I’m noting that the lectionary posts are getting a little more focused. I’ve had mornings when I have been up very early to get planes — and spending an hour reading the lectionary and looking around for illustrations is a luxury.
And if I focus on the text the post is shorter. Brevity and concentration. One point. Tomorrow can act. Besides, I am not a saint nor a church father. My insights are feeble when compared with the great scholars and theologians who have come before.
These scholars who put together the daily readings. included a sense of commentary. In this case, the Hebrews passage gives the method and actions of Christ in this world, and the Luke passage examples of this action.
7In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; 9and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, 10having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
11About this we have much to say that is hard to explain, since you have become dull in understanding. 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food; 13for everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.
37On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. 39Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. 40I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43And all were astounded at the greatness of God.
While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples, 44“Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.” 45But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was concealed from them, so that they could not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
46An argument arose among them as to which one of them was the greatest. 47But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side, 48and said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.”
49John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” 50But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you.”
Now, I’m approaching this from looking at situations that I find: where family members have difficult jobs to do — and they have to finish them because they are responsible. They do not have to like them.
The world tries to ignore this. Break your contract, disavow your words, quit while you are ahead. But the world betrays. No job, no career, no nation, no ideology is such that breaking of oaths — I say this carefully, because I am divorced — should happen.
[There is a balance here. We cannot micromanage our family. We cannot demand that a person go back on their word, particularly when we agreed to what they said in the first place].
This is why we tell our children to finish the season of sports, keep up that musical instrument for a year… because it is practice.
This is why we crave sound doctrine, because we have to discern good from evil, and have the moral fibre to shun evil.
And this is why we need to follow Christ. Who prayed… knowing that his wish to avoid the cross could not be granted. But he wanted it. Christ hardened himself and did his duty: he did it not because it was pleasant, but because it was needed.
It’s like having small kids. You are tired. There is nothing very romantic going on. It’s hard work — the monsters have energizer batteries that run longer than yours, and the house is never tidy. A girl should be kept away from “House and Garden” at these times, for she will weep looking at the best, and contrasting it with her reality.
But that messy house is her duty, and those children need a mother. The hard years will pass, and then they will develop a golden glow. If you stick at it. If you choose your duty — and your duty is to love, and to care. (The husband cares and loves the wife and the kids — even though he may be working two jobs to keep the mortgage paid). Even though you do not feel like it, you do it.
And we need to teach this. For anything worthwhile is hard work, and precious. Those who say this comes easily are lying, and need to be challenged, confronted and if the continue to teach, cast out. We need to do this now. Our kids have been lied to for far too long, by the world… and they deserve better.
You remind me of the bit of Torah Law that states that a woman is held liable to her word if her husband/father hears her give it and doesn’t recant it then and there (I believe by sunset).
Obedience often sucks bunnytoes, but it tends to be rewarding in the long run, because God generally likes to encourage His children.