"My appointed time draws near"

[HSVhogfan2]

These are the words of Jesus in this mornings Gospel readings from Luke, for Wednesday of Holy Week. Let that sink in for a moment. It's the day before Jesus is to be handed over and betrayed by a friend. Tortured, beaten, and executed in the most in-humane way ever.

We all have a little Judas in us. Every Time we turn our backs on someone in need, be it physical or emotional need, we are betraying Christ. The first thing Jesus said from the cross was a word of forgiveness. Everytime we hold a grudge, when we keep our forgiveness bottled up inside, we are betraying Jesus, just as Judas did.

Let us not think of these events as something that happened 2000 years ago, but as something that is entirely real for us today. Think of the anguish that Christ went through for us, the next time we are deeply distressed. Christ was distressed to the point of sweating droplets of blood. What can we ever go through that is that horrific?

Let us meditate on the passion narratives of the Gospels in the coming days, and think of it as our time to die to this world. To die to ourselves and live for someone else. Most of us, unfortunately, will never have the opportunity of laying down our lives for a friend, however, we can do it metaphorically every day, by putting aside our selfishness and living for each other. When we do that, we are, in return living for Christ, and walking all of the steps to Calvary with him.

Have a blessed and fruitful Holy Week, my friends.

[Pulled(PP)pork]

good thoughts
one thing I dislike about particular holidays is the commercialization of them....

PP