Carefully Take Note of His Every Word

~~~ Jeremiah 18:18-20 ~~~ Psalm 31 ~~~ Matthew 20: 17-28 ~~~

The first reading from the prophet Jeremiah today is in contrast

to Matthew's gospel text.

In Jeremiah fear of the plot and impending death bring him in prayer to the Lord. It also reflects how later the Pharisees would try to trip up Jesus by questioning something he said. "And so let us destroy him by his own tongue; let us carefully note his every word." This is exactly what the Pharisees did to Jesus. They were scrutinizing his every word...dissecting it...dismissing it; because THEY knew better.

What is so profound to me and beautiful is that Jesus came as THE WORD made flesh. Jesus brings us his love and mercy. He himself is the Everlasting Word. We should indeed be carefully taking 'note (of) his every word'.

In chapter twenty of Matthew's gospel, Jesus is speaking the very words of his own passion and death. He is preparing those closest to him for what is about to happen. He wants them to hear it from his own lips. So when the events begin to take place they will know the very words he spoke to them were coming to be. Jesus wanted them to know that all he had done prior to being handed over to the chief priests was with his full knowledge. His death was part of the Divine Plan.

Many times as a parent we try to prepare our children for an upcoming event. When my mother in law died our children were young. As she got closer to death we tried to talk with our boys to prepare them. Jesus is acting much like a loving parent here; he is going to endure the most horrific death. The time is drawing near.

He wants them to know.

Hearing these words of prediction we also have the loving mother of two of the apostles. She does not quite have the whole picture, but she decides to intervene on behalf of her sons. Not too unusual, Mary went to Jesus at the wedding feast. This mother makes a bold request of Jesus; to have her sons be singled out. She thinks it would be fitting somehow for her sons to be sitting to both sides of Jesus. Of course Jesus sees her request as one of short sightedness, ignorant of the whole picture.

Later when Jesus is brought before the chief priests and the reality of the words he had spoken begin to unfold; I wonder how this mother feels? Is she now breathing a sigh of relief knowing that her sons are not called to stand before these chief priests on either side of Jesus?

I think of how many times I go to Jesus in prayer making my requests known to him. I think of how many times I do not get what I asked for in my prayer. When we come to God in prayer we must trust that he knows what is truly best for us. Often what seems like an unanswered prayer is really the grace of God asking us to just be patient...not yet...I have different plans for you.

When I was a child there was a television show called, 'Father Knows Best'.

In our prayer requests keep in mind that our heavenly Father Always Knows Best.

Lord, speak your loving words to comfort and prepare my heart.

Let your words illuminate my spirit.