If I tell you, you will by no means believe. And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go. Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God

Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest's house.  But Peter followed at a distance.  Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.  And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, "This man was also with Him."  But he denied Him, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him."  And after a little while another saw him and said, "You also are of them."  But Peter said, "Man, I am not!"  Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean."  But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!"  Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.  And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.  Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."  So Peter went out and wept bitterly.

Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him.  And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, "Prophesy!  Who is the one who struck You?"  And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.

As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council. saying, "If You are the Christ, tell us."  But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will by no means believe.  And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go.  Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God."

- Luke 22:54-69

In yesterday's reading, Jesus had finished the Last Supper, the Passover supper at which the Eucharist was introduced, with His disciples.  He has warned Peter of the denial to come.  Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed him.  When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."  And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."  Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.  And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly.  Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.  When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow.  Then He said to them, "Why do you sleep?  Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation."  And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him.  But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"  When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?"  And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.  But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this."  And He touched his ear and healed him.  Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs?  When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me.  But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."

 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest's house.  But Peter followed at a distance.  Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.  And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, "This man was also with Him."  But he denied Him, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him."   One can imagine what a frightening time this was -- a secret council held in the night (in violation of the rules that governed it), and in the home of the high priest.  Peter is remembered for his denial here in the face of a servant girl.  I can't imagine this was in any way other than humiliating for Peter, and yet we have the story given to us in the Gospels, handed down for all generations.  Peter swore he would face imprisonment and death for Christ, and yet here he is, cowed in the face of a servant girl's question.  It is to his great humility and grace that we have the story given to us.  Peter, eventually, would die the same death of crucifixion for following Christ; Tradition tells us that in his humility and courage, he requested to be crucified upside down so as not to make himself equal to his Lord.

And after a little while another saw him and said, "You also are of them."  But Peter said, "Man, I am not!"  Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean."  But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!"  Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.  And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.  Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."  So Peter went out and wept bitterly.  My study bible says, "That the Lord turned and looked at Peter is an intimate detail reported only by Luke.  One can imagine the profound meaning of their mutual glance."   There are several details in Luke concerning Peter that may lead us to conclude Luke may have had access - perhaps at Rome - to details only Peter could give.  At any rate, all four Gospels give us the story of Jesus' warning that Peter would deny Him.  It is a testimony to the importance of this story to our faith.

Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him.  And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, "Prophesy!  Who is the one who struck You?"  And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.  Luke gives us more of the atmosphere of lawlessness and cruelty at this time, where no laws or decency apply, simply the use of pure power to humiliate and to destroy.   The ignorance of those who mock Christ speaks for itself.


As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council. saying, "If You are the Christ, tell us."  But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will by no means believe.  And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go.  Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God."  My study bible points out that the official sessions of the council could take place only by daylight.  But Jesus' truth rings out here:  He will not acknowledge a phony attempt to pretend they aim at the truth, but acknowledges the truth of where their hearts are.  They won't believe when He tells them the truth.  They will not allow Him to ask question in legitimate defense -- nor answer nor let Him go if He is innocent of their charges.  It is not a legitimate trial at all.

In Jesus' story here in these verses today, we see the elements of justice gone awry and all the familiar elements of what it is to live outside the laws meant to protect the innocent.  Even at this time, the laws established for fair trial and hearing are being violated.  The session is held in the home of the high priest rather than in the council's appropriate meeting place.  It is held at night, illegally.  Skirting the requirements of the law, they come together into the council in the morning.  Jesus is mocked and humiliated by those who work for the high priest.  And in His own words, the trial is not an honest one.  No one is going to allow Him to honestly question His accusers, nor will they let Him go if He is proven innocent -- and neither will they believe the truth from Him.  All the elements of injustice are here, and they must be clear to us all, because we still suffer from injustice in the world and the afflictions of the "power of darkness" as Jesus has named it in yesterday's reading.  The power of darkness is the power we associate with Satan, as Jesus has named him in recent verses, the power of evil.  Throughout Scripture and especially in the Gospels, evil is portrayed as a kingdom which afflicts mankind.  Its affliction is always unjust.  Human beings suffer, and Christ is here in His mercy to bring us back from this place of suffering and isolation from God, to take us to Himself and His Kingdom -- to bind the strong man as He is the stronger.   In our understanding of the evil that afflicts our world, perhaps nothing can be stronger or more potent than this trial, this unjust hearing at which a man is condemned who came out of love for the world and to save the world.  He is God's anointed; He is the Christ, and we worship Him in His spirit of love and saving truth.  Let us understand the affliction of evil in the world and its injustice -- its lies and its denial of truth and what is true about the heart of each person.  Let us reside and rest in the "heart-knower" who is Christ as our antidote and guide to healing what ails us in this world.  He is here to show us His Way, and His trial and death serve to show us that which is not His way at all.   The abuse of power is evil affliction.  In Christ's kingdom righteousness and mercy rule.

Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation

Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed him.  When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."  And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."  Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.  And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly.  Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.  When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow.  Then He said to them, "Why do you sleep?  Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation."

And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him.  But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"  When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?"  And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.  But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this."  And He touched his ear and healed him.  Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs?  When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me.  But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."

