Thought For The Week 13 April 2025

I was faced with a choice this week over which readings to focus on; Palm Sunday or the liturgy of the Passion, which begins in the upper room and ends with Jesus’ burial.  I’ve gone with the latter because although there are familiar words heard every time we have Communion, we often don’t get a deeper look into this event which occurs immediately before Jesus’ arrest and execution. The  challenge though is the reading for the Passion is almost 2 chapters of Luke- around 100 verses! Instead of reading it all I will focus on some pertinent parts of it and reflect on these.

Another reason I have chosen this passage is because it reflects a high level of anxiety among the disciples, and Jesus himself, and I think this will resonate with us. We live in very anxious and uncertain times, much of it driven directly by the current American  president and his administration. We have seen chaos in the global financial markets which will have an impact on us all to one degree or other and this volatility can be very unsettling.

In the Passion account from Luke 22-23 we see Jesus taking his anguish to God in    prayer. He is in anguish, even sweating drops of blood but once he comes to terms with what he needs to do he becomes resolute and in complete control, never wavering from the path before him. Perhaps this is a lesson for us when we face turmoil and uncertainty. Take it to God in prayer and seek the comfort of the one who promises to never leave or forsake us.

Nga mihi nui,

Brent