And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take. There is a chilling brevity to Mark’s description of Jesus’ crucifixion. Four words in English, “and they...
Making Room for Doubt
posted by DJL
Last week I talked about making room for regret, staving off the cultural impulse to “have no regrets” so that we might recognize and confess that we make mistakes, can learn from them, and be reminded of our aspirations and unrealized possibilities and potential through them. This week I want to invite us to make room for doubt. As I am reading the accounts of the resurrection in preparation for Easter I’ve been struck, once again, by the fact that none of the disciples – those who travelled with Jesus, knew him best, and heard his predictions and promises – greeted the resurrected Jesus with the words, “I knew it!” or...
31. Mark 15:22
posted by DJL
Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). We don’t know much about Golgotha with any certainty. It’s referenced in all four gospels, presumed to be a hill just outside the city gates, probably close enough to a major road that passers-by could...
Mommy Wars
posted by DJL
I read a blog post by Libby Anne recently that caught my attention and I wanted to share it with you. It’s about the “mommy wars.” You may have heard the term. It describes the plight of mothers today who, in contrast to many women of previous generations, must choose between staying at...
30. Mark 15:21
posted by DJL
They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. Christian tradition reports that Simon of Cyrene, the passer-by pressed into service by the Romans to carry Jesus’ cross, later became a Christian....