The Rise and Triumph of Jesus

I've spent a lot of time this week avoiding certain segments of the internet trying not to see pictures of atrocities I know are out there. There's stuff in Ukraine, and then those babies that were murdered, and the video clips coming out of Shanghai. By scrolling really fast and squinting, I can generally discover what is going on without seeing the actual images. This, I know, proves my own pathetic cowardice. I'm not trying to defend myself.  It is the same frailty that generates the pit in the bottom of my stomach when I'm reading through the Gospels -- or Judges -- knowing what's coming at the end. The brutality, the violence, the degradation, the ugliness. I don't want to face it. Knowing it will turn out ok mere verses later doesn't make it easier.