The shouted response of this crowd-become-a-mob is chilling. The word "crucify" comes like a thunderbolt.
This is the first time in Luke's Gospel that this horrible word appears in any form - and not once, but twice: "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
It was already clear that the crowd wanted to kill him. But does it have to be this way - a tortured, crude, cruel death by crucifixion?
The cross comes into our lives in many forms. But the cross, different for each person, is when we say: "Anything but that." We cry form the depths of our souls, "O Lord, anything but that ... anything!"
Sometimes we get the same answer Jesus got.
Ans do we take the Lord's hand and take what we have to face ... sometimes with none but the Lord who understand how hard it is. And we just hold on to him.
- Little Black Book, Diocese of Saginaw