Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Holy Week: Year 2
Morning, Psalm 6 and 12; Evening, Psalm 94;
Lamentation 1:17 to 22; 2nd Corinthians 1:8 to 22; Mark 11:27 to 33:
“So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” (Mark 11:33)
When our Lord Jesus says, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things,’ it suggests that the chief priests and the scribes did in fact know that John’s Baptisms were from heaven. But they would rather play the “ignorant” card than admit that John was more holy than they were.
The truth is an amazing thing. The truth is not always pretty, but admitting it, is always noble. When our personal truth is not pretty or noble we want to conceal it. We forget that God knows the truth that is in us just as God knew about Cane killing Able. While the actions of our personal truths may not be noble, being accountable for them is very noble.
Let us look at the George Washington/Cherry Tree incident. “The Cherry tree myth is one of the most well-known and longest enduring legend tale about George Washington. In the original story, when Washington was six years old he received a hatchet as a gift and damaged his father’s cherry tree. When his father discovered what he had done, he became angry and confronted him. Young George bravely said, “I cannot tell a lie… I did cut it with my hatchet.” Washington’s father embraced him and rejoiced that his son’s honesty was worth more than a thousand trees.” (https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/cherry-tree-myth/)
So, while the act of cutting the tree was shameful, his being accountable for it brought nobility to him. Perhaps it is this kind of character that enabled him to become our first President of these United States.
Instead of concealing their thoughts about John the Baptist, the chief priests and scribes should have just told our Lord Jesus that they truly believed his Baptisms were from heaven. God did ask Cane where his brother Able was. God was giving him a chance to be truthful. God will also ask you about what you have done. What Cherry tree have you chopped at lately? Want to be President one day?
How do you truly feel about the pain and suffering taking place in Ukraine? The noble thing to do is to own your truth. Give voice to the love welling up inside you for their pain and suffering. Hold on to your truth and live it out. “The truth will set you free;” (John 8:32).
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
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