The readings for this Wednesday in Holy Week include a beloved passage for many children of God: Hebrews 12:1-3.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
3Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.
There’s something rather calming about after all the children finally cave in for bed time, and the toys and books can be put away in a somewhat organized fashion, or the cups can be neatly stacked before the youngest one knocks them down the next morning; and, at least for a couple rooms in the house, some sense of order and perhaps even some peace and tranquility is restored. There’s something almost triumphant about it: that no matter how chaotic the day had been, somehow peace, in the end, can still reign.
In the next couple weeks, a fair share of chaos will ensue, and not just for the clergy. There will be some immense expectations placed on children of God, which are more so from our own doing as opposed to anything desired from the Divine. For some, it might even feel as if the fate of the cross and the tomb rests on their not-Jesus shoulders. But rest assured, it has been more than taken care of for all eternity, including our relatively small portion of it.
Every once in a while, as I turn on my laptop ready to open up emails or whatever else needs taken care of technology-wise, the digital world instantly stops me in my task-oriented track with some of the random images they upload to my initial screen. Just a not-so-subtle reminder of the breathtaking beauty still alive and well in this world that we sometimes wonder if it’s descending into a not-so-pleasant abyss. This time, it was the Twelve Apostles Mountain Range in South Africa, overlooking one of the most scenic coastlines in the world.
Today, the wider church celebrates Joseph, Guardian of Jesus. Of course, the title being intentional with God being the parent and all, but still…no pressure at all for Joseph. Just try to raise the Son of God with tenderness and care and assurance of safety. Granted, we can assume that God was going to make sure all the above was taken care of and then some, but I wonder how much of an impact was made on the earthly Jesus by his home-front father. Did he even further appreciate the people who spend all hours of the day painstakingly working with their hands learning from a carpenter? Did he even grow more in compassion and empathy with those who weren’t in the most well-off circumstances? Unfortunately, we don’t know much about Joseph, but maybe that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
