Mark 14

You kind of knew this was coming, right? I mean, everything leading up to our reading today was pointing toward a showdown of sorts with the religious establishment. This man, Jesus, just didn't do what he was "supposed" to do. Today's chapter begins with a woman lavishing Jesus with expensive perfume. The disciples were angry with her because if she didn't want the perfume, she could have sold it and made money to give to the poor. Jesus saw her act very differently. She gave her best, not her left-overs. Are we as diligent with our best? Are we so diligent with our best time? With our best money? With our best gifts/talents? I can't say that I always am.

Jesus then declares that one of the twelve is going to betray him. It's funny that the disciples ask themselves if it is them that will do this. They were not even confident enough in their own thoughts about Jesus to know whether or not he was speaking about them. I can't say I would have been any clearer, though.

What must communion have been like on that night? The last time that communion would be observed as a forward looking event would be that night. Since then, we have all participated in communion as a remembrance of what Jesus went through, not what he would go through. Everything is about to change.

Falling asleep while praying? C'mon guys. What were you thinking? How familiar these three guys had become with Jesus. He was not "God in a Bod" to these guys, he was Jesus. Sure there was something different about him, something special, but that much consistent contact with some breeds familiarity. Whether Jesus wanted them to experience the sorrow he was feeling, or he wanted them to keep watch for the one who would betray him is not clear, but it doesn't really matter. They fell asleep on the job. Is there any correlation to our lives today?

Then they come. They come to take Jesus. They are accompanied by Judas, one of the twelve. I've read this story before, I've read Mark before and I've even seen The Passion of the Christ, but today this part of the story sucker-punched me in the gut. In the past twelve months, I've lost two grandparents and walked with friends as they've lost parents. I don't know if it's because I am closer to pain right now or just spending the past 14 days with Jesus, reading his story. Either way, I wasn't quite ready for what I felt this morning. I am actually not ready to move to Chapter 15.