St. Luke's Blogs

Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. Peter followed at a distance; and when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. Then a maid, seeing him as he sat in the light and gazing at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” And a little later some one else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. 

That first Holy Week began with a triumphal entry. Jesus was seated on a colt, entering the Holy City of Jerusalem. The crowds gathered on the street as Jesus approached. They waved palm branches and shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the Lord” and, “Blessed is the king of Israel!” It was a powerful moment. The people’s hope for salvation was being placed before the one who had performed miracles, taught with great authority, and now the hope was that he would restore the people and the nation. 

Change can sometimes be difficult to understand. My life changed forever about eight years ago, the day I found out I was pregnant with my son. I was a young 20-year-old girl who was scared to death and wasn’t walking with God. After I became a mother, change came quickly! I wanted to be a better person, I wanted to lead my child by example and God began to work in ways that were mysterious to me…

I distinctively remember last year when the pandemic had just started. We were in the season of Lent, and I remember how hard it was to continue giving up the one small thing I gave up for God amidst all I was forced to give up due to the pandemic, such as a spring break mission trip, prom, or chances to get my ACT score up. I found myself becoming bitter about what I was losing…

This year, May 27, 2021 will mark my 14th year working at St. Luke’s Children’s Centers. What a ride it has been. When I started, at almost 16, I had little knowledge about children, how child development worked, only the notion that I enjoyed working with children and that my mom had been a director in a children’s center all my life. I continued to work at St. Luke’s in a variety of capacities, Assistant Teacher, Lead Teacher, Summer Program Teacher, Administrative Assistant, Nursery Coordinator, Assistant Director, and now for the last five years, I have been the Director at the Downtown Campus…

Along with Peter, John is one of the two best known disciples of Jesus. John had a deep capacity to love and always desired to love even more deeply. John was the last of the 12 to leave Jesus at the crucifixion. When Jesus looked down from the cross and saw His mother and John, He charged John with caring for His mother, and His mother with caring for John. He knew that in their grief, both would need someone to care for as well as someone to care for them. When James and John asked Jesus if they could sit on each side of Him, Jesus told them that they didn’t realize what they were asking. Then Jesus asked them if they were able to drink the same cup. It’s important to view this scripture in its full context. The verses immediately preceding their request help us to understand their thoughts a bit better…

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best thought, by day or by night, waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word; I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord; Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, great God of heaven, my treasure Thou art.

Ancient Irish, trans. by Mary E. Byrne, 1905; versed by Eleanor H. Hull, 1912

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him, and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 

Reading the gospels about what happened in the Upper Room, I have always been intrigued by Jesus stepping into the role of a servant and washing the feet of the disciples. I remember at church revivals and youth camps where this was put into an action where we would take time to wash each other’s feet. This was meaningful to those that were in attendance. Unlike the disciples, those who were participating took showers daily, but it still was not easy for people to take their shoes off and allow someone else to wash their feet.

As a non-medical professional, I’ve found myself using some new terminology this past year; super spreader, social distancing, airborne transmission, asymptomatic, herd immunity, and PPE to name a few. Isn’t it incredible that it’s been just a year since our lives were changed by COVID-19, and we began learning about this dangerous virus? I’ve discovered many things I previously took for granted…