- Luke 22:39-53

In Thursday's reading, the Passover drew near.  We read of Judas' betrayal of Jesus, and Jesus' preparation of the Passover for Himself and His disciples.  On Friday, we read about the Last Supper, the institution of the Eucharist, and Jesus' words of warning to the one who betrays Him.  In Saturday's reading, the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."  And He said to them, When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them; "It is enough."

 Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed him.  When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."   We remember that Jesus stays on the Mount of Olives, with the other pilgrims that have come to Jerusalem for the Passover.  My study bible notes here:  "One of the fundamental purposes of prayer is to strengthen us against temptation in terms of inner sin and outward trials."  Repeatedly, there have been warnings in recent readings about temptation, and prayer as the weapon of strength both for ourselves and for others.

And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."   Jesus goes apart to pray, and to focus on His prayer.  My study bible notes:  "Jesus exemplifies what He taught in the Lord's Prayer -- 'Your will be done' (Luke 11:2)." It seems to me that can't divorce Jesus' inner feelings about what is to happen from His great concern about His disciples and their temptation to come.

Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.  And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly.  Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.  When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow.  Then He said to them, "Why do you sleep?  Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation."  My study bible says here:  "These details, reported only By Luke, indicate the human agony of Jesus and the divine help given to Him as He contemplates His Crucifixion."  And again, there is the repeated urging to His disciples to pray, in the face of the temptation to come.

And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him.  But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"   A note here says, "Son of Man is an expression that Jesus used for Himself which could mean (1) simply 'man' -- that is, 'me' -- or (2) the heavenly figure of Daniel 7:13, a title which both revealed and veiled Jesus' messianic identity."

When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?"  And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.  But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this."  And He touched his ear and healed him.   My study bible says that permit even this means "permit the arrest and let events take their course in fulfillment of God's will." 

Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs?  When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me.  But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."   My study bible notes that "Luke reports only the Jewish participants of the arresting party, whereas John reveals a contingent of Roman soldiers was involved as well (John 18:3, 12)."  Jesus points out the irony of the situation and their hypocrisy.  Daily He was teaching openly in the temple and they did nothing to Him, not even reached out to take Him.  But here, in the dark, in the hidden place of manipulation and deceit, is the evil and the power of darkness, their hour.

At Jesus' arrest, we face the facts of the world that crucified Jesus.  We look at the motives of the people behind it, the evil and the power of darkness.  He has pointed out their hypocrisy, those who want people to believe one thing about them while inwardly the truth is quite different.  The religious establishment loves their places, and Jesus threatens them with His popularity, His teaching, His cleansing of the temple, His truth and forthrightness, the challenges to uphold the purpose of the Law -- as opposed to the things that cause harm but do them personally good.  These are the aspects of His ministry we remember and understand.  There are none of us immune from the flaws we see on display here in the Gospels:  those of hypocrisy and pride of our position.  But there is one weapon Jesus repeatedly emphasizes in the face of temptation, and that is prayer.  If we want to take refuge in truth, we really must pray.  If we want to hide nothing from ourselves, He implies, we must pray.  When we need strength to face all kinds of temptation, particularly in times of deep stress and anxiety, times of anger and outrage and injustice, and especially times of great fear, then we pray.  In times of great grief and in the face of tremendous loss, we pray.  We can pray for ourselves and we can pray for others.  In the face of the greatest danger, this is what He tells His disciples.  How do we face our trials and find the way God asks us to go through them?  In dialogue with Him, He is there with us.  We have all kinds of help, just as He had an angel with Him in today's reading.  Let us call on the Spirit, the Advocate who comes when we call, to help us through our own times of trouble.

Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren

 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."

And He said to them, When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them; "It is enough."

- Luke 22:31-38

In yesterday's reading, we read about the Last Supper.  It is the time in Jerusalem before Jesus' betrayal and arrest.  Jesus has had the Passover prepared for Himself and His disciples.  When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.  Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."  Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves, for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."  And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."  Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.  But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.  And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!"  Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.  Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.  And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors.  But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.  For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves?  Is it not he who sits at the table?  Yet I am among you as the One who serves.  "But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.  And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

   
And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  My study bible notes, "Jesus sees Simon Peter's denial [see later verses] as a violent attack by Satan, which Peter endures through Jesus' intercessory prayer.  After his tearful repentance and the experience of the resurrection, Peter indeed returned to Christ and was able to strengthen the early Church as one of its leaders."  What's interesting is that we have just read about Judas' betrayal of Jesus, that Satan "entered" Judas.  It is times of vulnerability we must be aware of, times of fear, anger, deep anxiety.  Judas, even after betraying Him, could still at this point return to His Lord or the apostles.  There is a continuum to this process of perdition and vulnerability.  Peter does return after his own denial.  Of great importance is Jesus' opportunity for salvation in counterpoint to the actions of Satan, and that is in prayer.  Jesus teaches us here the power of prayer, how it can act as intercession, and spreads its mercy as help to others.

But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."   Peter's confidence gives us all a lesson about ourselves.  Our own resolution may not be enough to strengthen us against the snares of our own emotions and vulnerabilities.  Faith and prayer are necessary as elements of conducting our lives with the mercy of grace and the strength it gives to help us when we go through difficulties.  Even with Christ's explicit warning of what is to happen, Peter inadvertently falls into the snare of denial.  Overconfidence in our own capacities can also be a type of temptation, a paradoxical warning of vulnerability.

