Thursday, February 28

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 119:153-176; Ezekiel 33:12-20; John 6:60-71; 2 Corinthians 4:1-6; Psalm 6

When most people these days think of the things they need to do to get ready for the Easter experience, they think of doing things like calling their loved ones and inviting them over for Easter dinner, buying the ham and all the trimmings for Easter dinner, coloring eggs, buying candy for Easter baskets, and purchasing a new outfit to wear for the holiday. In other words, they equate getting ready for Easter with relatively easy, pleasant things. About the only difficulty involved might be cleaning your house so you can have company over. If only it were so easy! We’re reminded of how challenging it can be to be a true disciple of Jesus’ – not just a professed disciple – in today’s passage from the Gospel According to John. As Jesus finished his Bread of Life discourse, he reminded the disciples that “sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen” (John 6:63 – The Message) and that only God’s grace makes it happen. Many of the disciples gave Jesus’ a rather unexpected response to his teachings. And what was that response? “From this time many of [Jesus’] disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66 – NIV). As we move from a secular approach toward the Easter that involves nothing but comfort and ease to a spiritual approach toward Easter that involves wrestling with the difficult teachings and callings of Jesus, what is your approach? Is your tendency to be like one of the peripheral disciples who leaves when he/she hears a call that is difficult, or is your tendency to be like one of the core group who sees the challenges in a way similar to Peter’s - as an opportunity to reaffirm your faith? Til next time…