just another wednesday?

The Bible doesn't tell us what the Lord did on Wednesday of Holy Week. Scholars speculate that after two exhausting days in Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples spent this day resting in Bethany with his closest friends, Mary, Martha and Lazarus, in anticipation of the Passover. 

It’s funny to think of Jesus as needing friends, but if ever he needed the comfort of friendship, it was in these last days before his cruel death.  Our world continues flog Jesus with mockery and accusations, betrayal and denial. But even today, we can offer him the comfort of friendship - a heart that is open to him with compassion - not asking for anything, but offering him a place in us where he can reside and rest.

Jesus, in your last moments with your disciples, you called them your friends.  How close you want to be to each and every one of us! This Holy Week, may we see you as our friend, and give us the grace to be called a friend by you. Amen

walking to calvary

" Do not stumble over something behind you."

As we journey deeper into Holy Week, it's easy to get sidetracked from drawing close to Jesus because we're afraid of our past. This is exactly the time when we need to press on, undaunted, in order to to be reunited with the love God extends to us. Webster says that to be reconciled means to become friendly again. This is the path we're on! Returning to a friendship with God!

Lord, give us strength to push aside the negativity that presses on us from our past. Help us to discard religion that feeds us with guilt and shame. Allow us to feast on your offer of friendship, undeserving though we may be. We thank you for your great kindness!

palm reading

What are we to make of this so-called "king", Jesus? How are we ever to make sense of what he said and did? With all the noise around us, will we ever be able to hear the truth that comes to us from our unread Bibles? Certainly we don’t really think of Jesus as our king at all. Certainly we couldn’t make time to find out about these things. 

We’re entirely too busy. The king we now hail is busyness. Our king today is image. We are ruled by media and bow down to it each night. Our prayers are posts and tweets, hoping someone, anyone might notice. Praying to cyberspace, the mythical god of the 21^st century. And what an uncaring, cruel god this is. Where photo shopped reality distorts the essence of life beyond recognition.

God's remedy?  For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall you be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: but you would not. Isa. 30:15