And He said to them, When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?"  So they said, "Nothing."  Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one."   My study bible says, "In view of the coming death of Christ and the persecutions against the disciples, Jesus instructs them to be ready for anything.  The sword suggests resistance against the evil one  (Ephesians 6:17)." 

For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me:  'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'  For the things concerning Me have an end."  My study bible notes, "The transgressors were the two criminals crucified with Jesus.  Have an end means come to fulfillment."  Jesus has warned the disciples already, and will do so again, that persecution will be fierce in the times to come.  In John's gospel, Jesus teaches:  "Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me" (John 15:20-21).   It's also important to note that Jesus' public ministry has a distinct beginning and end, a fulfillment of all He was to do in His Incarnation.

So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords."  And He said to them; "It is enough."  My study bible has an interesting note:  "It is enough does not signify approval.  The expression, according to most interpreters, is either ironical -- two swords would hardly suffice as a means of defense -- or an abrupt censure by Jesus, meaning, 'Enough of this!'"  To the ears of a modern Greek listener, such a phrase is akin to "That's enough!" meaning to put a stop to the discussion.

Jesus' greatest time of trial is here, at the door.  On the threshold of His Passion, He instructs the disciples for what is to come.  He warns Peter of the snare set for him, that Satan is after him -- and warns him explicitly of the denial he will enact.  But the alternative, the real sword of battle, is Jesus' prayer for Peter, and this is what saves him and keeps him in the flock.  He will grow, of course, to become a great and courageous leader of the Apostles with the help of the Spirit, after the Resurrection.  In Peter's weakness and vulnerability, he is still relied on by Christ to return and strengthen his brethren.  What we see in the dynamics of this scene is a powerful force for teaching us how to go through our own greatest trials.  We may be vulnerable and weak, we may have overconfidence in our own strengths and ambitions, but prayer is what sets us most securely on the right course.  It is prayer to which Jesus resorts as weapon, the great sword that truly cuts through all things, and not the weaponry that is at hand.  This is not the way, not His way, not in this circumstance.  All things are in the hands of God; but, as He has warned, "woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!"  We see put in motion times of great trial, of persecution, of evil.  The greatest trial is yet to come, but as Jesus has said, the servant is not greater than the master.  We should all be prepared for our own trials, and to go through them the way that Jesus does, with prayer and with faith.  Knowing our human vulnerabilities and frailties, we go in armed with the Spirit, the one that will give us "a mouth and wisdom" with which to testify.  No matter what we do, it is prayer that gets us through, with Spirit and our Advocate at our side who comes when we call, and who gives us strength and faith.  Through prayer, Jesus instructs, we can also do the same for others, to call true assistance to help them in times of struggle.  Jesus faces His trial with courage and wisdom, in loving care to His apostles and disciples.  Can we follow His courage, and use His weapons of prayer and faith?

This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me

 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.  Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."  Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves, for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."  And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."  Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.  But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.  And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!"  Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.

Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.  And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors.  But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.  For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves?  Is it not he who sits at the table?  Yet I am among you as the One who serves.  

"But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.  And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

- Luke 22:14-30

In our recent readings, Jesus has been in Jerusalem.  It is Passion Week.  He entered Jerusalem in His  Triumphal Entry, and wept over it, lamenting its lack of peace.  He has cleansed the temple, and already run into confrontations with the leadership, as they asked Him, "Who is he who gave You this authority?".  He told a parable against them, warning them of the times of the Gentiles and of Judgement.   The leadership has tested Him regarding payment of taxes to the Romans, and life in the Resurrection.  He has spoken against the hypocrisy of the scribes and tested them about Scripture,  He pointed out the poor widow, who gave all she had to the treasury.  He has spoken of the future destruction of the beautiful and magnificent temple, and the persecutions to come for the Church.   He warned His disciples not only about the destruction of Jerusalem, but also about the end of the age and the signs thereof, saying,  " Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  He then taught the parable of the fig tree, and warned of what was coming, to look for the signs.  He told them,  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away, and warned against preoccupation, and carelessness, to remember the Day that is coming.  Each day the people came to hear Him in the temple, as He stayed with the pilgrims.  In yesterday's reading, the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.  And the chief priests and the scribes ought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.  Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.  So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.  And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.  So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.  Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.  And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat."  So they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare?"  And He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water, follow him into the house which he enters.  Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" '  Then he will show you a large furnished upper room; there make ready."  So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.  Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."   My study bible says, "The Passover signifies deliverance of the Hebrew people from Egypt.  Now Jesus, with fervent desire, anticipates the great deliverance of humanity from the power of sin, which will be accomplished through His saving death, establishing the New Covenant.  This Passover meal is the Last Supper, continued in the Eucharist of the Church, which is to be fulfilled in the kingdom of God."

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves, for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."   My study bible notes here that Luke reports the partaking of two cups, and that several cups were offered during the Passover meal.  These passages so far in today's reading reflect something noted above in my study bible, that the continual Eucharist is ongoing, for it is "to be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God."  Jesus will be the "firstfruit" in that Kingdom, but its process is ongoing, even to us in the present time, as we, too, look toward its fulfillment in the Kingdom.

And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." A note here reads:  "Christ is the Lamb of God who gives Himself as a sacrifice on the Cross for the salvation of the world.  Remembrance in its biblical significance is a reliving of the original event.  We do this through the sacred act of the Eucharist."

Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you."  Again, another cup is taken, and this one in covenant.  When we remember in the spiritual sense we not only relive, but we bring to ourselves the reality of the Person we recall -- and thus our covenant with Him.

"But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.  And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!"  Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.  My study bible says, "With these words Jesus looks ahead to His arrest and suffering.  Although Christ goes as "has been determined" it doesn't lessen the weight and responsibility of the betrayal involved.  Clearly He is speaking up to the one who is present who will do this, and it is a great warning, even as Judas has already negotiated to betray Him to those who wish to kill Him.  It's not too late to turn back even now; we can see even at this time in the warning and condemnation of such an act, a desire to save Judas.

Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.   My study bible says here, "In view of Jesus' willingness to die for the world, the concern of the disciples over who among them is the greatest is reprehensibly small-minded."  Clearly they sense from Christ's words that the Kingdom is near.  They don't really understand what exactly is happening at all.  Their first thoughts go to their position, showing they're not immune from the human weakness that pervades the society.  Jesus has repeatedly and scathingly criticized the religious leadership for prizing position above all else.

And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors."  A note reads, "Some kings called themselves benefactors, a title which is not without irony considering their tyrannical rule."  In a modern age, people of great wealth also may call themselves benefactors, and perhaps in doing so are practicing what we now call "public relations" in the face of widespread public disapproval of some business practices.  In our modern times, we can look back a couple of centuries and see this happening in the rise of the great monopolies of the industrial age, for example.  We can today look around ourselves and consider those in positions of great power, what they may be responsible for and the way they would like to be remembered and known.  These "benefactors" in Jesus' time are examples He calls to mind in order to make a point to them. 

"But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.  For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves?  Is it not he who sits at the table?  Yet I am among you as the One who serves."  My study bible says, "Jesus Himself is the supreme example of His teaching that greatness consists in humble service to others."   He is giving them a lesson on real leadership in His Church, an example to emulate.

"But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.  And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."  A note reads, "Jesus is not speaking of two different kingdoms but of one kingdom which will be fully revealed at His glorious return.  Then, the disciples will sit on thrones occupying honorary positions as reward for sharing in Christ's trials."  He will honor those who honor Him.  In true answer to their question of position in the Kingdom, He refers to the end of the age, the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God.  We remember He's speaking to the future Bishops, the Apostles and foundation of the Church.  Each will serve in ways that imitate His sacrifice.

Christ's teachings initiate the age in which we now live.  We remember Him in the things we do, especially in the sacrament of the Eucharist.  But this remembrance is much more than remembrance in a conventional or colloquial sense.  It is, as my study bible points out in a note, to relive the events.  And it is even more than that, in the mystery of sacrament, we recall in a way that reunites us, makes Him present and a part of ourselves, and we renew the covenant we have with Him.  In that we have His Kingdom among us and within us.  The Christian life is one of participation, and even in the Eucharist He continues to give of Himself to each of us.  In the many cups, we see His generous Spirit, the grace with which our lives are filled, that is always on offer to us.  We see His giving, the nature of the service He has taught His Apostles.  And so we may still wonder, and participate, and act.  We may consider what it is to betray this love and this grace, this giving.  We may consider the example to us of leadership:  what is and what is not appropriate to this kingdom.  His teaching in today's reading ends on a note of service, how His kingdom of earth is to be represented.  And then there are the words of more remembrance, that they are the ones who continued with Him in His trials.  The life in Christ is not an easy one, not simple.  We may go through a lot of stumbling blocks and trials.  Even in Judas' betrayal, it is not too late for him at this point to turn to His Lord for help, to stop and repent and undo what has been set in motion.  We remain with Him, we remember Him, and we do so continually, with cup after cup.  It is never too late to turn to the Lord, at each moment the cup is on offer.  We continue with Him through His trials, and through those that may be given to us.  Each moment His love and remembrance and presence is on offer to us.

Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.  And the chief priests and the scribes ought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.

Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.  So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.  And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.  So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.  And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat."  So they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare?"  And He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water, follow him into the house which he enters.  Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" '  Then he will show you a large furnished upper room; there make ready."  So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

Luke 22:1-13

In our recent readings, Jesus has been in Jerusalem, and it is the Passion Week.  He has entered the city in His  Triumphal Entry, and wept over the city, lamenting its lack of peace.  He has cleansed the temple, and already run into confrontations with the leadership, as they asked Him, "Who is he who gave You this authority?".  He told a parable against them, warning them of the times of the Gentiles and of Judgement.   The leadership has tested Him regarding payment of taxes to the Romans, and life in the Resurrection.  He has spoken against the hypocrisy of the scribes and tested them about Scripture,  He pointed out the poor widow, who gave all she had to the treasury.  He has spoken of the future destruction of the beautiful and magnificent temple, and the persecutions to come for the Church.   He warned His disciples not only about the destruction of Jerusalem, but also about the end of the age and the signs thereof, saying,  " Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  In the previous reading, He taught them a parable:   "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening; know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.  For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."  And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.  And the chief priests and the scribes ought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.   My study bible points out that the Feast of the Unleavened Bread and Passover were distinct but largely overlapping; thus they could be identified as one.  It adds, "That the religious leaders feared the people means the populace at large favored charismatic figures such as Jesus.  Therefore, there is need for treachery, night arrest, and quick trial." 

Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.  So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.  And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.  So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.   The desire of the leadership to rid themselves of Jesus, whom all the people come to see in the temple (as we're told in the previous reading), opens up an opportunity for evil; as Luke's gospel frames it, for Satan to enter into one who is vulnerable.  In John's gospel, the evangelist tells us that Judas was a thief, but it also reports the rebuke by Jesus given to Judas for criticizing an extravagant act of love.

Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.  And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat."  So they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare?"  And He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water, follow him into the house which he enters.  Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" '  Then he will show you a large furnished upper room; there make ready."  So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.  My study bible says, "The Passover lambs were ritually slaughtered about noon on the first Day of Unleavened Bread, roasted in the afternoon, and eaten that evening -- marking the begining of the Passover Festival.  Unleavened bread was eaten in remembrance of the urgent Exodus from Egypt, in which there was not time for the bread to rise."  Although we know Jesus lives as a pilgrim to Jerusalem, among the other pilgrims on the Mount of Olives, Luke's gospel also gives us a taste of what it is to be His disciple, and their Passover is like no other.  The omniscience of Christ is revealed, along with His care for His Passover among the disciples, His provision for them.

I think it's interesting that the weakness in the character of the leadership begets an opportunity for Satan in the weakness in the character of Judas.  However one wants to frame it, we come to terms here with the ancient Church's (and monasticism's) emphasis on the importance of guarding the heart.  That is, the importance of our own awareness of what kinds of thoughts we're thinking.  Here, envy, hypocrisy and greed raise their heads as flags for us of what has gone wrong here.  Because they fear the people, the leadership wishes to be rid of Him, of Jesus.  He threatens their places, He calls them hypocrites openly, and has cast disdain on their practices which subvert the purposes of the Law, rather than uphold them.  Most of all, they are jealous of His place among the people, His appeal to them.  They want to be rid of Him.  His words do not cause any form of repentance or even self-examination.  Judas was also rebuked by Jesus, according to John's gospel, and rather than turning to the rebuke or to Christ in a serious self-examination, or to His loving Lord to teach what he needs to do, Judas becomes vulnerable to Satan, to an act of greater evil than anything he'd pondered or considered before.  The hole gets deeper, evil becomes something not just considered but put into motion, as the time comes toward the hour of Christ's Passion and suffering on the Cross.  So we observe and we learn, finally, the importance of our own awareness and understanding of what might be happening in us, in ourselves and in our hearts.  It's not just important to this story, but rather it is the story that is important to us, to each one of us, to teach us about ourselves and our nature.  In Proverbs, we read that "whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights."  A rebuke from the Lord is an act of love, just as a prophecy, a dire warning, even a scathing criticism in the Spirit of the Lord is an act of love, one which must be heeded for our own good.  A refusal of grace, even a refusal of a scathing warning in this Spirit of love, is one that always has consequences.  In Judas' act, one he will come to regret but handle poorly and improperly, we learn what it is not to trust in the love of the Lord, but rather to take things into our own hands, to respond - perhaps we may put it - as the world would teach us to respond.  In this teaching, we have only to look at ourselves and turn inward, to know that there are times when we are vulnerable:  when we feel hurt and outraged and angry and fearful.  Note that it doesn't matter whether the provocation is a just rebuke or an act of gross injustice.  These are times of potential weakness, and in them we turn in prayer to help with a wise response. Psalm 37, also a part of today's reading, tells us, "The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their stronghold in the time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him."  This is the wisdom of the Scripture and of the Church.  Can we remember and remain awake, alert, as He has taught?

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away

 Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening; know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.  For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

- Luke 21:29-38

In Luke's gospel, we are now in Jerusalem.  He has entered the city in His  Triumphal Entry, and wept over the city, lamenting its lack of peace.  He has cleansed the temple, and already run into confrontations with the leadership, as they asked Him, "Who is he who gave You this authority?".  He told a parable against them, warning them of the times of the Gentiles and of Judgement.   The leadership has tested Him regarding payment of taxes to the Romans, and life in the Resurrection.  He has spoken against the hypocrisy of the scribes and tested them about Scripture,  He pointed out the poor widow, who gave all she had to the treasury.  He has spoken of the future destruction of the beautiful and magnificent temple, and the persecutions to come for the Church.  In yesterday's reading, He spoke of what is to come:  "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days  of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.  And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars, and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

  Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening; know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  My study bible says of Jesus' phrase, "this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place":  "This difficult verse may be interpreted in two ways:  (1)  this generation refers to Jesus' contemporaries and all things pertain to the  capture of Jerusalem; or (2) this generation is the new Christian generation and all things include the return of Christ.  The latter is the preferred interpretation of the Church Fathers."  Considering the eschatological tone of "heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away," we can see the preference of the Church Fathers for the interpretation that this generation refers to the generation of Christians, to time in which we now live.  Perhaps, as in all of the passages in which we read of Jesus teaching of both the destruction of the temple and the end of the age, it is a mixed prediction.  One thing is certain:  heaven and earth will pass away, but His words will by no means pass away.  In the transition from our concept of time to that of eternal time (see yesterday's reading), all things as we know them may change and pass away, but His words and teachings remain firmly in place; God's Kingdom remains when life as we know it will not.

