This week we will read the account of The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew 27.45-52.
Alexander Shaia writes, “Matthew’s Passion account is directed at the small, beleaguered group of Messianic Jews and is designed to provide very precise guidance. Throughout this account, Jesus the Christ is the exemplar of remaining emotionally and spiritually present in a time of distress and uncertainty.” (The Hidden Power of the Gospels, 80).
“Remaining present” does not equal being calm. Remaining present means that a person stays awake and aware. The opposite might have been expected of Jesus who was facing his death. He might have chosen to “check out” because the “whole ordeal was simply too intense.”
How are you able to “remain present” in your life and in the lives of your neighbors? How do you avoid “checking out” when you face distress or uncertainty? What are the spiritual practices that ground you? Some call it “Staying in love with God”, others simply call it “Practicing the Ordinances of God.” Which spiritual disciplines help you remain present so that you are awake and aware?
0 Comments