Friday April 8 Lent 5
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Psalm 22
This psalm is one of the most dramatic expressions of extreme fear, moving into trust in God. God acted in the past, but is doing so no longer. Jesus quotes from this psalm while he is on the cross, (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) and early Christians applied some details in the psalm in their description of the crucifixion. It is appropriately read on Fridays, mini-anniversaries of the day Jesus was crucified.
Several elements in this psalm may have influenced the early Christians’ understanding of Jesus: the taunt that Jesus should save himself, Jesus being God’s in Mary’s womb, Jesus’ thirst on the cross, his garments divided, and packs of dogs which likely gathered at crucifixions. The second half of the psalm proclaims God’s faithfulness to the dead.
Exodus 9: 13-35 What’s Exodus about?
The Lord tells Pharaoh that he could cause plagues upon Egypt if he wished. In order to show God’s power God sends hail which destroys their crops. Pharaoh relents but then returns to oppressing the Israelite slaves. Oppressive power sees God’s generosity as an opportunity for more oppression, thus aligning itself against the God of justice.
Mark 10: 32-45 What’s Mark about?
Jesus is deliberately walking towards confrontation with the oppressive authorities in Jerusalem. This is the third time in a row that Jesus insists that God’s love involves God sacrificing God’s self for us, God’s beloved. The disciples, for the third time, want nothing to do with this—this time some want to make a secret deal to sit at the head table in heaven with Jesus. They do not want to die for God’s kingdom, they only want safety and success. But that is what brings death to the world, and Jesus insists he will continue to enact God’s kingdom of inclusion and justice for all.
This week’s collect:
Most merciful God,
by the death and resurrection
of your Son Jesus Christ,
you created humanity anew.
May the power of his victorious cross
transform those who turn in faith
to him who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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