URC Daily Devotion 17 April 2025

St Luke 23:  26 – 43

As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.  For the days are surely coming when they will say, “Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.” Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us”; and to the hills, “Cover us.”  For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?’

Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’  And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ 

And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’  The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’  There was also an inscription over him,  ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?  And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’  Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’  He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’

Reflection

Maundy means command or mandate and relates to what Jesus told his disciples to do in his memory, to share bread and wine, to serve and love one another. In the midst of all the injustice, brutality and pain, so harmful and damaging that he was unable to carry the crossbeam to the site of the crucifixion, Jesus was focused on love.

Today’s reading isn’t about commandments, instead it’s about condemnation. Jesus has been condemned and talks about a time when Jerusalem itself will be condemned. This is no sermon on the mount, the only blessed people here are the barren, the childless, those whose future has been taken away. A truly hollow blessing. One day, not too far into the future, this city will lie in ruins.

Can we snatch some comfort here for ourselves in amidst all this injustice and death? Can we glimpse paradise as Jesus appears to be able to and look forward to a time beyond suffering? Here he hangs, an innocent man with two guilty men, one on each side of them, punished by a barbaric and ruthless torture. The Roman cross was both efficient and cruel. A very public example of what happens to those who challenge the Empire. He was mocked because he couldn’t save himself. Couldn’t or wouldn’t?

This was a body being broken, this was blood being poured out. For them, for the disciples, for us. This wasn’t primarily the death of someone who was a thorn in the side of authority. This was redemption and salvation, a rescue in the only way that God could deliver liberation to God’s people. This wasn’t death as the end.

Scattered throughout this account, although in unbearable pain, the words Jesus speaks are words of pity, forgiveness and love. Even here, where there is no respite, seemingly no hope as the doubters and the mockers are forsaking someone who only a few days earlier was heralded as the Messiah, even now Jesus offers love.

Prayer

We see the weight of the cross
The pain of the nails
Your arms stretched out
Your innocence absorbing and absolving our guilt
Forgive us
Hold us in your love
Amen