Sermon for the Wednesday after Laetare, 2026
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Do you know Jesus? When He speaks? As He acts? Do you know Him when He does not act in the way you would expect, when He does not take up power as you would have Him take it up, when He does not prevent what you would have Him prevent? Do you know Him when He rebukes? Do you know Him when what you seek is not what He is giving, and when what He gives is not what you would seek?
Therein lies the difficulty, for it is there that the hand begins to reach, and it is there that something must be done. When it does not appear that He is acting, when it does not appear that He is helping, when it does not appear that He is doing what must be done, you are not content to wait, though this is precisely where He would have you remain. You would rather take hold of what is set before you and do what seems right in your own eyes.
That’s what Peter would do. And while the others do not take up the sword, even so, when faced with trouble and testing, they, one and all, forsake Jesus and flee. And yet that is not how Jesus responds. He does not flee. He does not resist. He does not call on His Father, who would at once provide Him with more than twelve legions of angels. He does not come to show His might, nor seek to prevent what is about to happen. He does not flee from—nor fear—the Cross. Rather, He submits; He lets them come, He lets them take Him, He lets them condemn Him, He lets them crucify Him.
And in all of this, what is He doing? Not what you would do. Not what you would choose. Not what you would call help. And yet it is there, precisely there, that He is helping. For He must be delivered over, condemned, crucified, and put to death, in order to redeem you with His Blood, to give you what you could never do for yourself, and what you would not choose even if it were set before you.
He knew all along what He was doing, what He was permitting, what His almighty providence was working then, just as He knows now what He is doing.
Readings:
Old Testament: Deuteronomy 11:1-7
Epistle: 2 Peter 1:2-11
Holy Gospel: Matthew 26:46-56
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