I put the following together for our recent newsletter. Thoughts about the suffering of Christ and the Resurrection drew me back to Walter Wangerin Jr.’s little book, Reliving the Passion. Daily meditations are offered for the Christian Season of Lent. I read day “Twenty-six” and found the weaving of the narrative of the events leading up to the crucifixion in Mark with the words of Jesus to be a compelling place on which to meditate.

Walter Wangerin Jr. offers captivating â??Ã?úMeditations on the Suffering Death and Resurrection of Jesus as Recorded in Markâ??Ã?ù in his book titled, Reliving the Passion. We often race toward Easter with thoughts of new clothes, colored eggs and Sunday lunch. In his chapter titled, â??Ã?úThe Twenty-Sixth Day,â??Ã?ù he offers alternating scenes from the life of Jesus. He begins with Mark 15:16, â??Ã?úNow the soldiers lead him away, inside the palace (that is the Praetorium).â??Ã?ù We then read, â??Ã?úYou have heard that it was said, â??Ã?úAn eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.â??Ã?ù But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evilâ??Ã?ù from Matthew 5:39. (p.106)

The cadence like moving from the words of Jesus to the description of his death leaves Walter Wangerin Jr. reminding us in a short prayer Easter is another way Jesus shows us what he calls us to – â??Ã?úif any one would come after me, they must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me.â??Ã?ù

Meditate on this prayer as you prepare to celebrate the Resurrection.

Sanctify me, Jesus!
There is nothing you ask of me that you have not yourself exemplified. Nothing. Daily make me more like you.

Amen