The Fifth Sunday of Lent-
The Times They Are A-Changin'
Bob Dylan will never be wrong with that line- the times are always a-changin'. Very few times, however, are like the one Jesus mentioned in today's Gospel:

John 12:31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.

Sarah over at Dylan's Lectionary Blog said this about it this week:

What would it mean if the "ruler of this world" will be driven out NOW?

For one thing, I think it would mean that it's time to stop kissing up to all prior candidates and all wannabees for the title of "ruler of this world." It's astonishing how often we get sucked into some path we didn't exactly choose, but seemed like the thing to do -- the respectable thing, the thing that successful people do, the thing that responsible people do -- and then structure every other choice around this one unchosen and unfulfilling fact.

Talk about preachin' that has turned into meddlin'. This is downright frightening to think that we Christians- good, devout Christians at that- would ever, EVER think of putting some wannabe in a "ruler of the world!" We would never do that.

But what if?

That's were it gets even more frightening because as Sarah so wisely put it, we do it without taking notice. We begin to equate our way of living or believing or doing things or nationality or government or ethnicity or... well, any of those things, into that place where Jesus belongs.

Now is the judgement of the ruler of this world!

Sarah pointed out that this is, in reality, the answer to our prayer when we pray the Lord's Prayer-

Your kingdom come, Your will be done,
on earth just as it is in heaven.

Am I really ready for that? Am I really willing to allow Jesus to take the throne in the world- and therefore in me?

In two weeks we celebrate it happening. Am I ready?