Thoughts for the Day

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, 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; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Have you ever felt lonely - I mean totally and utterly alone in the world? Sometimes we can also feel lonely even though we have a loving family and friends, perhaps when we have to do something that only we can do! I can remember that feeling of no-one else can do this for me when going into labour with my first son, and I'm sure others have felt like this when having a serious operation or treatment for cancer. At that point we are completely alone!

In our reading today Jesus and the disciples are journeying towards Jerusalem, towards his death! Notice the picture that is drawn by such a few words - Jesus 'walks ahead of them'. He is alone. He knows perfectly well what awaits him, indeed he has already warned the disciples twice (Mark 8.31-33 and 9.30-32) and this is the third time. Yet they do not want to hear; they would prefer to bury their heads in the sand.

If our hearts go out to this isolated and lonely figure stepping out on the dusty roads south, we should remember that even at his loneliest moments he was not truly alone, for his Heavenly Father was close to him. Even at his death and the terrible cry of "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!" God was never closer, upholding Jesus' resolve to offer his life for us. We too are never totally alone, for God holds us close to Him whatever happens.

Father-God,
You call us to be Your children
and shelter us under Your wings,
so that even when we are suffering
we are never given more than we can cope with.
Protect and shield us from all that may harm us,
and keep us confident
that we are never truly alone
but that you carry us
when we can no longer cope.
Amen.