Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Tuesday in Holy Week

Bob Stevens

The Collect

O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Readings: Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, John 12:20-36 & Psalm 71:1-14

This is a week when there is unparalleled focus on the words and action of Jesus. There is no more compelling drama in all religious lore than the story of this god-man who was put to death because of being a threat to law and order. Jesus was considered too dynamic to be safe.

However, I want to focus on another feature of the narratives of this week that seem to be often overlooked. Have you noticed the shift in mood of the “crowds?” This past Sunday we were shouting “hosanna hosanna” and singing “All glory laud and honor to thee redeemer king”. And then just five days later we were shouting “crucify him!” What’s going in here? Or more directly what does this say about humankind and me? I’m not sure, but I do suspect that it is a reflection of the fickleness and fragility of the human spirit. I can catalogue my pendular moods, so often driven by circumstances, either positive or problematic. I invite you to take a moment and make you own mental list.

Now, I also invite you to join me in reflecting on the constancy of Jesus through this week. If ever there was cause for a change of heart this was it. “Please let this cup pass from me, but not my will but Thy will be done”. What integrity! What constancy! No wonder he scared the authorities and quite frankly he scares me as he bids “come follow me.”