Reading, Reflection and Prayer

Jesus is tried before Pilate, sent to Herod and then returned to Pilate. They find nothing deserving of death. Pilate suggests punishing Jesus and then releasing him, but the crowd will have none of it. Their shouts of 'crucify' prevail and Jesus is sent off to execution.

We follow Jesus as he is mocked and tried in front of the council, Pilate and then sent to Herod. We reflect on the mocking of prophesy itself, and the way in which perhaps we are inclined as humans to reject whatever threatens our own sense of running our own lives.

Even Peter, the leader of the disciples, can't stand by Jesus at the end. In our discussion we reflect on the fact that human intention is not enough to guarantee that we behave the way our best selves would like us to.

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prays to his Father, while the disciples struggle to stay awake. When the action comes, the disciples are ready with their swords - but Jesus tells them that his time has come.

In Luke's account of the last supper, he tells them that he's among them as one who serves. The theme of serving one another is part of the last supper account - just as it is in John's gospel with the footwashing.

Jesus celebrates the passover meal with his disciples. We think about the way in which this is the making of a covenant between us and God; and the future promise that it holds out.

We reflect on the second half of Luke 21, where Jesus tells his disciples about the downfall of Jerusalem and the signs that will accompany this.

Ruth shares about the process of learning to hear God. We look at Jesus' prediction of the fall of Jerusalem and his promise to the disciples that his words and wisdom would prepare them for the persecution to come.

We talk about the beautiful Lily of the Valleys that are perfuming our garden at the moment. We wrestle with a complicated saying about the Christ not being David's 'Son', and the beautiful story of the widow who puts in two small coins into the temple treasury.

The Sadducees don't believe in the resurrection of the dead, and so they challenge Jesus with a riddle. Jesus replies with a confident declaration that God is the God of the living.