Wednesday in the Third Week of Lent at Mississippi Abbey

At his baptism Jesus made a commitment to suffer and die for us.  But it was a commitment he had to keep making over and over again. Here, in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus repeats his commitment when he says, “I have not come to abolish but to fulfill,” and, “Not the smallest letter will pass from the law until all is accomplished.”  He makes it again after cleansing the Temple when he says: “Destroy this Temple and I will raise it up in three days.”  Every time he told his disciples how he would suffer greatly and be killed he was renewing his commitment.  He spoke of it during his Transfiguration.  He described it in the parable of the vineyard.  He affirmed his commitment when Mary anointed his feet.  And he struggled to keep it during his agony in the garden: “Abba, Father, not my will but yours be done.”  

We also need to keep making our commitment to follow Jesus in our way of life not just once, but over and over again until the day we can say with deepest joy, “It is finished!”