot for being harsh with Mary when she has done a great service for him. Mary brought the perfume as if for the day of his burial (John 12:7). In biblical times, family members would anoint the dead before burial as a way to show them honor. By anointing Jesus before his death, Mary is showing him her devotion and love. She is making preparations for his journey to the cross and beyond.

Jesus is also scolding Judas for giving into the pressures of the world. After everything Judas has seen Jesus do, he is still blind to God’s love. His main concern is how he can get ahead in the world, which has nothing to do with the good news or with being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus has to be frustrated with Judas, because after three years together he still does not get it. Jesus is days away from dying, and one of his disciples is still in the dark. What more can he do?

As Christians, we live with the tension of being in but not of the world. We live in the world as God’s children who answer his call of discipleship to spread the good news. We live according to the commandments to love God and neighbor commandments. However, we do not belong to the world. We do not care to be the richest or most famous; instead, we tend to the needs of others—the poor, the homeless, the disabled, and the naked. We do not give into the pressures of the world; instead, we believe in the power of the resurrection and look forward to Jesus’s second coming. The world does not own us, though we work in the world to take back what belongs to God.

Jesus also states the poor will always be in the world, but he will not always be with his disciples (John 12:8). There will always be someone who needs assistance—physically, psychosocially, or spiritually. Someone in the world will always need shelter; others will need clothes; others will need food and water; others will need prayers. The world is a needy place where someone will always need something. However, Jesus was not to always be physically present in the world. Mary is taking the opportunity to express her devotion and love for Jesus—the one who brought her brother back to life, the one who has healed so many, the one who has taken care of the poor, and the one who will die for our sins. Mary does the one thing she can do for Jesus—anoint him for burial.

Mary’s devotion to Jesus shows us what discipleship means. Discipleship is our devotion to Jesus’s death and resurrection and what is to come. As disciples, we dedicate our lives to spreading the good news and Jesus’s love in the world. We give up ourselves as Jesus gave up himself for the sake of our sins. We acknowledge our brokenness and our need for Jesus to die on the cross, so we can be in relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us an example of discipleship. Help us to live in but not of the world. Give us the strength to help the poor, the homeless, the disabled, and the naked. Lead us to be your hands and voice in the world as your disciples. Thank you for giving up your Son for our sake. Amen.

Peace be with you!

A broken relationship can be disabling to individuals who care deeply for each other, but sometimes a relationship has run its course.

There are many reasons why relationships become broken and eventually end. We have all seen or experienced relationships that have become unhealthy for the people in them. Breaking a person’s trust, growing apart, or even different viewpoints can cause a relationship to be broken. Individuals who have suffered a broken relationship can feel paralyzed or disabled for a time. There is a period of time when the individuals getting divorced have to find and redefine their identity; they have to separate themselves from the other party and become their own person again, something which takes mental strength and courage. Sometimes, people may fight to find a way to repair a broken relationship, but it takes time and energy and can wear a person out.

Each relationship is a journey, in which the individuals involved work together to create a bond. Every relationship has its high and low moments where the bond is strong or is being tested. It takes commitment and work to keep a relationship healthy, with mutual respect among the members.

The parent-child relationship creates a special, sacred bond between two people, but it can also be challenging as the child grows up and starts formulating their own opinions and ideas. The parent may question where they went wrong, and they may mourn the loss of a strong bond with their child. In Luke 15:11-32, Jesus tells a parable in which the prodigal son runs off with his inheritance, only to spend it foolishly, and then comes back home to beg for mercy and grace from his father.

At one point or another, we have all been the prodigal son, the jealous older brother, and/or the father. We have all seen relationships from different angles and understand the arguments and attitudes of the three individuals. We understand the complexities within the family system.
We have all been the prodigal son who is eager to leave home and
conquer the world. When teenagers turn eighteen, they want to leave behind the lifestyle of their parents and start their own life. In the parable, the prodigal son asks for his share of inheritance from his father and leaves home soon after (Luke 15:12-13). The prodigal son rebels against everything his father taught him. The prodigal son goes to another country and squanders his money while living a scandalous lifestyle. The text does not tell us what the prodigal son did exactly, but we can imagine what kind of trouble a young man could get into. If we set the parable in modern times, the prodigal son probably would be doing drugs and/or drinking to excess, buying expensive toys, paying for sex, getting in trouble with the law, or [whatever “it” is] that he wanted.

