He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
(Luke 9:22)
Luke does not record any response to these words of yours, my Jesus. Peter’s reaction, described in Mark, is missing. How could the disciples not have been shocked at the thought of your suffering and death? Suppose I had been there:
“Just a minute ago, Master, you asked us who we think you are. Peter answer for us all, “The Messiah of God.” Yes, I have come to believe that you are the One who is to come, the One the prophets promised would be our king and restore Israel. What are you saying about suffering? How can the elders reject you? Kill you? Raised on the third day? What does this mean?
“We have seen you raise someone from the dead, but if you, our miracle worker, are killed, where is God’s promise? How could you die? No one can raise himself. And now you are saying that we have to die in order to live. Is yours a kingdom of the dead?
“I do not understand, Lord. Are you speaking in parables again? Will you explain them? I am afraid to say anything, but I will follow you, because you are Life itself. Can life die? Can God die?”
What would I have done, Lord, had I been there? What would I have believed? Now you have shown me, but still I am so often confused, wondering what you want me to do, where you want me to go, how I can serve you. My Jesus, I trust in you.