On the Brink

Lent, Week 5, Saturday

Holy Week

Lent is almost over

and everyone is on the brink

Ezekiel

has God sounding exasperated:

God promises restoration

then lists all the things people won’t do so as to inherit God’s promise.

Jeremiah

In a rare moment of pure joy praises God for the return from exile, according to His infinite mercy.

(He sounds almost giddy).

Gospel

The leaders

have had it with Jesus; they think they’re on the brink of a Roman crackdown, which would spell the end of their power and privilege.

Jesus

is also on the brink; his hour is near.

  “If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both 1) our place 2) and our nation.”” (John 11:48, ESV-CE)  [Nation 2nd !)

and for his part:

John 11:54 ESV-CE

54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.

And we

are on the brink of the commemoration of the event by which we were redeemed

and we stand between our aspirations and promises for Lent

and the awesome gift that frees us to stand up and begin again,

alive again in Christ.

Jeremiah 31:13 ESV-CE

13 Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.