Good morning all!
Today’s scripture: Mark 10:32-34
32 They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33 saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; 34 they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.”
I have this movie in my mind running about this scripture. The disciples and Jesus and a crowd (assuming the other disciples who would have been women are walking along…and other friends…and people who are watching…etc) are walking along. Right in the middle of walking on to Jerusalem, Jesus turns and pulls aside the major twelve. Then he lays it out for them. Can you imagine the conversation?
“So hey guys, there is this pretty unpleasant stuff about to happen. In fact, I am going to die.”
The disciples look around confused and kinda displeased because this is not the first time he has talked about this. They want to change the ending. In fact they might have said something like…
“No way, Jesus. We can fix that. We will make sure it doesn’t happen.”
What then? Does Jesus just make the “I told you so” face and walk on? Do they bicker some about it? Do the disciples look at each other and make sure they are all on the same page and walk on?
Whatever happens next we know a couple of things….
1. Jesus knows that he is walking directly into danger this week.
2. The disciples are in full on denial about it.
3. Jesus keeps walking anyway.
4. So do the disciples….completely unprepared for what is about to happen.
5. We are usually more like the disciples…..
I don’t think any of those are particularly bad things. Jesus keeps telling us about this upcoming week. Most of us know the story. Tomorrow there will be celebration and the end of the week will end in death. And we have an advantage over the disciples to actually know that death will not win…new life will. And yet, are we ready at all? I know that I am not.
Tomorrow kicks off Holy Week and I am no where near ready. Holy week is always an interesting journey for me. I take it hard. I am not quite ready for what Jesus is telling me today. There will be this upcoming week. I will have to face this week. I will have to journey with Jesus to face my own stuff. I will have to look directly at death and suffering. I will have to deal with it in myself. I won’t be alone. There will be other disciples around me but it will be something that I will have to face. And like the disciples I want to just say….nah. Like the disciples, I want to just keep walking and find new life without having to face the other stuff. And like the disciples, I think that this week will help me discover more about myself and about Jesus than I ever could have imagined.
Are you ready for the upcoming week?
Peace,
C
Living in Violet 