Second Wednesday of Lent

Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.

The bravery in these words is astounding. Jesus knows what will happen to him when he goes to Jerusalem and yet he still goes. What makes this statement even more poignant is the fact that the disciples are bickering about who will sit at his left and right hand in the coming kingdom. They have no idea of the sacrifice Jesus is about to make for them and all God’s children. They cannot fathom the suffering he will have to endure. They are unappreciative of what it truly means to be a suffering servant. They are still thinking in worldly terms and looking for worldly rewards. However, Jesus does not offer us a seat at his left or right, he only offers us the chalice of salvation, which is bitter-sweet just as his Passion was so long ago.

Are we willing to be handed over to our persecutors? Are we willing to be condemned for our beliefs? Are we willing to suffer mockery for our faith?

O Lord, let us go to Jerusalem with you so that we too might one day be raised to Heaven.

Amen.