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Read Today’s Scripture
“At the end of all this”
Every Gospel has Jesus entering Jerusalem today, while crowds cheer and wave palms. I think we’re familiar with the story. But what’s the point of it all? On a historical level, the crowds were convinced that Jesus was David’s descendant, the King of Israel come to take up his throne and cast out the Roman empire. But they couldn’t have envisioned a worse outcome. Although Jesus was their king, the Cross was his throne. They coulnd’t see that his death on the Cross would cast out, not only the Roman Empire, but the kingdom of darkness and the forces of evil. So, we know the story. The crowds went from cheering, to accusing; from friends, to enemies; from almost enthroning, to crucifying. Even his closest disciples abandon Jesus. Only the beloved disciple and some women stay by his side (Jn 19:25-27). So the real question that confronts us today—at the end of all of this, will we still follow him? To follow him to the Cross may be to abandon that one thing that we love more than Jesus—i.e.: to pursue holiness. To follow him may be to wear our faith on our sleeve—i.e.: to be a witness. You see, we might not hate Jesus. But you know what they say—the opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. And hopefully in your Lenten fast thus far, you have grown to not be indifferent to Christ, but to love him. So, that we can follow him, no matter the cost.
Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.