After spending all of his money, the prodigal son ends up working for a pig farmer who never paid him (Luke 15:15-16). As he is starving as a foreigner, the prodigal son realizes he could go home and work as one of his father’s hired hands, and he would have plenty of food (Luke 15:17). Yet the prodigal son knows he is not worthy to be welcomed home as family, because he has sinned and mistreated his father. The prodigal son knows he cannot go home and expect things to be as they were; it would be unfair to his older brother. The prodigal son understands he deserves nothing more than to be one of his father’s hired hands. We all act like the prodigal son at some point during our lives. Sometimes it comes with a high cost. Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom. Sometimes it costs us our relationships with loved ones. No matter what the cost, we have all been where the prodigal son is at this point of the story. We have all felt the sting of regret and the need for forgiveness.

The father of the two sons is in a hard situation. He loves both of his sons for different reasons. The father loves his older son for being loyal and committed to him, for making his life on the family farm, and for caring for him as he ages. The older son has been with the father the whole time—making memories, learning the family business, and growing the family. The father is extremely grateful for his older son, yet he mourns the loss of his younger son—the prodigal son. The father misses spending time with the prodigal son. By taking his inheritance and moving away, the prodigal son robs his father of making memories with him, of teaching him the family business, and of watching his grandchildren grow up. The father’s heart aches to know the prodigal son personally, to know he is safe and healthy, and to watch him grow into a man. It is devastating for any parent to have a child run off and to have no contact with them. Not all of us are parents, but we all of us have experienced being wronged by someone who we should have been able to trust.

When the prodigal son returns home, the father runs to greet him and dresses him in his best, and he prepares a great feast to celebrate (Luke 15:22-23). The father is overwhelmed with joy and thanksgiving, because his son who was lost is now found (Luke 15:24). When a parent watches their child struggle with substance abuse, they experience similar emotions as the father in the parable. Anyone who struggles with substance abuse is taken away from their family by the chosen drug of choice, because it changes their behavior and makes them dependent on it. However, sometimes the individual is able to go into rehab and remain clean. When this happens, the individual is able to return home and renew their relationships with family members. I remember rejoicing with my mom when my brother went into rehab for substance abuse, and every year we rejoice he has remained clean and has a steady job. We rejoice every time we are able to have a conversation or take a trip with my brother, because if he had kept doing drugs, he may not have been here today. My brother was lost, but now he is found.

However, when the older son sees his father rejoicing over his brother’s return, he becomes angry and jealous (Luke 15:28-29). His father is celebrating over his brother, who wasted his inheritance on foolishness things, while the older son never left his father’s side and worked hard to maintain the family business. And yet, the older son has never gotten a celebration (Luke 15:29-30). The older son feels underappreciated.

Yet the father appeals to the older son, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found” (Luke 15:31-32 NRSV). The father truly loves his older son and treasures every moment they spend together. However, the father is rejoicing over his younger son returning home alive and well. For a period of time, the father was left to wonder if his younger son was alive or dead, if he was safe or in danger, or if he was prosperous or homeless. Now the father could breathe again and no longer had to worry. This is a time to rejoice over a life and the ability to be together as a family.

The love God the Father has for his children is like the father’s love for his sons in the parable. No matter what we have done, God the Father welcomes us back into his loving arms. He offers us grace and mercy when we turn away from the wicked ways of the world to return to him and follow the example of Jesus Christ. Like the father in the parable, God the Father allows us to make our own decisions—right, wrong, or indifferent—and loves us just the same. His arms are always open for our return.

Like the older son, we are left with a choice: to stick to our own ways or to join the celebration. If we stick to our own ways, we will miss out on having a relationship with God the Father. But if we choose to join the celebration, we open our hearts and minds to the impossible being possible. We welcome God the Father into our lives and

receive his love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace. We become empowered by the Holy Spirit to do God’s work in the world as his ambassadors. We are reconciled to Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, which gives us new life. When we join the celebration, we express God’s love and grace to others.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for forgiving our sins. Help us to love one another as you love us. Open our hearts to accept your forgiveness, love, mercy, and grace, so we can be your ambassadors in the world. Be with us in the days ahead. Thank you for loving us beyond our imaginations. Amen. 

Peace be with you!

An accident can change a person’s life in an instant. One minute
teenage boys are running scrimmage at football practice and the next minute one of them gets tackled and cannot get back up. The boy is rushed to the hospital where the doctors say that even after he recovers, he will always have a three-inch difference in the length of his legs. His dreams of football glory are over.

A teenage girl is having a great night of partying with her friends when suddenly their car is hit by a drunk driver. The girl doesn’t have her seat belt on and goes flying out the window. She is paralyzed forever.

A family reunion turns tragic when a man dives into a shallow lake and breaks his neck, leaving him a quadriplegic.

