Links:

• Introduction
• Contents

Jesus Prays
Garden of Gethsemane

Texts:  

Mark 14:32-50; Luke 22:39-53; Matthew 26:36-56; John: 18:1-13.

The Setting: 

Jesus’s public ministry was coming to an end.  It had taken him across Galilee and Judea and finally to Jerusalem where the Jewish Temple was located. His prediction of its destruction added to the growing anger against him from religious leaders. Simultaneously political figures were plotting to arrest him as he was considered to be a threat to the peace of the city. 

All four Gospels record events that took place in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was here that Jesus went from time to time to pray, to talk with his disciples and to find moments of rest. It was here that Judas betrayed him and where he was arrested by soldiers. On the night that he was betrayed, Jesus prayed:

“My Father if it is possible don’t make me suffer by having me drink from this cup.  But do what you want.”

Waking his sleeping disciples he said:

“The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners. Get up! The one who will betray me is already here.”  

Retelling the story: 

What follows is a retelling based on the Biblical narrative. It is a composite rendering based on the accounts in all four Gospels and is an imagined creative reflection.

Reflections of a regular walker in the Garden: My evening walk in the Mount of Olives is a special time for me to relax, to think, to listen to the sounds of the dying day. Sometimes I meet others walking past.  Sometimes I would see a man with a few friends walking slowly by as he talks with them.  Tonight I see him kneeling by a rock and praying.  Most times it looks as if he is looking towards our Temple. I wonder if he is a priest from the Temple.

Something feels different about the surroundings tonight. I can see his silhouette as he prays.  Further away I see a small group of his friends asleep. I lean against a tree and watch them. I can see that the kneeling man is very troubled.  He rises and walks to his friends who are still sleep. He wakes them and talks with them. He turns round and goes back to kneel at the rock and pray.  He looks as if he is pleading with someone.  He looks greatly distressed.  He is wiping his face with his shawl.  I am not sure if its sweat or tears that are running down his face.  Once again he returns to his sleeping friends.  He talks to them for a third time and returns to pray.  His face seems less tortured now.  He begins to look calmer. I wish I could talk with him. Perhaps find out why he is so troubled.

I turn to walk away and leave the man and his friends. The sound of angry voices approaching makes me stop. A mob of men with swords and clubs head towards the man and his friends.  I hear them shouting the name ‘Jesus’. A man steps forward and kisses Jesus on a cheek.  One of his friends tries to protect him by pulling out a sword and cutting off the ear of one of the attackers.  I hear Jesus saying “Put your sword away. Anyone who lives by fighting will die by fighting.” Jesus then challenges the attackers. He asks why they didn’t arrest him when he was at the Temple every day. Why did they come with weapons now? The men from the Temple didn’t answer him.  They tied his hands and led him away.  Jesus’s friends left him and fled into the night.

I walked away wondering what fate awaited the man they called Jesus.                                         

Ponder: 

Was it wrong for Jesus to ask God to spare his suffering? Why was God silent?

Do we, like the disciples, run away when someone is in danger and may need our support or  protection? 

Links:

• Introduction
• Contents

A Contemporary Story: Paula’s Dilemma

Paula sat in the car as Anil drove them to church. She tried to relax as they drove to church. She told herself that it was the one time each week when she could sit in silence, with no one making demands of her.  The Communion Service today was a plus.

As the Service continued Paula relaxed and let her mind wonder. She looked around and saw a variety of expressions on the faces of those who had come to worship. The Communion Service began.  The bread and the cup were blessed.  The Minister invited everyone to the Open Table and said all were welcome. Anil was one of the first to move forward.  Paula sat and waited. She was torn between habit and indecision.  She always walked with Anil.  She always ate the bread and drank from the cup. She always felt the Communion was sacred and not a habit. Anil returned to his seat and stared angrily at Paula. “What are you doing? Why didn’t you receive Communion? It’s nearly over”. Paula rose and went forward.  She heard the words “Christ died for you” followed by “Do this in remembrance of me” as she ate the bread and sipped from the cup. She turned round and kept walking. She didn’t stop till she was out of the church and in their car.

