“Woman, behold your son.”

John 19:26-27

This week our reflection on the Third Word is written by Brenda Mitchellweiler.

When reading texts involving Jesus’ parables, words, and actions, there is often more to the story, more than one way of exploring meaning. In this scene, Jesus agonizes on the cross. The soldiers have just cast lots for his clothing. Mary, a few other women and Jesus’ “beloved disciple” John are near Jesus. So near they hear his labored words calling to Mary, and then to John. He says to Mary “Woman, behold your son!” To John, he says “Behold, your mother!”

An amazing effort by Jesus to get their attention. From excruciating pain, he needs them to recognize a vital truth. In this dark hour, he works to get Mary and John to behold something beyond mere relational or societal dictates. Jesus may have been ensuring the practical care of Mary by John. However, he could have made these arrangements prior to the cross. So why now is Jesus, through labored breath, in the last moments of life, drawing Mary’s and John’s attention? To what does he call them to behold? Is there more?

Ultimately, on the cross Jesus is without words. His body is lifeless. The deep darkness of the hour is palpable, visual, and REAL! John and Mary walk away from the cross in REAL darkness. They feel fear, pain, confusion, hopelessness, gut wrenching sorrow, and agony beyond words.

Yet, the more of the story now comes into play.

We recall the words of Jesus at John 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” The call of Jesus to Mary and John that they become family is key. He calls them to love one another, calls them to act as mother and son. We tend to not hear or behold the depth and power of loving one another as family. In this dark hour, Jesus gives Mary and John a way through their darkness. Be family, he says to them. The only way through our world and our own moments of fear, pain, confusion, hopelessness, gut wrenching sorrow, and agony beyond words is through loving each other as he has shown us. Be family, he says to us. Loving each other is essential to our survival in this world. Loving each other is more than just labeling each other brothers and sisters in Christ. Loving each other the way Jesus has shown us is active. It is sometimes difficult. It is sometimes awkward. But it is essential. It is family.

What drew my family to the Christ Kaleidoscope congregation most is the way you all actively love. We have been blown away and blessed by your works of love. The love you have for the school in Cambodia, the hurting in Florida, the marginalized, and simply the hurting is beautiful to behold and compels each of us to love more like Jesus. Your works of love are palpable, REAL and essential to those around you! We are grateful for your witness of Jesus’ love to us and this world. Grateful that you love one another!

“This day you will be with me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:43

This week our reflection on the Second Word is written by Ken Chuang.

Jesus is hung on the cross between two criminals. The first criminal mocks Jesus “Aren’t you the Messiah?  Save yourself and us!” The other says “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die, but this man has done nothing wrong … Jesus remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” To which Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

What does this say about Jesus that even as he has been forsaken by his Father and is being crucified, in that very moment, he is still doing God’s work. Putting his own suffering aside, and forgiving the faithful criminal and offering him his salvation. Jesus is loving and merciful and constantly sacrificing for the good of others — the ultimate sacrifice of life. He is able to endure this because of his ultimate faith. What can we endure if we had such strong faith?

Salvation through faith and not deeds. The faithful criminal is the perfect example of this. We don’t know what heinous crime he has committed, but he puts himself at the mercy of Jesus and repents and through that faith is saved even as he is about to die. How awesome is it that this criminal can look past his current predicament and shame to the coming glory. Compare this to the first criminal who like the other is suffering, but all he cares about is saving himself through whatever means possible. Heck, he may even say he believes in Jesus for the sole purpose of saving himself without any care for right or wrong, regret or remorse … caring only about himself. Look at the Jewish leaders of that time with all their good deeds — they were unable to earn salvation because they lacked belief and faith. How different are they really from the first criminal?

Now, imagine how much more rewarding our lives can be if we are faithful each and every step of the way. How many times in our lives do we think we are doing good deeds, but if not done with the right heart, it is meaningless. Are we doing to please ourselves, others, or God? Only one can lead us to true faith and salvation. The posture we take with our actions and deeds belies our true belief.

Lastly, I’m reminded of Pastor Ken’s message on “Transfiguration Sandwich” … God with us, God above us, God for us. Our almighty Father is multidimensional. God with us: he is a loving God that answers our prayers. God for us: he is a merciful God forgiving our sins and offering us salvation. God above us: he is an almighty and enforcing God — the only one that will judge us and knows our true intentions. A God that we should all fear. All are important to our faith and ultimately leads to our salvation from this present evil age.

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Luke 23:34

1. “Father…”

How often do we respond to God with resentment when we don’t get our way? Even in the midst of a gruesome public death, Jesus continues to call God “Father.” Filled with anguish, Jesus petitioned God to remove the cup of death and suffering looming before him (Lk. 22:42-44). Yet God’s response was not the one Jesus desired. Still, Jesus does not let this stand in the way of his relationship with the one he calls “Father.” Even in the worst of situations, he affirms the goodness of our God.

2. “…forgive them…”

When beset by our own suffering and pain, how often is our first thought for the people around us? It seems appropriate that Luke’s account renders Jesus’s first words on the cross as a petition for the forgiveness of others. After all, what is the cross if not a symbol of God’s working for us? Still, it is striking that we find in such an agonizing image God’s word to us that we are forgiven.

3. “…for they know not what they do.”

Who is the “they” that Jesus prays for in his petition? Likely, “they” are the Roman soldiers who drove nails through his body and the Roman authorities who condoned it. “They” probably also includes the Jewish leaders who demanded his execution and the Jews in the crowd cheering for his death. An act at the height of injustice, the image of God on the cross is somehow accompanied with words that long for the forgiveness of those who perpetrated it. Apparently, forgiveness can come even to those who put God on a cross.

It is telling that we find Jesus’s petition for their forgiveness at the symbolic moment of man’s rejection of God. Clearly, these words together with the image of the crucifix demonstrate God’s willingness to be for us. Jesus does not define those who execute him by their actions; instead, he sees them as those whom God loves, finding space for God’s forgiveness to move.

Here, we remember Jesus’s famous words: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Lk. 5:27-28). Just as startling a contrast as Jesus’s cry for the forgiveness of those who unjustly execute him, loving our enemies is the way we proclaim God’s kingdom. It is the way God accomplishes justice and moves through the sin we find rampant in humanity. Can we see our enemies as the very ones for whom Jesus cries out for forgiveness? In The End of Memory, Miroslav Volf writes, “The memory of the Passion urges — indeed, obligates — me to place the memory of suffered wrong in the service of reconciliation” (125). When we allow the image of Christ on the cross to define our actions, we find the grace of God in our own wounds. May we be strengthened by the words of Jesus to welcome the love of God into the lives of those he has forgiven.