In a moment, these individuals go from being able to walk to having to learn how to do everything from a wheelchair. Even if you are born with a physical disability and grow up with limitations, the teenage years can be rough when you are different and cannot always do what your peers are doing. Whether you were born with physical limitations or you were left with a limp or paralyzed by an accident, it is normal to go through a time period when you wonder if God is punishing you. As a teenager, I remember feeling isolated

photo credit: Spiral Ramp via photopin (license)

by my peers, because I could not do everything they could do. My peers did not invite me to go out with them. I did not have friends over very often. I often wondered: Why did God allow this to happen to me? Why is God punishing me? Why? It’s easy to feel hopeless, alone, and angry.

Jesus asks the crowd why they can read the changes in the sky for the upcoming weather, but they cannot interpret the current events (Luke 12:56). Though the question is not stated outright, a few people rise to the challenge and ask, “Why do bad things to good people?” The question is a result of Pilate killing Galileans in a ghastly event (Luke 13:1). The people ask why Galileans died so tragically—even the good people. The question implies a punishment and reward system with God: if you are a good person, God will reward you, but if not, God will punish you.[i] When individuals are killed or become disabled, we search for a reason why. There has to be a reason for human suffering. There has to be an explanation why I have cerebral palsy, why I am paralyzed, or [whatever “it” is] from my past.

Jesus meets the implied question with his own questions: “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? … Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem?” (Luke 13:2, 4 NRSV). These questions can easily be reframed to fit any situation. Do you think you have cerebral palsy because of your parent’s sin? Do you think you are paralyzed because you are a horrible human being? Do you think you are suffering because you are the worse sinner ever?

Jesus answers both of his questions, “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did” (Luke 13:3, 5 NRSV). Suffering is not always the result of divine judgment and punishment, because God grants us freedom of choice and free will. In John 9, the healing of the blind man happens not because of anyone’s personal sin, but in order to bring glory to God the Father (John 9:1-3). This provides the Lord a way to enter life in the world in order to be present in our lives. In times of tragedy and suffering, Jesus calls upon us to repent and to turn back to God, so we can call out, “Lord, have mercy,” and receive redemption. However, if we do not repent our sinful ways and turn back to God, then we will perish—not just a physical death but a separation from eternal life in the kingdom of God.

When we are suffering, we are given a choice: to blame God or to seek mercy and redemption through Jesus Christ. When we become disabled (at birth or otherwise), we are given the opportunity to bring glory to God the Father through our suffering—just as Jesus suffered on the road to the cross and at his crucifixion. A person who is disabled has the opportunity to bring God glory by living her life according to her abilities and God’s call for her.

Isaiah also calls upon us to turn back to God to receive goodness: “come to the waters,” “buy wine and milk without money,” “eat what is good,” and “listen, so that you may live” (Isaiah 55:1-3). This call reminds us God provides everything we ever need and want. God will also grant the wicked and the unrighteous abundant pardon (Isaiah 55:7). God the Father is gracious and forgiving.

The parable of the fig tree reminds us of God’s mercy. A man planted a fig tree, and after three years it never produced any fruit, so he told his gardener to cut it down (Luke 13:6-7). The gardener begged the man to give it another year, offering to tend and fertilize it, giving it the best possible chance to produce fruit (Luke 13:8). The owner agreed, but threatened to cut it down after that time period if it did not produce any fruit (Luke 13:9). Jesus is like the gardener: on the cross, he steps in and intervenes on our behalf. God’s mercy is for everyone as long as you acknowledge your sins and humbly repent. When you accept God’s mercy (the fertilizer), you use the gifts God gives to answer his personalized call for you to share his good news with others. In his crucifixion, death, and resurrection, Jesus allows us to have this second chance to be in a relationship with God the Father.

As you continue to travel to the cross with Christ, let your suffering give glory to God, just as Jesus suffered in order to give us God’s glory. Let the mystery of the resurrection to give you hope, because hope is what allows you to get a glimpse of the kingdom of God.

Thanks be to God!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for your forgiveness, mercy, and grace. Give us your grace and understanding as we look toward the Kingdom of God. Allow us to be like Christ by letting our suffering bring you glory in the world. Forgive us as we forgive those who have sinned against us. Renew us and keep us in your grace through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Reflection Questions

1. Have you ever asked God why something happened to you? If so, what was the situation?
2. Has there been a situation that you thought was a result of a sin?
3. When has God granted you grace and mercy?
4. What gifts has God given you?
5. How have you used your suffering to give God glory?

[i] Arland J. Hultgren, “Commentary on Luke 13:1-9,” Working Preacher, 23 February 2016, http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1578.