24-Feb-24 (Mark 9:2-9)

In our gospel story for today, Peter manages to hit a high and a low within five sentences.  The high point is recognizing who Jesus is and claiming it as a statement of faith.  The low point is wanting Jesus to be Christ the way Peter wants him to be Christ.  We all face that temptation, to make Christ the banner-carrier of our personal agenda.
I think that's one reason why Jesus instituted this table.  As Paul says, "As often as you do this, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."  As often as we do this, we confront the Jesus who doesn't fit into our expectations and as often as we do this, we remember that Jesus came to die... for us.
Let us pray.

Prayer:

God, who constantly surprises us with unexpected grace, we thank you for Jesus, who came to teach us your way and showed us that way even in his death.  We thank you for these constant reminders, the Bread and Cup, that draw us past our own way and back into the way of the cross.  We thank you for the forgiveness we have in Jesus' name.
Now, as we take the Bread and Cup, fill us again with your Spirit, that we may better represent the grace and forgiveness Jesus brought us.
In the name of Jesus, our Christ, AMEN