26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.”
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
Luke 23:26-28,32
My surgery was super early on a Monday. I rented a hotel room by the hospital so we could go straight over around 5am. While driving out and to the hospital, I really became aware of everyone I was passing. People who were on a walk, drivers on their way to work, the gym, or a store. Moms in vans driving kids to school, and the most ordinary things we do without even thinking about them. I passed nurses/staff/visitors coming and going in the hospital parking lot. Their lives were just going on as they always had. Just another ordinary day with kids to wrangle, friends to visit, and chores to get done.
My life was being decided that day. I was going to be spending hours unconscious on a table in surgery. The next few days would be in the hospital. Maybe in pain, definitely recovering, and restarting my digestive system. There was even a (very) tiny chance I might not ever leave if the worst happened. Would the surgery be successful and get my cancer? My life depending on the success and skill of the surgeons.
The hospital staff got me ready in a flurry of activity in the surgery prep area. Before I knew it, it was time. We prayed together one last time and everyone wishing me well was left behind the surgery doors.
I will never forget when they wheeled me down that long, empty hall and into the surgery room alone. This was it. There was no more preparing, waiting, or wondering. Before – everything was just academic. This was reality. The time was now. Life and death depended on what happened in the next few hours.
But the world and everyone in it just kept going about their day.
—–
Jesus was being dragged to His death. Maybe Jesus knew for certain He was about to be killed or maybe He held out some hope that His Father would still save Him. As Jesus passed people through the streets He had walked since his childhood, He must have realized this was probably the last time He would walk this way.
It was still before noon in Jerusalem. Many people were likely going about their daily business. It’s likely many saw just another round of criminals being dragged out of the city by the Romans. Some may have given a passing glance and went about their day. Others may have just scoffed and moved on. What did I care about some criminals?
How could the world just keep going on like it was no big deal when the Lord of Life was about to die? Doesn’t anyone care what’s going on and someone is facing death?
The end comes for us all – but I realized in that hallway how quickly ‘someday’ becomes ‘right now’. When it comes, there is no more excuses or tomorrows. There is no more ‘someday I’ll get around to that’. The plans for the future end. The door shuts. And the shocking part – the world just keeps on going.
- Consider the uncertainty as to the day of your death. One day your soul will quit this body–will it be in summer or winter? in town or country? by day or by night? will it be suddenly or with warning? will it be owing to sickness or an accident? will you have time to make your last confession or not? will your confessor or spiritual father be at hand or will he not? Alas, of all these things we know absolutely nothing: all that we do know is that die we shall, and for the most part sooner than we expect.
- Consider that then the world is at end as far as you are concerned, there will be no more of it for you, it will be altogether overthrown for you, since all pleasures, vanities, worldly joys, empty delights will be as a mere fantastic vision to you. Woe is me, for what mere trifles and unrealities I have ventured to offend my God? Then you will see that what we preferred to Him was nought. But, on the other hand, all devotion and good works will then seem so precious and so sweet:–Why did I not tread that pleasant path? Then what you thought to be little sins will look like huge mountains, and your devotion will seem but a very little thing.
- Consider the universal farewell which your soul will take of this world. It will say farewell to riches, pleasures, and idle companions; to amusements and pastimes, to friends and neighbours, to husband, wife and child, in short to all creation. And lastly it will say farewell to its own body, which it will leave pale and cold, to become repulsive in decay.
- Consider how the survivors will hasten to put that body away, and hide it beneath the earth–and then the world will scarce give you another thought, or remember you, any more than you have done to those already gone. “God rest his soul!” men will say, and that is all. O death, how pitiless, how hard thou art!
- Consider that when it quits the body the soul must go at once to the right hand or the left. To which will your soul go? what side will it take? none other, be sure, than that to which it had voluntarily drawn while yet in this world.
Introduction to the Devout Life – Fifth Meditation – On Death – Part I, Chapter 13
If thinking back on all the famous people who have died hasn’t shown you already (Steve Jobs, Michael Jackson, Robin Williams, Kobe Bryant, 2Pac, and countless others) the world sure isn’t stopping for you – not matter how famous, rich, or powerful. All you need to do is go to an estate sale. I’m amazed time and again to see millionaire houses near my downtown NW home doing estate sales. I recently bought an extremely amazing, complete high end luxury dining set they probably spent $1000-$2000 on for $80. My friends and guests eat off them. Sculptures, art, high-end furniture, high end electronics – all sold for pennies on the dollar. By the end of the month, many of these houses are up for sale.
Jesus must have felt many of these things on that forced walk – I know I did.
Take that same walk down the hospital hall to the surgery room. Walk that street with Jesus the last time and know the end is now. What do you see about your life using God’s eyes?
10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
Matthew 3:10
6 By their fruit you will recognize them. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Matthew 7:6,20-23
Did you live mostly for yourself, your own ideas of what is just and right, or spend most of your days pursuing your own plans – even if they are compassionate or ‘good’ things? Jesus tells us clearly that even if we’re ‘Mostly a good person’ and even if we did many good and great things, we may still find ourselves a stranger when we meet Jesus face to face. Instead, we know our friends by actually spending time and talking and living with Him day by day.
Do not wait until the end to find out you were on the wrong track the whole time. Jesus tells us it will be too late for many.
I certainly felt convicted for not a few things in my life.
Jesus doesn’t ask for great successes – Jesus looked like quite the opposite. Jesus looked like an abject failure. Jesus could have easily overthrown the Romans and shown his power to everyone. Yet, in following His Father’s will, He died in what looked to everyone as a complete failure. Sure, we should work for the kingdom, but if we’re largely pursuing our own ideas of what is great, just, fair, right – then we are almost certainly missing the kind of transformation of the world Jesus earned by being abandoned, beaten, and killed on a cross. In weakness you will find strength. God proves His love and power by transforming us even in disaster.
Jesus asks us to know Him day by day, to fall in love with Him who loves us so dearly, and find freedom and transformation in following the will of God in our lives.
Jesus, whether it is this time or in the future, I’m going to make this final walk just as you did. I trust in you and your gift of forgiveness. Help me to get up and carry my cross with you every day. To know I walk in your Father’s will is all I need. Send me a Simon to help if I need it. Help me to be Simon for someone else. May your name be praised forever and always because of your daily gifts of grace and forgiveness. Do not let me waste those gifts today nor be lost in my weakness. Lord Jesus, I trust in you. Have mercy on me a sinner.
