At various points in Jesus' ministry, he spoke about his coming death. The disciples often did not know what Jesus was talking about when Jesus predicted his literal death.
As we draw nearer to Easter, we prepare to mourn Jesus' death and begin to reflect on the implications of the cross on our lives today.
I wonder what our response would have been if we were with Jesus and he had predicted that he would be persecuted and killed for what he stood for. Would we, too, have denied Jesus' words, or would we have had the courage to follow Jesus and be persecuted for what he stood for and believed in?
Would we perhaps have doubted the resurrection like Thomas, denied knowing him like Peter, or even
betrayed him like Judas?
I am sure we would all claim that we would have stuck by Jesus until the end, but if we are honest with ourselves, we might not like what we discover.
As we prepare to reflect on Jesus' final days, let us consider if we are living as Christ would want his followers to live today or if we are still living lives of doubt, denial and betrayal. It
might be helpful to ask today: In what space do I find myself?
Reflections by Rev Joe Taylor
