John 13:1-17, 31b-35

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” vs. 34

Maundy Thursday gets its name from a derivation of the Latin word “mandatum” which means “commandment.” It’s a day set aside in the church, not to remember the origins of Holy Communion, but to remind us of the new commandment that Jesus gave his disciples at their last meal together. According to John, as they concluded the Passover, Jesus told his disciples in no uncertain terms that the mark of true discipleship was the love that they would henceforth show for one another. His words remain the marching orders for any who would presume to be his followers in this world. We should note that this is a commandment! Jesus isn’t asking that we have warm feelings of attraction for each other, though that may indeed happen occasionally. Instead he commands us to love just as he has loved us–and what kind of love is this? The context makes it plain–this is cross-bearing love, self-giving to the extreme, a willingness to lay down our lives for one another. In recent weeks we’ve seen countless examples of this as millions of persons have exposed themselves to the possibility of infection in order to serve and care for others. Their courage for the most part is not self-serving, but is rooted in love. It’s the way we’re supposed to treat others–all the time! It’s the way we let our lights shine in a darkened world.

Thought for the Day: How can “sheltering in place” be an act of love?

Hebrews 12:1-3

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us…” vs. 1

The writer to the Hebrews has recounted the faith stories of the ancestors, remembering the tales of their resilience and courage, in order to remind his readers that they were not alone on the great journey of discipleship. He tells them that all people are a part of a great community and have an enormous need for connections and encouragement. The truth of what he writes is becoming crystal clear as we continue to deal with the presence of COVIT-19 throughout the world. We’re sheltering in place and self-quarantining, not so much for our own sakes, but for the sake of others. We never know when we might unwittingly spread the virus to some unsuspecting loved one, even if we ourselves have no symptoms. And then there are the thousands of health-workers who daily expose themselves to the disease out of concern for those who are ill. Truly, this horrible time has made us all conscious of the heroes among us, those who selflessly give because others are hurting. Even though we like to think we are strong and independent, beholden to no one, that simply isn’t true. We are one massive global community, united in our fragility, and we are at our best when we run the race of life in unity, with Jesus as our guide.

Thought for the Day: What do we learn from Jesus in the time of a pandemic?

Psalm 71:1-14

“For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from my birth; it was you who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.” vss. 5-6

Many of us fall into the category of what might be called “cradle Christians.” Our parents (at least one of them) were believers and we were raised and nurtured in the church. We went to worship and Sunday School and have had a life-long relationship with faith communities. Most of us haven’t had conversion experiences and we can’t think of a moment when we “gave our hearts to Jesus.” Even though our faith practices may have been lax at times we’ve probably never even questioned the basic teachings we’ve been taught. Like the psalmist we’ve leaned on the Lord from our birth. When times have been tough and moments of suffering have come, it’s been second nature to pray and trust that God will see us through. If that’s been our story we have much to rejoice about as we move through the seasons of life. Faith brings stability–it’s a wonderful foundation for enjoying the goodness of existence and the joys of creation. And if our connection to Jesus is more than cultural, we’ve undoubtedly been the source of great blessings to others too. Whether we know it or not, in Jesus’ words, we have been the “salt of the earth,” and have delivered savory goodness to the lives of our family and friends. Thanks and praise be to God!

Thought for the Day: What is a “cultural connection” to Jesus?

Isaiah 42:1-9

“I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations…” vs. 6

The prophet believed, against all circumstantial evidence, that Israel had been called by the Lord, not to just occupy land in the Judean mountains, but to be a light to the nations. The “called people” had a universal mission: to open the eyes of the blind and bring release to all who were in bondage. And they would accomplish this, not by force of arms or bombastic threats, but with gentleness and tender humility. That mission direction is still in effect, and it’s never been needed more than today! We’ve arrived at the Monday of Holy Week amid the darkness of a massive pandemic that has had an impact on the people of every nation. Some are growing restless and yearning to be free of restrictions. Others are impatient and convinced that the end of the plague is near. If these were normal times we’d be looking forward to Good Friday and Easter and making plans to worship and celebrate. But this year we’re uncertain, wondering if our churches will even have services. One thing is sure! The Light of Christ will not be dimmed by panic or fear. In one way or another people of faith will discover creative means to remember the love of the cross and the light of the empty tomb. “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it!”

Thought for the Day: How will this Holy Week be creatively celebrated?

Matthew 27:45-54

“And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” vs. 46

Matthew and Mark report that Jesus’ only words from the cross echoed Psalm 22 and reflected his deep distress and sense of alienation. He felt deserted by God, a deep irony given his identification as the Good Shepherd, the one who leads us through the valley of deep darkness. But perhaps that’s the key to understanding the comfort that comes our way from him in our own encounters with distress and despair. He can lead the way because he knows the path so well–he’s been there before us. We don’t have a Lord who speculates about what it’s like to feel pain and know suffering, we have a Lord who knows death first hand. So it’s no wonder that in those moments when hope fades and faith seems fragile, we can snuggle right up to Jesus, and feel his strong arms hold us close. Some people have reported that what had been an intellectual acquaintance with faith became intensely personal when the bottom dropped out of their world and a sense of forsakenness spread over them. In those moments they became aware, and said to themselves, “So this is what it was like for Jesus!” Those are powerful, faith-building times, not ones to be sought after–no one seeks that sort of pain–but times in which we feel unity with our Lord and Savior. And somehow, in a strange sort of way, it just feels good!

Thought for the Day: A time of despair that felt good!

