Readings for the Day:
Sermon:
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Original Manuscript:
Today, we hear once again about the story of the crucifixion. It is a humbling story because it is not just the religious leaders who rise up against Jesus, but the crowds cry out against Jesus as well.
As we saw back on Palm Sunday, our reading of these Passion Narratives are all the more frightening when we realize that we ourselves are in the place of the crowd. We are not without guilt in this drama. When we realize it could have just as easily been us instead of the crowd that was there that day at Jesus' trial, all we can say is "there but for the grace of God go I."
This passage is also a chance for us to reexamine ourselves. The crowd in Mark's narrative were simply following the chief priests, allowing themselves to get stirred up.
Today with mass media and so many points of view out there presented as convincingly as possible, it is even more difficult for us to not go with a crowd or two. If we look to the Passion Narrative as a lesson, we must always ask ourselves this: "Is what this person saying for or against Jesus?"
There are many who would call us to kill Jesus, figuratively or otherwise. There are many who would ask us to be destructive to ourselves and others and not embrace the live-giving love and forgiveness that Jesus offers. When faced with these people who would have you join the crowd, what path will you choose?