Not a word was spoken as Anil drove home.  Amy was seated with her mobile phone texting friends. “How was church Mum?”. “It was good” replied Paula. “Then why did you behave so badly and walk out?” asked Anil. Amy stopped texting. “Wow Mum! What did you do?”  “What I always wanted to do but never had the courage” Paula replied. “Communion is not a habit to me. It is a sacrament. It has to do with faith and remembering that Christ died for us”. Amy responded: “For you, maybe. Haven’t you noticed that not everyone walks up? That some are trying to control their kids as they walk? And the kids – do they know what it’s all about?  I don’t. That’s why I never come. None of my friends in school go to church anyway.”

 Paula sat quietly as Anil turned the pages of the newspaper. Amy broke the silence.  “And to believe that a piece of bread and a sip from a cup turns into flesh and blood – how can you possibly believe that Mum.  It’s unreal!”. Paula looked at her hands and recalled holding the bread and the cup. She searched for the right words to express what she wanted to say to Amy. She wanted to say that the Open Table with the bread and the cup were symbols of Jesus’ final meal with his disciples, thousands of years ago. That the bread and the cup were symbols for his sacrifice of his life, for us. That they should not be taken literally or lightly today. As she looked at her hands she saw her wedding ring.  It was symbol of the vows she had made to Anil when they married. Would Amy understand what she was trying to say? That the rings were symbols of commitment and love.  Similarly that the bread and cup were symbols of God’s love and commitment to us? 

Paula went into the kitchen to start lunch.  Anil continued to read the newspaper.  Amy continued texting her friends.

Pray:

God made known to us through symbols of bread and cup, please accept my flawed and inadequate response and welcome me back to your table of grace.

Links:

• Introduction
• Contents

“My Time Has Come”
The Passover Meal

Texts: 

Mark 14:12-26; Matthew 26:17-30; Luke 22:7-23; John 13:1-30; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

The Setting:  

Jesus’years of teaching, healing and training his disciples is nearly over.  Jesus is ready to enter Jerusalem – the heart of political and religious institutions of power. He entered the city on a donkey with crowds cheering him and waving palm branches. It was the time of the Jewish Passover. A sacred meal that was also known as the Feast of the Unleavened Bread eaten with bitter herbs as it recalled the exodus of the Jews from Egypt.

Retelling the story: 

What follows is a retelling based on the Biblical narrative. It is a composite rendering based on the accounts in all four Gospels and is an imagined creative reflection.

Sophia reflects: 

We were preparing the Passover meal in my home when there was a knock on the door.  It had been a busy time for us. Going with my children to cheer the man Jesus as he entered the City riding a donkey was stressful.  I heard snatches of conversation on the street that the Governor Pilate had come into residency and that there was talk of arresting Jesus. I wondered if he knew this.  Then my husband came home from the Temple quite agitated.  Jesus had used a whip to clear the Temple of people buying and selling lambs and doves. He had also chased out the money changers.  There had been pandemonium. Tension in the city was high.  There were soldiers everywhere.

Now there were two men asking if we would permit them to use our upstairs room for the Passover meal. They claimed that Jesus had sent them. I recognised the two men as friends of Jesus. I let them in and offered my help to prepare the meal. But they seemed to know what they were doing.

I watched them prepare the table and carry jars of water into the room. I stood outside the door and watched as Jesus came in. It surprised me greatly when I saw Jesus kneel and wash the feet of each of his friends. I could see that the men were uncomfortable. Then they sat around the table. Jesus took some bread in his hands, broke it and said “Take this and eat it. This is my body”. Then he picked up a cup of wine, gave thanks to God and said “Take this and drink it.  This is my blood. I heard him say that with the bread and wine he was making an agreement with God that many will have their sins forgiven. I was as puzzled as the men round the table.

My next surprise was to hear Jesus say that one of the men seated at the table would betray him tonight. I heard raised voices as each man assured Jesus that it wouldn’t be him.  But Jesus continued to repeat the words and said: “The Son of Man will die just as the Scriptures say”.

I left them and slipped away.  Little did I realise how his predictions would be played out in the days ahead.

Ponder: 

Centuries after that Passover meal, it is memorialised today as Holy Communion or Eucharist or The Lord’s Supper. It continues to be recognised as a sacrament celebrated by Christian communities.

As a Christian how important is Communion to you?

