Third Sunday

Desertion

 

48 Then Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled.” 50 All of them deserted him and fled.

51 A certain young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked.

Mark 14:48-52

 

Response:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also in Matthew 26:55-56; Luke 22:52-53; John 18:4-9.

 

That’s Mark, Lord, that was!

 

It’s good to know he was there, teenage eyewitness, following from his mother’s house in the secrecy of the bushes; it underlines his later record, a signature to his Gospel.

 

I can understand his running away.

 

They all ran away:

I can understand that very well too.

 

But what is almost beyond my understanding is you, Lord:

 

I saw you wrestling with doubt and all those other dark forces;

 

now you stand

calm, controlled, caring, confident,

 

handing yourself over

to the agents of those same dark forces.

 

Now you are utterly alone

…    and go deeper into the darkness

. . beyond where we could go

…    for our sakes.

 

Such love is too wonderful for me.

 

Jesus of Gethsemane, I adore you.

 

Response:

• Saved: Church, Lent