Who here has never had any struggles in life – never fallen down, never been sick, never failed, never had anything bad happen? Struggles are a natural part of life. Scientists have learned that some struggling is actually important to life. Butterflies need to struggle to emerge from their cocoons. Birds and turtles need to struggle to emerge from their eggs. The struggling contributes to strengthening these creatures and thus supporting their overall survival. The same thing happens with toddlers falling down and getting back up this strengthens their muscles, supports efforts to learn balance, and helps them in their journey to walk. Struggles are a natural part of life.
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
Struggles are a natural part of life. While it is fair to continually seek to avoid struggles, we also can benefit from challenges. Discernment and understanding are important. Jesus knows the impact his teachings and actions have had on the elders, chief priests, and scribes. He knows what happens when people challenge power and privilege in that context. He knows they will exploit their positions to get rid of him. He also knows their actions will not be the end of the story. He knows and so he makes his choices based on what he knows.
And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you."
Peter doesn’t know what Jesus knows. Peter only sees from the perspective of a friend and companion. He cares about Jesus and about what they are collectively doing. Surely, we can understand why Peter would want to protect Jesus from the fate he is suggesting. This is more than a minor struggle!
How often have we been in the same situation where we have wanted to prevent a loved one from experiencing struggles and suffering? To what extent have we wished we could stop bad things from happening to people we love? What does that look like? What does that feel like for us?
When our heart breaks watching those we love suffer, how many of us would trade places with our loved ones so that they didn’t have to suffer?
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
Jesus chooses suffering knowing what he knows. It is an intentional journey in which he takes on the suffering on the world, the weight of the ways power, privilege, and distortions of religious messages undermine the love of God and neighbour. Jesus carries hatred and sin as the beam of a cross through the streets of Jerusalem to remind the world how easily people can become distracted by wilful ignorance. Jesus sighs forgiveness seeing people laugh without fully understanding what is happening. Jesus dies trusting that his death is not the end of the story. Jesus chooses to trade places with every one of us, carrying the weight of sin, the consequences of sin, so that world can know love transformed, redeemed, and grace-filled.
Jesus chooses suffering and the grace we receive is more than we could ever ask or imagine. May our discernment and understanding enable us to continually set our minds on divine things, trusting that God is always present in suffering and in blessings, walking alongside, transforming every moment by God’s ever-present love and grace. This we pray as we sing: 352 Amazing Grace