Thoughts for the Day

While Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

One of the things in life that we have to learn, is to have courage, and some of us manage it better than others. There is all kinds of courage - that of the person who has been physically injured and must face the inquisitive looks of others; the parent who has to live each day without their child who was died; those who never know where the next bomb will rain down on them; the child or adult who must see their bully each day; and those who must face painful medical treatment or news of their impending death. As we can see, courage can be shown in many different ways. For some it will take courage just to leave their house, and for others to put up with painful treatment, or like Alexei Navalny the Russian dissident leader who kept going in the face of the daily threat of death..

As we travel through Lent, we travel with Jesus towards Jerusalem, and to his crucifixion and his death. He uses the familiar term "Son of Man", meaning the 'Messiah', for himself. Jesus describes what will happen to him. His courage will be tested to the limit - betrayal by a friend and the religious leaders of the day; the injustice of their verdict of his death; the ignominy of being handed over to the Roman authorities; his humiliation by them; the terrible physical pain of the scourging; and finally the crucifixion which also brought emotional and spiritual suffering.

Yet despite all this suffering which he was to endure for the sake of each one of us, Jesus wins through to reach the reward offered by his Heavenly Father. It is no less for us whatever our suffering if we have faith - there is a brighter future.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You lived the life of a man
and suffered the day-to-day pains
of normal human life;
but You also suffered the worst
that men could do to You,
yet Your courage sustained You.
Give us the courage to live this life
whatever it throws at us,
knowing that Your power is with us,
supporting and sustaining us
whatever happens,
and that Your promises hold true
for our future.
Amen.