The turning point of St. Luke's gospel is 9:51 - As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set our for Jerusalem.
Jerusalem...the holy city...location of the Temple...gathering place for sacred feasts and festivals...home for the Chief Priest, the Scribes and the Pharisees...Jesus' final destination for bringing about our redemption.
What was it like for the disciples as they traveled with their Master? How did they feel as they walked along those dusty paths? Although Jesus had shared with them what would ultimately happen to Him, they just didn't get it. The Lord will suffer and die and rise again on the third day. They didn't catch the significance of the journey upon which they had set out.
We have the benefit of knowing what lay in store for Jesus when He arrived on His journey to Jerusalem. Betrayal...a kangaroo court...a spineless governor...a bloodthirsty crowd. This is what Jesus encountered on His journey to the cross.
Yesterday - Ash Wednesday - we began that journey once again. We began by remembering how Jesus sent two of His disciples to go and prepare the Passover. When they arrived at the place, they found it just as Jesus said it would be.
That was the first sign of something very important for us to remember. God is in control. All that happened to Jesus in Jerusalem was not by the design of the religious leaders or Roman governor. God used them all so that His plan might be carried out just as He said - that Jesus would suffer and die and rise again on the third day.
In the Passion of the Christ nothing happens by accident. It all happens with you in mind - your forgiveness, your salvation, your place in heaven. You know the story. Don't shrug it off. This Lenten season remember it all - money changers driven out, disciples' feet washed, a new meal and covenant being established. There is a betrayal and a beating, a conviction and a crucifixion. And then the third day...
All of that happens during our Lenten journey. And it happens all for you!
