I’m sorry I got behind on my Lent Musings. I confess that I have news media and social media overload. I want to see my kids and grandkids and I’ve been having a bit of a pity party. I will do better because when I do THIS better, I do better all the way around. Some lyrics have been running on repeat in my mind:
“Far be it from me to not believe
Even when my eyes can’t see
And this mountain that’s in front of me
Will be thrown into the midst of the sea”

Mark 10:32-34
Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and Resurrection

Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

I have often read something in the bible and been completely bummfuzzled as to why “they” didn’t get it. They being the Israelites when God was right there, visible, a pillar of cloud. Or they meaning the disciples – who actually walked and talked with Jesus and saw him perform miracles and healings. And here we are in this reading from the daily lectionary with Jesus telling his disciples for the third time what is going to happen to Him. The immediate response? To find that, you have to read a bit more of the scripture. Then you find that James and John, the sons of Zebedee, have a request. They want to sit next to Jesus in Glory. The result? Jesus tells them they will drink the cup He drinks but it isn’t his to grant where they sit in Glory, so they are going to come to a bad end and they managed to irritate the rest of the disciples.

What struck me about this reading today as often happens, is how like them, we are. With this horrible virus, we don’t take all the precautions we should until people near us start becoming ill. Even then, we tend to move a little slowly because we think it couldn’t possibly happen to us. We see it happening other places. We see the news and still we think it can’t happen like that here or it won’t happen to us….until it does.

And here I sit, people are dying and I am rationing my favorite coffee because I know I won’t be able to make a trip to Winco for well…who knows how long. Like the disciples, I am concerned about the wrong things. Like the disciples, I need to be reminded that what I think I understand, is NOT what Jesus intended. I am often petty and grouchy and impatient and judgmental and selfish.

Thank you Father for Grace. Thank you Jesus for the work that you did through your life, death, and resurrection because without you, I would have no chance of any seat at all in glory (I’m just hoping to go skidding in before the door slams shut!). I ask that you give me more of your spirit. Help me to do better at extending the grace that you have lavished on me, to others. Amen.