"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.  For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."   My study bible notes, "Jesus concludes His discourse with a final admonition to vigilance in the face of the unpredictable time of His return."  The emphasis is on preparation, awareness, alertness to who we are in His name and to what we must be about.  Jesus repeatedly emphasizes the unknown and especially the unexpected quality of the time of His return.

And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.  A note here reads:  "Olivet is the Mount of Olives, a hill on the east side of Jerusalem where pilgrims stayed with the city was overcrowded during festivals such as Passover."  Jesus stays with the pilgrims on the mountain.  Although He teaches daily in the temple and all come to hear Him, He is an outsider, a sojourner.  It is another kind of emphasis on the temporal nature of our lives, and His life as He lived it as a human being.

In today's lectionary reading, also included is Psalm 39.  Its final verses read, "Surely all mankind is a mere breath!  Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears!  For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers.  Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!”  Christ stays with the pilgrims, as so many of His "fathers" have done before Him.  The journey to Jerusalem has been filled with many things, but it is this journey that has been His ministry, His gift to us.  He teaches in the temple daily, and all come to hear Him, but it is the time "before He departs and is no more" in this world as incarnate Jesus of Nazareth.  As Jesus Himself is a pilgrim and sojourner, so in this respect we can look upon our own lives as the Psalm seems to suggest when it tells us, "surely all mankind is a mere breath."  We are pilgrims with Him, on our way somewhere, to a holy place.  Jesus, in today's verses, in His words that will not pass away, would have us look at our lives and understand that all that we see and experience is not the be-all and end-all of life, that there is something more, that heaven and earth will indeed pass away, but that there will be more -- something else, something Other, the Kingdom and His words of eternal life.  In this emphasis, we're to understand that that time of the end can come anytime, transforming, transfiguring, and changing all that we know so that we are face to face with Him.  In that place, we will possess our souls, or we will not.  We live our lives moment to moment in the awareness that His return is unexpected and that His words will not pass away.  Whatever it is that we don't know, this is given us as a promise.  It is unavoidable, inescapable in the teachings of the Gospel.  So how does this awareness strengthen and inform your life and your choices?  What does it do to give your time meaning?  to shape your perspective on your life?

Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near

"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days  of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars, and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

- Luke 21:20-28

At this point in Luke's gospel, Jesus is in Jerusalem, and it is Passion Week.  He has entered the city in His  Triumphal Entry, and wept over the city, lamenting its lack of peace.  He has cleansed the temple, and already run into confrontations with the leadership, as they asked Him, "Who is he who gave You this authority?".  He told a parable against them, warning them of the times of the Gentiles and of Judgement.   The leadership has tested Him regarding payment of taxes to the Romans, and life in the Resurrection.  He has spoken against the hypocrisy of the scribes and tested them, asking "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?"  He pointed out the poor widow, who gave all she had to the treasury, saying of her, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."  On Saturday, we read that as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, "These things which you see -- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."  So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be?  And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"  And He said:  "Take heed that you not be deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and 'The time has drawn near.'  Therefore do not go after them.  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified, for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."  Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences, and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.  But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.  Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand or what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.  By your patience possess your souls."

 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days  of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."  Jesus speaks here directly of the Siege of Jerusalem.  My study bible notes, "A prediction of the siege and capture of Jerusalem by Titus, son of the emperor Vespasian, in A.D. 70.  Damage included the total destruction of the temple."  The "times of the Gentiles" seems to be the initiation of the time period in which we now live.  We note something remarkable that is important to us:  this time is not eternal.  It will be "fulfilled."  Because of His warnings, the early Church survived, leaving the city to escape the worst of the destruction.

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars, and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  In these verses we shift to the end of the age and the "fulfillment of the times of the Gentiles."  Jesus speaks of His return.  My study bible says that "cosmic as well as historical upheavals will precede the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  The expectation of Christ's return sums up the Christian hope and constitutes an important doctrine of the Church."

It's interesting to consider the return of Christ in the light of what He has to say about the different "ages" or "generations" (in upcoming verses in tomorrow's reading).  We get a sense from the Gospels of the nature of time as we know it and understand it.  This is a sense in which modern science, especially physics and theoretical physics, confirms what Christians have understood from Scripture.  Time is something we experience in a particular way, and we understand it through our experience.  But it is a God-created reality within which we live, and one in which we are to understand our own nature as finite in this sense that our notion of time will end.  When the "times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" it is the time of the initiation of the Kingdom and of His return.  Jesus has also spoken about life in the Resurrection in recent readings, when He addressed a question about marriage from the Sadducees.  The important thing that we learned -- and it is truly a transcendent statement, giving us understanding of a cosmic significance -- from Jesus' reply is that "He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."  In this place at the end of what we know as time, we live and so do those who have gone before us; there is a communion of saints, and this is the nature of what is inaugurated at His return.  In the initiation of this time that is the end of our understanding of time, Jesus says, "the powers of the heavens will be shaken."  Perhaps we may speculate that time, which twentieth century scientists have called the fourth dimension within which we are bound in our lives, will be one of the "powers of the heavens" that will be shaken in the inauguration of this new time, the eternal time of the Kingdom, in which all live to Him.  At any rate, I am not a scientist, and perhaps I speak generally about things I do not unfortunately completely understand.  But it's important that we note that while popular presentation would have us believe that religion and science don't mix, I would beg to disagree, and I point to the Church Fathers' understanding about this "temporal" or "temporary" nature of time and its shift in order to point out that the Gospels give us insights which modern theoretical physics would tend to bear out.  We can speculate all we would like, and this is quite interesting, but as we read on we will see the nature of Christ's emphasis despite His predictions.  As in Saturday's reading, His emphasis is on the choices we make, our constant need for alertness and preparation for His return in the here and now -- as indeed it has remained true through twenty centuries since His Incarnation that Judgment, or Resurrection will happen for all of us.  And so, in reality, every moment counts, to each moment we are to live as if He returns imminently, "like a thief in the night."  Jesus has promised that His return will be "at an hour you do not expect."  Time, in this respect, created for us in our nature, gives us opportunity:  for choices, for repentance, for thinking about who we are in relatedness to God, for moving forward on that journey to Christ, to the place in which we all live to Him.  St. Athanasius, among other Church Fathers, has expressed the thought that, "God became man so that man might become a god."  In other words -- and it is important that we are talking about the created nature of time in which we live -- we return to the Beginning, to Genesis and read that we are to grow in God's likeness.  We are created "in the image and likeness of God."  Created in God's image, time as we understand it gives us constant opportunity to grow in that likeness, to cooperate with grace, to say "yes" to the Spirit, to our baptism.  How do we take advantage of each moment?  Can we consider its importance as He would have us do?  On Saturday, Jesus spoke of the overwhelming preciousness of our souls.  Each moment must be valued for what it truly is:  a gift.

