+ Our readings today explain a lot about the reason that people
were “out to get” Jesus - and
actually to plot to kill him. It is prophesied in the Book of Wisdom: “let us
beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself up against
our doings, ‘he yells at us because we break the laws of God’, he professes to
have knowledge of God and styles himself a child of God……Hey, let’s condemn him
to a shameful death, ‘and just see if God takes care of him.’
This certainly was played out
when Jesus came and did nothing but good works and speak truthful maxims, laws,
and guidelines: his source: the only true source: THE WISDOM OF GOD HIMSELF!
(hmmm actually Jesus is “God’s own Word” made into a human being, he is God’s
WISDOM and TRUTH and JUSTICE likewise made flesh! Those utilizing the gift of
faith that God gives anyone to use, for the asking, know this for certain as a
simple fact that can be depended upon.
In the gospel passage, and at
this time of our Lenten observance, the storm clouds are gathering against the
most purely peaceful, truthful, joyful, happy, just, forgiving, merciful,
compassionate, self-sacrificing human being who ever lived: who was also at the
same time God, Jesus Christ, who would soon play out the sweet dramatic
conclusion of his earthly life, by being murdered simply for being himself, the
Man/God, come to open the gates of heaven, for any who choose to enter, by
belief in him.
Two things to summarize: from
afar we observe these events and say wow, Jesus was willing to go through all
of this for me! Well, yes, for you, for each individual you who ever lived,
lives, or will live.
But also, secondly, when we
are apparent disciples of his, who want to get into those open gates of
paradise, are ridiculed, mocked, shunned, ostracized and persecuted in a
variety of way, up to and including be put to death – and we thus actually experience
what he experienced with the conspiracy against him – then he tells us to
REJOICE – to accept gladly and cheerfully any and all of the words and actions
against us – the bullying and the rest – because Jesus himself will give us the
grace and power to “get through it all” and “happily follow him all the way
through life, and across the Bridge and into the Kingdom, where bullies,
buffoons and self-seeking, self-gratifying, self-glorified buttheads and not
allowed.
The
Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he
saves.
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