Jesus prays for us. I suppose it should not be surprising that this is how Jesus chose to spend his quickly dwindling time. And, yet, it is incredibly humbling to sit with this knowledge.
I, perhaps, identify best with Schrödinger’s cat, simultaneously both arrived and not, until the box is opened. Until the stone is rolled away. Until the gates of hell are burst. How do you enter into the joy of the resurrection?
“Open my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.” These words strike a note to begin a fresh new day. They become a reminder, a way to approach challenging relationships, a lens through which to see day-to-day life.
Finding ourselves in an open space or feeling like a useless broken pot are experiences of humanity through the ages. What challenge do you find in these moments? What invitation?
How is it that five barley loaves and two fish were enough food to fill 5,000 people? And, there were leftovers! How is it then that with all of the resources in the world, so many people are starving?
We don’t really know that much about Joseph and I wonder if that causes us to give him the short end of the stick. Yet, the imagery of a loving father that Jesus uses to talk about God implies that Joseph played an important role in his formation. The way in which Joseph participates in the Incarnation suggests that perhaps we all have a role in birthing God into the world.
Normally, I find great comfort in the cluelessness of Jesus’ disciples. I find it reassuring to note that even those who had the privilege of journeying with Jesus during his life so often missed the point. However, this is one of the few moments in the Gospel where I find the message of the disciples just as poignant as that of Jesus.
It’s been my experience that many of us don’t really like change. Change is hard, even for Jesus. But, when our hour of change comes, Jesus is there with us to help us through.
As we prepare to enter the holy season of Lent, growing awareness of our own sinfulness can begin to weigh heavy on our hearts and souls. The poem Love (III) by George Herbert offers a helpful reminder that God meets us where we are- messy and broken- and welcomes us with an invitation.
I don’t find the connection between suffering and blessing that Jesus makes in the Beatitudes very comforting. However, he seems to be getting at something deeper that the beatitudes regularly posted to social media are missing.