“26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” 32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” 39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”” (Lk 23:26–43 ESV)

Our makers, loving mothers and fathers, envision reality so well beyond the sensible that immediately we demure: send someone else! Fact is, these are days strange and yet wonderful: strange, because all mankind is on the cusp not just of a Judgment (all you who practice religion are wastrels and bandits!) but of an opportunity (lean in, ye who are Healed: we can use all the help we can get!); wonderful, because our Freedoms are intact to some extent (we live prior to an age where all mankind is plugged in and measured and corralled and milked for a Better You, a Better Human).

The need for the Day, is some post-Horrified Response to a world where Satan has mocked the religion, where it is dubious to tell who is more Criminal, whether the churchman who enables the sin, or the unpracticing ones who don’t Follow the Church’s law. 

Give a man his or her Due: the church has catechized and been safe haven for Many, both young and old, both cautiously faith-filled and exuberantly Charismatic. Yet the nations of the earth, some are in some weird fashion feasting on their own flesh. We ought have turned outwards to face an enemy Together; instead, the fixation is on a mock-subservient, mock-horrified, mock-sincere Claim: “We found the Christ!”, followed immediately by, “He clearly doesn’t know what he’s doing, but let us swoop in and help!”. Indeed. Let the rich and the bounteous Church help those of a vastly different socioeconomic experience? Rich, that these shall be the judges of the latter folk. That they decide seasons and times, holy orders and bequests.

We go Full Gospel on any and all doomsday sayings: yes, to the oblong school of Divinity, it is egg on the face or embarrassing beyond belief their good Name and Agency in the world was captivated by the Evil One. But this is a Day of more than business-as-usual. This is a case of rampant Invite, post-sin, post-falling-away, nonetheless to Join Up and see that Christ in our midst needs all the help He can get. You are Forgiven for proving the story of the older brother to the Prodigal One. You are Forgiven for proving the story of Peter’s denial. You are Forgiven for enacting the story even of Judas’s betrayal (could it be a thing worse than Judas is in our midst?).

The question is, can the Gospel spread with as much dry tinder and accelerant as evil rumors spread, overheard mutterings from complete strangers as to that Rumor so salacious and fun to spread. More, each of us must Bolster for the Journey, be Immune to thoughts that we ourselves finally have met our match and must Concede to snipping in the bud our ministries. Our ministries are Still Valid, notwithstanding the “mountains fall on us”. Notwithstanding the “let us mock Christ’s vessels”. Notwithstanding the “I would rather go down in history as a discouragement to the troops than let the Gospel spread abroad”.

No, some people have accomplished zero, zilch, nada, yet are Pursued. And this sad state of affairs only and immediately gives way to the Gospel: that some Remnant Remains, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Who hear the Word. Who know the Father. Who see those consigned to damnation as ever perceiving the precipice but never quite unhypnotized—by wealth, by status, by pride—enough to take the plunge. Always close, but foregoing the mandate that says Now. Go straight to the station, catch the train At Once.