A Holy Week Meditation

Since the 4th Century, this week  has been considered the most holy week in the liturgical Church calendar. This is a time of remembrance and proclamation of the atoning suffering and death of Jesus Christ. On Monday  of Holy Week, many traditions celebrate the anointing of Jesus that occurred in Bethany, even though this  event happened before Palm Sunday.

 On that evening in Bethany, Jesus was the only one anointed with nard, a magnificent and very expensive perfume.  Yet that fragrance filled the whole house. Everyone present had the benefit of smelling  Mary’s sacrificial gift.  Could Mary’s actions  be pointing us  to the  one of the meanings of the cross.?  Could it be saying that  the anointed one, Jesus  alone, was the only one who could hang on the cross for our sins.  No other being could do that. His offering was the sweet smelling savor that arose to heaven. Like those in the house who smelled the perfume , All of us who accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord are the beneficiaries of this Sacrifice. II Corinthians 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish.

We used to sing  an old hymn at Grace Baptist Church in Philadelphia where I grew up. It asks a question, "Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go free,"  and then it answers," No there’s a cross for everyone and there’s a cross for me."  Jesus says the same to those that would be his disciple in Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

As we reflect on the events leading up to Christ’s sacrifice I think of  how many times have I said have said  I want to be like Jesus. But do I really? When I look at what Jesus went through leading up to his death  I wonder,  am I really honest when I say I want to be like him?

 Jesus is the God Man, fully God and fully man. Jesus knew what awaited Him. Jesus knew  who  was going to betray him and who was going to forsake him. Yet Jesus  was gracious, kind and loving.  Jesus was not irritable with his close disciples.  Yet I get irritable when I know people are not being sincere with me.

Jesus  knew Judas will betray him. Yet he does not withdraw from Judas and even  touches hands in the dish with the betrayer. I see those who have betrayed me and I never want to speak to them again. Do I really want to be like Jesus?  I realize that Jesus has forgiven me of all my sins, and yet 
sometimes I harbor resentment towards those who have offended me. DO I really want to be like Jesus?

Am I truly ready to pick up my cross and follow Jesus? I find myself needing the help of the Holy Spirit to truly sing that last verse of that old song.  This week I renew my commitment  singing,  "The consecrated cross I’ll bear,  til death has set me free,  and then go home my crown to wear, for there’s a crown for me."

And It Came to Pass

The phrase “It came to pass,” is stated 452 times in the King James Bible.
What if we read it like this,  “And the Coronavirus came to pass. The Coronavirus/Covid 19 came and it's spending time, but it will pass.  That's today's reality. Yes, it has altered our lives and our plans. Yes, it is causing sickness and death.  Indeed while here, it is causing economic havoc.   No one knows for how long it will remain among us. However we know that like 452 times in the Bible it will pass.