Mark 14 and Matthew 26
Monday,  November 17, 2014

In both of these readings we have people who are behaving badly because they don't fully understand the truth of who Jesus is.   Those who don't know Jesus cannot behave like Him.
A few key mistakes are made.  Judas seems too caught up in money.  I doubt that it's a coincidence that he leaves to betray Jesus to the High Priest right after the woman pours a years worth of perfume on Jesus.   Judas was one of those who protested, who felt that it was a waste of precious resources.  He was too caught up in the resources and not in the relationship.   The money mattered more than man, the purse more than the person.   He might have felt that He was doing the faith a great favor by adding some additional coin to the cause.  He could have believed that He was forcing Jesus to take the kingdom by "outing him" in front of the Romans.   Judas had never seen Jesus fail, so he could have believed that the Roman soldiers were going to be defeated if they went up against Him.    We can't know for sure, but whatever the reason, Judas was deceived and motivated by wrong impulses.   There's a lesson in that for us.

Then there's Peter, who believed too highly of himself.  He would never betray Christ, and was able to sleep at night instead of pray, confident in his own ability.  Had he know what was coming, he couldn't have slept a wink, and probably would have prayed all night...and then been victorious in the morning.    But he isn't listening.  He is the one who grabs the sword and cuts off Malchus' ear.   He is the one who follows at a distance, when the others have run away (John Mark, the author of the Gospel of Mark is thought to be the young man who ran off naked).
So Peter was afraid.  He has forgotten that this is the man who has calmed the seas, and raised the dead.  This is the man who has cast out demons and multiplied fishes.  This is the man who dandled children on his knee and argued the professors of the law into embarrassed silence.      Several hours ago Peter protested because Jesus was doing something he hadn't seen before.   He was washing feet.   It was too base, too common for a person of Jesus' stature.    Peter misunderstood then...and he misunderstands now.   He sees defeat where he should see fulfillment of prophecy.   He sees weakness where there is really wonderful restraint.   Even when Jesus says "I could call legions of angels if I wanted to" Peter doesn't understand that Jesus is willing to do this.    In his mind, Christ must have failed.   The mission is over, and it has collapsed.  The disciples are gone, the leader is defeated and life is in an uproar.    The cacophony of yelling soldiers and probing servants and screaming women are all swirling around Peter's head, creating a dizzying confusing atmosphere that leads him to doubt his own belief.

"I have no idea who He is" is the cry of one who simply doesn't understand what is going on.   How many of us have said the same thing when we see the innocent crushed and evil prosper?   Where is Jesus?   Does He even care?    Who would serve a God that would allow things like this to happen?

Some say that they will not serve.  They deny knowing Him and choose a different path that seems to make more sense.  "it's confusing and I don't want to be part of the discussion".....so they go back to fishing and trying to earn a living.    That's what the disciples did, and that's what we sometimes do when God acts in a way that we don't understand.

But the battle goes to those who are faithful, even in spite of the seeming defeat.   The battle is won by those who are bold enough to cling to the feet of the one who is crucified, to cry and mourn without developing a theology that says "He is not able".    We must be of that caliber.   We must learn to say "Lord, I don't understand why or how or even when....but I know WHO.   You are the One, the Christ.  However you chose to do what it is that you want to do, I surrender to it."

Only as we foster the relationship in this way can we fully realize the full potential of our christian faith.

PR