Thanks, Scot. We truly need this reminder to shape our thinking and our lives. It’s all about following Jesus. But what does that mean? Pretty clear, if we stay in the gospels, and keep poring over them.

do we apply your insights to our personal lives only? i mean, should our communal lives exhibit the cross also?

Chris,
Good question … one that will emerge forcibly in the life of Mary. The community element is in Mary’s mind with Messiah but that community element will be transformed.
But, I confess to focusing here on individuals. It could easily be expanded and so I added a question in brackets thanks to your comment.

Scot,
Thanks for flagging expectations. They’re huge today and sometimes seem to control our perspectives. We expect that God will take care of everything and it will all go well – so I guess it’s more throne than cross. Sometimes in the “not yet” things don’t go the way we might wish. Expectations appear to drive our faith rather than being a product of it. And when that happens we may be holding God hostage – meet our expectations or else.
On individuals, communities and churches. When we’re following in the footsteps of the crucified and risen One, I think, our expectations will fall into their appropriate place.

I believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. Any where in the Bible do you see the disciple of Jesus practicing lent? Jesus giving the command to do lent for 40 days before the cross? Where in the Bible do you see authority for lent? Fat tuesday is a day of abusing the grace of God. Romans 6:1-ff Paul says shall we sin that grace may increase by no means we have left that old way of life. Romans 12:1-2 tells us to be living sacrfices not just for 40 days but 365 days a year. We are called to take up our cross daily and follow him. Christianity is 24/7. We are saved by grace. Lent is it not a work? Eph. 2:9 tells us that we are saved by grace not works that we can boast. Grace. How wonderful is that grace that we have been given. We can’t earn it. We can’t Lent to get it. It is a gift of God paid at the highest price the blood of Jesus Christ. So tell me if you can where fat tuesday, lent is in the spoken of by Jesus and mentioned in the Bible.

Wow, preacherman, you grabbed your pulpit there. Lent is obviously not taught in the Bible, but a precursor is: Day of Atonement. It was a day when Israel was to afflict itself and not work. Lent is a Christian adaptation of that.

The Day of Atonment is under the law of the Old Testament Jesus tells us that he has come to complete the law. Romans talks about that we are now under the law but under the law of grace. Going back to Eph. 2 would not lent be works? We are saved by grace through faith. I think as Christians we should understand that their is nothing that we can give up or atone for 40 days in order to recieve the grace of God. It is a gift of God. So if Jesus came to came to complete the law and we are now under the law of grace does it make any sense at all to lent?

Lent is not about earning your salvation or anything of the sort. It looks to Christ’s own period of 40 days of fasting as its guide. Ask yourself, what purpose that time serve for Christ and you might start to discover the meaning of Lent.
No one is under the illusion that giving up chocolate for 40 days or some other cultural lenten practice like that earns them a place in Heaven.

Thanks, Scot. I hadn’t realized what image of Messiah Mary would have had in her head and how justified she was to have the image. I guess I always thought she suspected he’d have to die. As a mother too I wonder what must she have gone through to see all her high hopes and the future of her son change like that? When was it that she began to understand and how did her heart struggle to submit to God? How I wish the Bible had preserved more of her story for us!

Karen,
I think Simeon’s sword opened her eyes to some dark realities, but I’m not sure how much of that she comprehended. As with the others, it took her some time.