You will be hated by all for My name's sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost. By your patience possess your souls

 Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, "These things which you see -- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."  So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be?  And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"  And He said:  "Take heed that you not be deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and 'The time has drawn near.'  Therefore do not go after them.  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified, for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."

Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences, and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.  But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.  Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand or what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.  By your patience possess your souls."

- Luke 21:5-19

We are in Luke's gospel during Passion Week.  Jesus is in Jerusalem with His disciples.  He teaches daily in the temple.  He has entered the city in His  Triumphal Entry, and wept over the city, lamenting its lack of peace.  He has cleansed the temple, and already run into confrontations with the leadership, as they asked Him, "Who is he who gave You this authority?".  He told a parable against them, warning them of the times of the Gentiles and of Judgement.   The leadership has tested Him regarding payment of taxes to the Romans, and life in the Resurrection.  In yesterday's reading, He first spoke in response to the scribes:  He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David Himself said in the Book of Psalms  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'Therefore David Calls Him 'LORD'; how is He then his Son?" Then in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."  And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."

  Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, "These things which you see -- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."   My study bible points out that in Luke, "the discourse of Christ on the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age occurs in the temple area and is addressed to the public."  It adds, "The Lord's warnings about the future are intended to alert people to live righteously in the present."  This prediction would manifest in A.D. 70 during the Siege of Jerusalem, when the temple would be destroyed, with the exception of one remaining retaining wall which is now called the Wailing Wall.  It was rumored that there was gold between the stones of the temple, and so Jesus' prediction quite literally was true.  I think that to understand the impact of what Jesus was saying one would have to consider what an extraordinary and splendid building project the temple was at this time, as built by Herod the Great to be a magnificent construction.  The Second Temple was an architectural marvel of the ancient world.

So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be?  And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"  And He said:  "Take heed that you not be deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and 'The time has drawn near.'  Therefore do not go after them.  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified, for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."  My study bible says that "not to be deceived is the first caution Christians ought to heed when people talk about the signs of the end."  I can only imagine the events that were to come, their impact on the people, and particularly on the already persecuted Christian community.  In His words we find a sense in which we are to remain calm and assured, and they mirror the splendors of the magnificent temple in light the things He's teaching:  we're not to be deceived by appearances.

Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences, and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.  But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony."  In light of the history of twenty centuries that have passed since these words, they are certainly striking in their summing up of what we witness, the times of the present age.  But my study bible focuses on Jesus' teachings to the flock about persecutions to come.  It says, "Persecutions against Christians will provide them with opportunities to give testimony to their faith."

"Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand or what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.  By your patience possess your souls."  How do we testify? We rest within the Holy Spirit.  At all times, Jesus teaches, we are not to be deceived by appearances, not to rest in panic and other fears and emotions that are stirred up by what we see.  We are to have faith in the Advocate during persecution and in testimony.  Here is the emphasis of the early Church.  My study bible points out that "not a hair of your head shall be lost" is an ancient expression that not even death can harm a soul that is in God's hands.  It teaches that "by your patience possess your souls means that "endurance assures a place for us in the kingdom of God."

