Our oldest grand daughter wanted to go to church with us on Palm Sunday. She loves sitting in the choir loft with her grandmother. Sometimes she listens to the singing. Sometimes she draws in her coloring book. What I didn’t realize is that she listens to the gospel readings and the homilies.
The gospel for Palm Sunday was from Luke Chapter 22:14 – 23:56. A subset of the reading is:
The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus.d47While he was still speaking, a crowd approached and in front was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas. He went up to Jesus to kiss him.48Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”49His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked, “Lord, shall we strike with a sword?”e50And one of them struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear.f51* But Jesus said in reply, “Stop, no more of this!” Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him.52And Jesus said to the chief priests and temple guards and elders who had come for him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?g53Day after day I was with you in the temple area, and you did not seize me; but this is your hour, the time for the power of darkness.”h
As we drove to our house for some after church collaborative painting, she asked “why was everybody so mean to Jesus?” She couldn’t figure out why there was so much anger and violence.
“Can’t everybody just get along? Why couldn’t they just talk it out? It was so rude what they did,” she continued.
I tried hard to stifle my laughter. However, my wife in her wonderful way patiently explained some of the context.
As I listened to my wife’s explanation, I was reminded of what great questions these are for the many current divisions in our country.
As we shared her questions with her mom, she added “that sounds like her – we’ve been talking a lot about attitude and cooperation and how to work with others.”
I am so delighted that we have the gift of four lovely grand children. I am excited that I now have the time to pay attention to the wonder of our world through their gifted eyes and ears.
On the Way to Somewhere Else 