Lovely Be – Br. Luke Ditewig

Br. Luke Ditewig

Palm Sunday
Luke 22:14-23:56

Here we kneel at the tomb once more, watching, waiting, numb, and grieving. We stare at love embodied and remember love received. Our song is love unknown, our Savior’s love—to you, to me—love to the loveless shown that we might lovely be.[i]

Remember love shown to children. Jesus invited: “Let the little children come to me”[ii] that we might lovely be.

Remember love shown to blind Bartimaeus who cried out for mercy. Jesus listened, invited, and healed that we might lovely be.[iii]

Remember love shown to the woman who returned to anoint Jesus with costly ointment. Jesus welcomed and honored her that we might lovely be.[iv]

Remember love shown to the palm-waving crowd who sang “hosanna.” Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey not a stallion, leading with humility that we might lovely be.[v]

Remember love shown resisting violence. Jesus said: “No more of this” and healed the one his followers struck that we might lovely be.[vi]

Remember love shown to the crowds, to us who quickly turned and shouted: “Crucify!” Jesus took up the cross and bore its weight that we might lovely be.

Love shown to all who nailed him to the tree. Love shown to the least, the lost, and the last at every opportunity. Jesus prayed: “Father, forgive them” that we might lovely be.[vii]

Here we kneel at the tomb once more, watching, waiting, remembering love received: Jesus who invites, listens, welcomes, heals and forgives. Love shown to you, to me. Love nailed to the tree, and Love laid in the tomb.

Now we linger with this mystery. Linger with it all week, replaying, pondering: Our song is love unknown, our Savior’s love—to you, to me—love to the loveless shown that we might lovely be.

[i] Altered from the hymn “My Song Is Love Unknown” by Samuel Crossman (1664)

[ii] Luke 18:16

[iii] Luke 18:35-43

[iv] Luke 7:36-50

[v] Luke 19:35-38

[vi] Luke 22:51

[vii] Luke 23:34