Hope In the Darkest Hour

On this Wednesday in Holy Week, the assigned Gospel reading is again taken from John, and we read:

‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, ‘We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?’ Jesus said to them, ‘The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.’

After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.  (Jn. 12: 27-36).

John gives us a picture of Jesus’ humanity in this passage.  Jesus is troubled because he is well aware of what is about to transpire.  He knows how physically painful it will be.  Jesus is aware that evil will do its best to destroy him.  But Jesus believes in the goodness of God the Father, and that in the end evil will not prevail.  In the midst of his anticipation of suffering, Jesus has hope.

Let us pray:  Gracious God, when we are in our darkest hour, send your Holy Spirit to fill us with hope.  Amen.

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE:

 

Wednesday: Lenten Program at Trinity at 6 p.m. with Bishop Andy Doyle.

Maundy Thursday: Eucharist with foot washing at 7 p.m. with vigil until midnight.

Good Friday: Liturgy at 12 noon.

Easter Sunday: Choral Eucharist at 9 a.m. with Easter egg hunt and potluck lunch to follow.

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550