Scripture Reading: Luke 11:27-54
Jesus' statement, "Blessed are those who hear the word and obey it" echoes throughout today's reading. It seems that the Pharisees and the lawyers could hear the law but they may not have been as good at following it.
Of course, the law is quite extensive, so we have to figure out which parts did Jesus seeing them ignore?
What would be the sign of Jonah? To the Ninevites, he stood for a message of repentance. He was a symbol of second chances - a do-over so to speak.
But what did Jonah represent to his own people?
We end Jonah's last chapter with him sulking on the hill, angry that God was compassionate and didn't destroy Nineveh. The sign of Jonah for people of faith may have been very different.
By speaking of Jonah, Jesus was likely signifying to the Pharisees that they need to get on board with God's mercy.
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| Sometimes being right is lonely |
When Jesus is haranguing the Pharisees, it is a way for Luke to let us hear the words directed to us. Are we neglecting justice and the love of God?
The difficult piece for us may be that we often justify our own irritation, anger and hostility toward others. We have really good reasons for why we disagree. Vehemently.
But would God agree with all of our arguments, or does it seem silly from a balcony view?
During this particular day in Lent, think about a person who did something fairly minor that bothered you. Now practice letting it go. It is better to be full of light!
Prayer for the day:
Gracious God, we sometimes find ourselves resenting others. We resent the things they say and their rationale for saying them. We resent the things other people do and we think that their actions separate us. Help us choose our reactions. Help us to see our own role in division. We pray these things in the Light of the World. Amen.
Photo by Lettuce. via Flickr.com. Used under the Creative Commons License.
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