As Jesus moves toward His own human death, He gives testimony here as to what is to happen to His own flock and to the people of Jerusalem in the times to come.  That is the near future, in the decades following His death.  Over and over again, He tells them not to be deceived by appearances, but rather to endure through the persecution to come.  Not even are they to consider what words they will speak when they are delivered up, betrayed by all:  it is occasion for testimony.  We see the emphasis of the early Church:  to live for Christ, to be given the opportunity for this kind of witness, is full of meaning, of transcendent value. Even then they are to rest in their faith, not to meditate beforehand what they will answer, for they will "be given a mouth and wisdom."  He is warning that the real end will not come soon -- that is the end of the age.  But in the meantime there will be persecutions to endure, wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilences, fearful sights.  And here comes the greatest assurance of all:  "by your patience possess your souls."  Here is the emphasis.  In today's age of great literalism, our constant thoughts monitored and projected through social media, so much emphasis on daily affairs, the lives of "stars" in film and television, such a great emphasis on appearance of every kind, we may find it hard to grasp the mindset of His followers at this time.  All these things, we are told, are not what we are to react to, respond to.  We are to possess our souls, to keep calm and heed His words, not to give in to the temptation to believe false rumors.  But rather we are to rest in His faith, and in His promise.  The great thing is the opportunity to testify.  The greater is that by our patience we possess our souls.  In this time in which so much emphasis is placed on appearance, what we have, what we look like, let us remember the framework into which the early Church set its goals and values.  How much do we value our soul?  What is the opportunity to testify worth?  Jesus teaches us what truly matters.  In the din of the world we see now, can we grasp what that truly means for us?  Do we understand what is truly priceless and of surpassing worth?

Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had

And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David Himself said in the Book of Psalms:

'The LORD said to my Lord,
"Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

Therefore David Calls Him 'LORD'; how is He then his Son?"

Then in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."

  And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."

- Luke 20:41-21:4

In the current chapters of Luke, Jesus is in Jerusalem.  He is teaching daily in the temple.  He has entered the city in His  Triumphal Entry, and wept over the city, lamenting its lack of peace.  He has cleansed the temple, and already run into confrontations with the leadership, as they asked Him, "Who is he who gave You this authority?".  He told a parable against them, warning them of the times of the Gentiles and of Judgement.   The leadership has tested Him regarding payment of taxes to the Romans.  In yesterday's reading, some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  Now there were seven brothers.  And the first took a wife, and died without children.  And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.  Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also, and they left no children, and died.  Last of all the woman died also.  Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become?  For all seven had her as wife."  Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.  But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'  For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."  Then some of the scribes answered and said, "Teacher, You have spoken well."  But after that they dared not question Him anymore.


And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David Himself said in the Book of Psalms:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'  My study bible says that "the first reference to LORD applies to God the Father, the second to Christ--whom David, the writer of this Psalm, calls my Lord."  Jesus is quoting from Psalm 110:1.

Therefore David Calls Him 'LORD'; how is He then his Son?"   My study bible tells us:  "The riddle has its solution in that the Messiah is David's Son in His humanity, yet David calls Him Lord in His eternal deity."

Then in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."  Jesus has first established the theology of the Son by interpreting the Psalm, above.  It is in a sense another answer to the question, "Who is he who gave You this authority?"  It is also a teaching on not relying on holy ancestors for assurance of one's own sanctity.  Jesus may be called Son of David, but He is more than Son of David.  The scribes are the experts in Scripture.  My study bible says that "these verses criticize the scribes, a professional class of teachers and experts in Mosaic Law, for glorifying in their influential roles while practicing injustice."  We remark on the fact that (in yesterday's reading), the scribes have just told Jesus, "Teacher, You have spoken well."  But, Luke's gospel tells us, after that they dared not question Him anymore.  Jesus takes the opportunity, in front of all the people, to criticize the way the scribes play their roles among the leadership.  They who are experts in the Law, use their authority against the purposes and intent of the Law.  He has already shown they do not truly understand the Scripture without the fullness of Christ's revelation of Himself as Son.

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."  A mite is a Jewish copper coin of the lowest value, like a penny, says my study bible.  It continues, "Yet this sacrificial offering by the poor widow is praised by Christ.  The value of a gift derives from the spirit in which it is given.  A gift that seeks recognition loses spiritual value; a gift made from the heart gains immense value."  I feel that the words in my study bible teach us something extremely profound.  We can look at Jesus' teaching as one about social justice and recognition of the efforts of this poor woman, but my study bible takes it much, much deeper.  What is it to be a hypocrite, to live for show, as Jesus criticizes the scribes above?  What does it mean that this woman loves God with all her heart?  

Psalm 51 tells us: "For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise." Jesus has already taught that the greatest commandment is from Deuteronomy: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." And the second is like it, to love one's neighbor as oneself. Here, the poor widow with only two copper coins to give has actually given everything. She has made the sacrifice God asks of us: all that we are is His in love, and all that goes with that love. In the fulfillment of this gift one also experiences that love as love of neighbor: and in this case Jesus shows us what that looks like, by pointing out the real sacrifice and love of the poor widow in the community, and the true value of her gift in God's sight. We contrast this with His criticism of the scribes, who "desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers." If you think about it, Jesus is contrasting the hypocrisy of the scribes with the purity of heart of this poor widow, and so, she has the far more valuable gift in God's sight.  So what do you sacrifice to God?  Do we live by appearances, for the opinions and judgments of others, to impress others?  Or do we live by the truth, God's truth, the truth of what is in our hearts and who we truly are.  When we make our sacrifice the love of all our heart and soul and mind then we are where God wishes to see us.  Psalm 51 also says, "Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom."  It's not about what the rest of the world thinks or sees or asks or expects, but about what the sacrifice of our whole lives to God asks of us, in the inward place, of "truth in the inward parts" and of true "wisdom."  What is your sacrifice that God truly desires?  What is most precious in Christ's sight?  In the inner dialogue of the heart, what does God really want of you?  Even the poorest among us has the greatest gift to give to God -- one's whole heart and soul and mind.