Renew Your Mind

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Easter Sunday April 24 th On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!                   Luke 24: 1-7 Luke began his gospel with women, and with the story of their impossible conceptions. Here we come to the tomb with women again, only to find the impossible has happened again- the place of death has become a place of life, the tomb of sorrow has become a garden of hope, ...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Saturday April 23 rd Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man,   who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.  The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.                            Luke 23: 50-56 When Pharoahs died, their bodies were laid in a...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Good Friday April 22 nd It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.  The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.                                     Luke 23: 44-49 It is Good Friday today- for some places, a public holi...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Thursday 21 st April The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”  The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”  There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.  One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”                                     Luke 23:35-39 If truth doesn’t fit into our worldview, we try our best to neutralize it. Sometimes this is by direct confrontation, as Herod and Pilate tried. This is the stuff of playground battles- ‘My Dad’s car is better th...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Wednesday 20 th April Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.   Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Tuesday 19 th April Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.”  But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.  A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”    “Man, I am not!” Peter replied.  About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”   Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Monday 18 th April While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?’                                              Luke 22: 47-48 Jesus’ journey to the cross is nearly over. It’s as if we are watching the final scenes of a play, and what began as a sprawling story, rambling over the hills and beaches of Galilee with eager crowds of five thousand, now narrows in focus and intensity. The stage is black, and a spotlight highlights the action. In the action, and actors, of Jesus’ final hours, this spotlight will reveal truth and deception; men cl...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus It’s the weekend- Saturday 16 th and Sunday 17 th April An enormously complex web of engagement is behind, underneath and around even the simplest meal we serve or that is served to us. The preparation, serving and eating of meals is perhaps the most complex cultural process that we human beings find ourselves in. It is a microcosm of the intricate realities that are combined to form the culture that gives meaning to the daily lives of us all: men, women, and children- and Jesus. The meal is a focal practice for re-enacting in our dailiness all that is involved in the Eucharistic meal in which we participate in the sacrifice of Christ for the salvation of the world.                            Eugene Peterson ‘Christ Plays in a Thousand Places’ It is only a few hours before Jesus would be betrayed, tri...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Friday 15 th April In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.                                              Luke 22: 20-23 We are so familiar with this story, that I wonder if we stereotype all the characters into good and bad? Judas, of course, comes top of the bad list- his name has become a byword for a traitor, and no-one would name their new baby ‘Judas’. Pilate, Herod, the Pharisees….we dismiss...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Thursday 14 th   April When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”                            Luke 22: 14-16 When times are dark and life is hard, it is difficult to see to the end of each day, let alone to imagine a time when the struggle ends. Suffering has a way of expanding until it is all we can focus on. Jesus knew he faced suffering- but he was able to look beyond it, to see a time when all that needed to be done had been fulfilled, and there would be feasting in the kingdom of God. If you are struggling today to see any light ahead, ask God to let you catch a glimpse of this kingdom persp...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Wednesday 13 th April Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.  Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”                                  ...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Tuesday 12 th April One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”   He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me: John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?”  They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”   So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”   Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”                        ...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Monday 11 th April After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.                            Luke 19:28 As the story of Jesus unfolds in the gospels, it becomes increasingly clear that he is Lord- Lord of the wind and the waves, Lord of sickness and disease- and also Lord of time. He is never in a hurry, never late, never with time on his hands. He is in control of time, and his journey proceeds on schedule. Sometimes his use of time puzzled those around him, who considered that he wasted time on those who did not deserve it, or he was not aware of the time when thousands of people started to get hungry listening to him. But even in these cases, in turns out that Jesus was in control of time all along, and using it to show those present some new truth about the kingdom of God. As w...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Saturday 9 th April It’s the weekend! My soul magnifies the Lord And my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, And lifted up the lowly; He has filled the hungry with good things, And sent the rich away empty.                            Luke 1: 46, 47, 52, 53 Before Jesus was even born, Mary was singing of how God has always confounded the logic of the world. As Jesus comes closer to the end of his life, it is not surprising that his words, his actions….and most of all, his death….will continue to turn upside down the expected order of things. Those who thought they were powerful, powerful enough to plot, to accuse, and to crucify, will have their places of power exposed as a house of cards. Those who are rich are sent away. In the kingdom, it is the...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Friday 8 th April Here’s Steve Turner exploring some of the paradoxes of Easter…. Christmas is really for the children Especially for children who like animals, stables, stars and babies wrapped in swaddling clothes. Then there are wise men, kings in fine robes, humble shepherds and a hint of rich perfume. Easter is not really for the children unless accompanied by a cream filled egg. It has whips, blood, nails a spear and allegations of body snatching. It involves politics, God and the sins of the world. It is not good for people of a nervous disposition. They would do better to think on rabbits, chickens and the first snowdrop of spring. Or they’d do better to wait for a re-run of Christmas without asking too many questions about what Jesus did when he grew up or whether there’s any connection.                       ...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Thursday 7 th April Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it.                                     Luke 17:33 The closer Jesus gets to Jerusalem, the harder his words seem to become. There is a sense of urgency now- his disciples have not got much time left with him, and it is important that they hear the truth. Even if they do not understand it at the time, it is important that they hear it- for how else would they remember, and repeat those words, so that we can still read them today. So here is a paradox, which even 2000 years later sounds shocking, and counter-intuitive. Every fibre of our humanity tells us it makes sense to seek security, to do the best we can for ourselves and our families. But Jesus t...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Wednesday 6 th April Independence is highly valued by our culture. In our schools, we teach children to be independent- to learn independently, to have their own ideas, and to think new thoughts. In any academic institutions, plagiarism is a grave offence. Employers look for people who are creative, innovative, inventive and independent. An independent person is considered to be strong, able to cope with life without needing to rely on others. Yet we live in an age where more people than ever before are lonely. Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them. Henry David Thoreau Has the very thing which we consider a strength turned out to be a curse? Is it possible to be strong……through admitting weakness? To be original and innovative……and inspired by the work of others? Is there a third way, between being dependent and independent? And could the mystery of the Trinity show ...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Tuesday 5 th April As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.                                                    Luke 21: 1-4 Generosity is letting go- not just letting go of something we own, whether that is money, time, possessions or hospitality. It is also letting go of control, allowing something that we did have control over to be given away, for someone else to use. A generous s...

