Scripture Reflections Seeking Understanding

At the beginning of this week, we heard the Passion according to the Gospel of Luke. Each of the Passion narratives is slightly different from the others and one of the differences that stood out for me on Palm Sunday was the prayer that Jesus offers from the cross, 'forgive them Father, they do not know what they are doing.'   These words resonated with me and have done for a number of days. If we look for ourselves in the re-telling of Jesus' Passion are these words being spoken about us?  If I ask myself, do I really know what I am doing, the answer is yes. When I am focused more on myself than others, I know what I am doing. When I choose to turn away, to scroll past, to change the channel to avoid having to hear and process someone else's suffering, I know what I am doing. When I shake my head and judge someone else, whether internally or out loud, I have to admit I know exactly what I am doing.  But... I am not always consciously considering the effect that my act...

 This week we celebrate Palm Sunday, the only time of the year when we hear two Gospel readings. The first is the account of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the latter is of His rejection, humiliation and destruction.  In the former He is met with green branches and cheering crowds. People throw down their cloaks on the ground as He passes by, riding on a humble beast of burden.  In the latter He is crowned with thorns, His clothing is stripped from Him, and he is jeered by the crowd as he carries the heavy burden of the cross, and with it our sinfulness.  In one they cry out Hosanna - Lord save us. In the other they cry out derisively, 'If he is the Christ, let him save himself.'  What a short distance it is from the Palm Sunday road to the Way of the Cross. How on earth did we get here?  If we consider the characters that play an integral role in Luke's account of the Passion we can go some way to understanding.  Herod Antipas, the son of Her...

This Sunday we are presented with the story of the woman caught in adultery. But as John's account of the story sets the scene there is very little reference to the woman.  The Pharisees brought her. They made her stand before the group. They said to Jesus...   From their point of view, this story is not really about the woman at all. It is an opportunity for the Pharisees to yet again put Jesus to the test. To trap him as someone that will break from the Torah or contradict himself. The woman is only a means to an end.  But Jesus shifts the focus to the Pharisees and the gathering crowd. 'Let any one of you who is without sin throw the first stone at her.' Then he bends down and, with his finger, begins to write in the dust on the ground.  Many years ago, I heard an entirely apocryphal but plausible explanation of what happens next. A reason why, one by one, and beginning with the elders, they dropped their stones and walked away.  In the Book of Jeremi...