Psalm 70, Isaiah 50:4-9a, Hebrews 12:1-3, John 13:21-32
Today in the Christian calendar is just a weird day, in my amateur opinion. In this Holy Week, today has no immediately recognizable affiliation.
Palm Sunday is now several days behind us. Yet, one of today’s passages remind me of Jesus’s triumphant entry. If I were asked to describe the scene on that day, the “cloud of witnesses” we find in Hebrews 12:1 would do a pretty good job to describe the cheering masses welcoming Jesus’s entry with shouts of Hosanna! The comparison feels straightforward for me to make!
And—from our perspective of hindsight—we know what is coming the next two days: a story partially captured in today’s passage from the Gospel of John. Looking at verses 26 and 27, the stage is set for Judas’s betrayal and the difficult events of Jesus’s trial and crucifixion. The excitement of Sunday is now giving way to the darkness of Thursday night and Friday. Hope is starting to dim; joy begins to fade. Because we are looking back at these events, we do know that hope and joy are not fully lost!
Where do we—as 21st-century Christians—go from here? My reading of today’s passage from Isaiah offers a good starting point. From the celebration of the previous Sunday to the despair of Friday to the ultimate redemption found this upcoming Sunday morning, our God has been, is, and will be there for us! How great is the litany in Isaiah: “Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me” (50:8, NRSV). Let the words of Psalms be our reminder and hope: “You are my help and deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!” (70:5b, NRSV).
Ryan Fox, Assistant Professor
Math and Education, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science