Links:

• Introduction
• Contents

A Contemporary Story:  George’s Anger

George had arrived early to church.  He needed time out to control his emotions, to think and to pray for guidance.  As a leader in the church he was familiar with the busyness that went on before Sunday worship.  He kept his eyes closed so no one would engage him in a conversation. The past week had been stressful for him.  As the owner of his business he had toyed with declaring bankruptcy.  He wished he knew who had leaked information relating to his dodgy deals and tax evasions to one of his Directors. He had always justified these actions as necessary to keep the profits growing. He never thought of himself as a corrupt businessman.  He continued to treat his staff well from the profits he made through smart business deals. Why was he the target of their anger now?

People were beginning to arrive for worship. As the service began he tried to focus on the prayers and songs. He placed fifty dollars in the offering bag. The bible was being read. A couple of words drew his attention. It was a reading he hadn’t thought of seriously before.  Jesus was using a whip to clear out a Temple. He was chasing out people who were selling stuff and turning tables where moneychangers were doing business.  The anger of Jesus was not what George wanted to hear today. He was searching for answers to what he should do to save himself from litigation leading to bankruptcy.  As the service ended everyone stood to exchange the Peace.  He wondered if his emotions were visible in his eyes as he passed the peace. He had come with anger in him and was leaving with his anger unresolved. Sharing a handshake and saying peace was the last thing he felt like doing.

As he drove home, George wondered if he was fit to be a leader in his church.  Perhaps he needed to re-think his role. He didn’t feel he could pray with so much anger still in him. It wasn’t guilt that filled him. It was a lack of feelings of love and caring for others and being at peace with himself that he needed most. He wondered if Jesus had felt the power of love as he was driven by the power of his anger to cleanse the Temple. He found himself thinking “Perhaps reading the story for myself may bring me to the realisation that I have to make a decision.  Take a risk perhaps?”  He walked into his apartment deep in thought.

Pray:

God, who has given us the power of strong emotions, please direct our anger as we challenge the failures of our world. Help us when our anger is just a way of trying to deflect attention from failures that are our own.

Links:

• Introduction
• Contents

A House Of Prayer
The Cleansing of the Temple

Texts:  

John 2:13-22; Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48 

The Setting:

The writers of the Gospels record instances when Jesus spoke of the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem is recorded in all four Gospels.  Matthew, Mark and Luke include the episode at the end of Jesus’ public ministry.  John has the episode of the cleansing at the commencement of Jesus’ ministry. The Temple was the centre of the Jewish Passover celebrations when Jews from all over the known world converged on Jerusalem to celebrate the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt.

The Temple building consisted of many Courts. The cleansing took place in the Court of the Gentiles where people gathered to buy and sell what was required for use in sacrifices that assured the buyer of forgiveness from sins, It was into this Temple marketplace that Jesus walked in, lost his temper, found a rope, made a whip and chased the moneychangers and the vendors out. He was heard to say 

“My house shall be called a place of worship. But you have turned it into a place where robbers hide.”    

Retelling the story: 

What follows is a retelling based on the Biblical narrative. It is a composite of the episodes from the Gospels. It is by reading into the silences around the events and the people in the text that this imagined reflection is written 

A Money changer reflects:  

I am trying to understand what happened and to make sense of what Jesus of Nazareth did. Wasn’t Jesus seen sometimes teaching in the Temple? My neighbour used to say that it’s time someone did something about the corruption in Jerusalem. That’s true.  But I never thought it included our Temple. It’s at Passover that the Temple gets crowded and becomes a marketplace. Everyone comes to pay a Temple Tax and has to change their money.  Surely Jesus knows that moneychangers are providing a service?  Of course I sometimes overcharge in the exchange rates.  But that isn’t a sin as I see it.  The Law says that we must pay our debt to God with coins that are blessed. I always make sure that the money I handle is blessed.  How would I provide this service if not in the Temple Courtyard?  I am not responsible for the Law.  I work within a system to earn a living for my family.  I had heard about Jesus but never expected to see him so angry.  I thought he was fanatical, shouting, cracking his whip, and turning over tables.  That’s when I lost many of the coins that I had for exchange. I wont be surprised if his rage was heard all over Jerusalem.  He needs to get a grip or he may end up like some of the animals and birds. Dead! I hope I never become caught in such a situation again.

Ponder: 

Does righteous anger justify actions against unacceptable situations in church and society?  

Are there times when the power of anger blinds you to the love of God?