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Good Friday–The Crucifixion

John 19

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The Crucifixion

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. ¹⁷Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). ¹⁸Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

¹⁹Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read:|sc JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. ²⁰Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. ²¹The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”

²²Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

²³When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

²⁴“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said,
“They divided my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.”^[a] So this is what the soldiers did.

²⁵Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” ²⁷and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

The Death of Jesus

²⁸Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

³¹Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. ³²The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. ³³But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. ³⁴Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. ³⁵The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. ³⁶These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,”^{[b] 37}and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”^[c]

The Burial of Jesus

³⁸Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. ³⁹He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.^{[d] 40}Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. ⁴¹At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. ⁴²Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Maundy Thursday–The Last Supper

-Hullis Mavruk

Luke 22

The Last Supper

⁷Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ⁸Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

⁹“Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked.

¹⁰He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, ¹¹and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ¹²He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there.”

¹³They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

¹⁴When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. ¹⁵And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

¹⁷After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. ¹⁸For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

¹⁹And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

²⁰In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. ²¹But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. ²²The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him.” ²³They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

²⁴Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. ²⁵Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. ²⁶But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. ²⁷For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. ²⁸You are those who have stood by me in my trials. ²⁹And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, ³⁰so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

³¹“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you^[a] as wheat. ³²But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

³³But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”

³⁴Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

³⁵Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?”
“Nothing,” they answered.

³⁶He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. ³⁷It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’^[b]; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”

³⁸The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”
“That is enough,” he replied.

The Lenten Season

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, which marks the season of Lent.

If you’re wondering, you can go read about the season of Lent, when it occurs, and why it is acknowledged.

For many Christians, this time preceding Easter has no real significance. The reality is, that we’ve lost touch with many sacred practices that were once the foundation of Christian lifestyles. People seem to think that if it’s not written explicitly in the Bible, then it doesn’t apply.

The fasts have died out in the west for several reasons. First, we are becoming very narcissistic. We don’t care if our bodily appetites have the upper hand, and many people count recreation and luxury as necessities.        -Karl Loren

Photo Credit: christianphotos.net

Well, what could be so wrong with spending 40 days reconnecting with and strengthening your relationship with the Lord and remembering the sacrifices of our Savior? Although it is not mandated by the Bible, it is a time of reflection and prayer-something that we need now more than ever.

Michael over at Levellers wrote:

“To resist empire, we need to be formed in an alternative set of virtues, practices, and values. Lent is one way of helping us develop the alternative perspectives and character traits we need.”

This is a very strong statement, and it has so much truth to it. The world has become corrupt. There are so many things that have become commonplace that probably frustrate the Lord quite a bit. One could only benefit from taking this time (or any time for that matter) and dedicate it to living purposefully. There are so many things we take for granted, and so little that we give due credit for.

For those with open hearts and open minds, embrace this season, and celebrate it however you will. Just remember the reason, and remember God’s instructions for us.

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When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

-Matthew 6:16-18

Growing Green

just planted

I’ve been continuously searching for green things I can grow in our yardless 2nd floor apartment or on the 9×9 balcony. In my attempt at learning some useful homesteading practices, I’m all about producing on my own what I would have normally purchased from a store. I have been quite successful with growing green onions.

progress after a couple of days

While onions are great an all for seasoning, I want to grow some other things that I would use more often–something with a significant nutritional benefit. Since spring is on its way, it’s just about planting time. I’m been researching to see what things we might be able to grow in containers out on the balcony or inside with only moderate sunlight. In my search, I ran across some interesting things: how to grow a hanging salad bowl, growing flowers in partial shade, and how to make an aerogarden for under $10. But my favorite by far was growing my very own sprouts.

photo credit: the baltimore sun

Alfalfa Sprouts: low in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol, and high in fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, riboflavin, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, protein, vitamin A, thiamin, pantothenic acid, calcium and iron

I absolutely love sprouts, but for some reason dh won’t touch them. I think they add such a mild, crunchy, fresh taste to sandwiches or salads–or of course, I can just eat plain sprouts. For some reason, I thought of them sort of like iceburg lettuce–a nice filler to add some crunch, but with no real nutritional value. Boy was I wrong! Here’s some useful info on the health benefits as well as some guidance on what exactly you can sprout. Now, instead of paying $2 each for a little box of alfalfa sprouts, I can grow my own for a fraction of the cost. Sure, I made a little investment in the beginning, but it will definitely pay off in the end.

Sprouting Jar - $9.99 at Whole Foods Market

Now, if you want to go the more frugal route, you can use any quart size wide-mouth Mason jar and cover it with a piece of screen cut to fit inside the metal ring. You can also cover the jar with a piece of cheesecloth. I opted for the kit because 1) I don’t have a wide-mouth jar, 2) I wanted a long-life lid that would withstand many many batches of sprouts, and 3) this kit came with a pack of seeds–USDA Organic of course, I wouldn’t do it any other way.

Basically, the process is simple. Take about 2 to 3 Tbsp of sprouting seeds (there are many varieties (wheat grass, mung bean, lentils, chickpeas, etc.) and they can usually be bought at health food stores. Whole Foods has quite a selection that can be bought in packs like this, or you can buy them by the ounce.

Add the seeds to the jar and soak them in water for about 8 hours. Then, swish them around and drain the water. Shake the jar around so the seeds spread out (they will likely stick to the sides of the jar). Leave the jar sitting at a downward angle so any remaining water can drip out.

Add water and rinse twice a day to keep the wet seeds fresh. They can sit in a dark place. After a couple of days, you should notice the seeds starting to sprout, and you will soon have a jar full.

Once they are fully grown, transfer them to a container, cover and refrigerate for up to a week or so.

Add sprouts to salads, sandwiches, or stir fry–or experiment and be creative!

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This is a great place to order sprouting supplies online.

Here’s a great article on eating sprouts for health benefits.

This guy really loves his sprouts! Visit his site for a plethora of info on sprouting as well as raw foods, fasting, juicing, and more.