Matthew 27:26-34

“Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’” vss. 29-40

It’s amazing how quickly people abandoned the “Jesus Bandwagon” after he was arrested and sentenced to death by crucifixion. Surely some of those who passed by that Friday afternoon were familiar with his ministry–he’d been teaching regularly in the temple in the days before his betrayal. But when they walked by on this busy road outside the city walls they had nothing but derision for him. In their eyes he was just another failed messiah, and unless he could pull off a really big miracle and climb down from the cross, they weren’t interested. Oh, there were likely some mourners among the onlookers–mostly women, but Matthew says they stood at a distance. His male disciples were likely holed up, self-quarantined against discovery and making plans to go back to Galilee. It still doesn’t take much for people to abandon their faith and go in another direction–we see it happen regularly. Some calamity comes near, hopes are dashed, prayers go unanswered–the reasons can be many, but the outcome is the same. Jesus is left alone to die! It will be interesting to see now how many people will be returning to the churches when this pandemic begins to dissipate and doors are reopened. Will there be a renewal of faith or will people just continue to stay away? Perhaps we’ll find out on Easter!

Thought for the Day: Why do people abandon faith?

Matthew 27:11-25

“Pilate said to them, ‘Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ All of them said, ‘Let him be crucified!’” vs. 22

According to Matthew the mood of the crowds reversed in the course of a week. They went from cheering Jesus’ arrival as the Son of David to demanding his death as a common criminal. Some explain this by saying that there were two different crowds, one made up of Galileans, the other containing skeptical Judeans. But the truth is that any crowds can be enormously fickle, easily stirred up by clever politicians, and always thirsty for blood–even in the Jim Crow period of American history, less than one hundred years ago, large cheering crowds gathered for the lynching of innocent black men. For them it was a social event, an opportunity to give voice to prejudice and hate. Two thousand years ago the religious leaders did a masterful job of besmirching the character and ministry of Jesus, and the crowds were eager to accommodate them. And Pilate, who knew that Jesus was innocent, lacked the heart to oppose their will, and eventually acquiesced to their demands. As we move beyond this pandemic crisis we’ll be entering the heat of the election campaign. Once again we’ll see efforts made to stir up crowds with accusations and half-truths–and it remains to be seen what influence those crowds will have. While it’s good to let the people have a voice, it can be a disaster when they have the final say.

Thought for the Day: Why is crowd behavior so fickle?

Matthew 21:1-11

“When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’” vss. 10-11

According to Matthew, Jesus didn’t exactly sneak into Jerusalem when he arrived for the Passover. In fact he did the opposite and staged an eye-catching entry with a palm festooned procession and a crowd of enthusiastic supporters. As a result the whole city exploded with curiosity–everyone wondered who this donkey-riding pilgrim might be–rumors and gossip passed through the crowded streets quickly. And his Galilean followers were proud to spread the good news. This was the hope of Israel, the prophet Jesus from the remote village of Nazareth! It’s exciting to be in the vanguard of a new movement. Enthusiasm abounds and expectations are high! This new idea, this new person, is going to change everything and the benefits will abound. Some of us know that feeling well–it happens regularly in our constantly recycling political process. Every four years we find our new messiah and millions are convinced that this time things are going to change for good, and our lives will be better forever. Of course that’s not how it works. Before long reality sets in and that new messiah is crucified. But we don’t like to think like that. We want to believe, and we don’t want anyone to rain on our parade. Just like the folks in Jerusalem so long ago, we love to celebrate hope–and so we do–and that’s okay!

Thought for the Day: Who gets me excited about the future?

Philippians 2:4-11

“Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.” vs. 4

In his poem, The Present Crisis, the anti-slavery poet, James Russell Lowell wrote, “New occasions teach new duties,” a perfect commentary on our current “present crisis.” All citizens of the world, believers and non-believers alike, are being urged to put into practice one of the basic principles of life in Christ. In the interest of saving thousands of lives, each of us are being challenged to “look not to our own interests, but to the interests of others.” Even though there appears to be no imminent threat to our own lives, and even though we’re feeling perfectly fine, our elected officials are telling us to practice social isolation. Some folks (even Christians) are resenting such decrees big time. They don’t like being told what to do, and they continue to do all they can to look out for themselves without regard to others. In most of our cities there is rampant hoarding–grocery store shelves are being cleaned out as individuals get what they can while they can. Such primitive impulses fly in the face of Paul’s words to the Philippians, a poor congregation that gave generously so that famine victims might eat. Followers of Jesus understand what it means to be humble servants, and it’s been gratifying to see them in action during these last weeks. This is a big time opportunity for us to practice what we preach, and the world is being blessed by our obedience.

Thought for the Day: Why do people hoard?

Psalm 31:9-16

“I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbors, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.” vs 11

The psalmist didn’t know it but his words are a pretty good description of what it’s like to be infected with the Coronavirus. Thankfully that hasn’t happened for many of us but it’s certainly something that we fear. We carefully practice social distancing and monitor our physical symptoms, and wonder if the sore throat is just a cold or a sign of something more sinister. Almost all have changed their daily habits and are eliminating all physical interactions, a boon to introverts and agony for those more extroverted. Life has changed for all–and we’re struggling to figure out the new normal. We listen to the pundits for guidance, and then wonder if anyone knows what the immediate effects of this pandemic will be. Everyone just seems to be guessing! In our isolation we worry about family and friends and some, like the psalmist, feel horribly estranged. It’s a tough spot, and if we’re looking for guidance we could do worse than pay attention to the psalmist’s prayer, “Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.” Ultimately it comes down to a matter of trust and a reliance upon our core values. Like the psalmist we do believe in Divine Presence and know that beyond the immediate turmoil and confusion, even beyond the pain and sorrow, we can securely rest in God’s arms of love.

Thought for the Day: How is my faith helping me in these days?