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Monday 4 th April As the people in your house get ready for the day, what decisions and negotiations happen about transport? What journeys do the people around you plan to take today? What is important for them- being on time? Getting a parking space? Having time to walk and enjoy some fresh air? Catching a bus? Not missing a train? Meeting up with friends on their bikes? Think today about the differences between public and private transport. What do people in your family or community prefer? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Are there times and situations when the benefits of one outweigh the benefits of the other? And what do our choices say about us, and about the values of our culture? About independence? About having control? About relying on others? About thinking short-term, or for the future?

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus It’s the weekend! Saturday 2 nd April/ Sunday 3 rd April May you always know Where the road home begins And have the courage to walk the first mile May you never be too far from a lifeline And never too far gone to dial This weekend, ask yourself    What direction am I walking in?     Where is my journey leading me? In this season of Lent, ask God to speak to you. Ask Him to show you where you belong. Know that you will never have been away for too long to dial…. May you trip over truth And fall headlong into hope. May redemption rain down all around you. May God’s glory catch you napping And God’s story catch your breath And God’s gratuity perpetually astound you.                   ‘Prodigal Blessing’   Gerard Kelly

A Pilgrimage to the Cross Walking through Lent with Jesus Friday 1 st April Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”     The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.                                              Luke 18:31-34 The closer that Jesus comes to Jerusalem, the more he speaks about what awaits him there. He tells his disciples that it will be the fulfillment of all the prophets wrote- but still they did...