PRAYER MOMENT
Friday 27 September 2013
TO SUFFER GRIEVOUSLY
Pause. Take a little time to be in the presence ofGod.
Reading. “The Son
of Man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected ….” (Luke 9:18-22)
Reflection. What
was Jesus’ ID number? What was his answer to those who asked, ‘who are you?’ He
brought the matter to a head by asking his disciples who they thought he was.
Peter’s answer – “the Christ” (Messiah in Hebrew) – was a peak moment of
recognition, of identity. But what does “the Christ” mean? “The anointed one”
who would set Israel free from the Romans? So they thought. But Jesus tells
them straight, “the Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously.” Being the
Messiah means that he will enter deeply into the human experience – be it in
Syria, be it in Zimbabwe – and he will suffer, just as the people of these
places and every place have their share of suffering. But he will triumph. And
so will they and so will we.
Prayer. Lord Jesus,
teach me to know you in your Passion. Let me not turn aside from your grievous
suffering in spirit, in mind and in body.
You entered our human condition. May your life leaven mine and give me and
all your people courage and hope. Amen
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