Saturday: Sabbath separation (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)

The sun set on Friday, Sabbath began, and then the world fell still.  Twenty-four hours of rest.

Jesus lays in his tomb, and his family and friends grieve from afar. The week’s worship day has become their worst nightmare. They spend the Sabbath waiting for it to be over. They are waiting for the sun to set and rise again, so they might get to work.

By the light of Sunday’s sunrise, they will set out for the tomb, anoint his body with oil and spices, and leave it forever in its final resting place.

But for now, they wait.

There’s nothing to be said. There’s nothing to be done.

~~~~~

On the first Saturday of his ministry, Jesus got up before sunrise, went out alone to a deserted place, and prayed. Everyone was looking for him and no one knew where he was.

What is he doing on this Saturday?

He is lying alone in stillness of his tomb, in the most deserted place of all. Again people are longing for him, but this time they know where he is and cannot reach him.

Is he praying, even in death?

For now, we can only imagine.

Text for the day:

None. The Word is silent today.

Things to think about:

What could Jesus be doing while his body lies in the grave?

Things to do:

Grieve for those who try to kill love and life.

Jesus, help me adore you.

Good Friday: Ending it all (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)

On the day of Jesus’ baptism, a schism opened in the heavens and a voice came to Jesus,  “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

On the first Friday of Jesus’ ministry, he entered the synagogue, the world of Jewish men, and cast out an unclean spirit. They said of him, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!” He then crossed the street, entered a home, the world of Jewish women, and lifted up a woman sick with a fever. As the Sabbath ended, the whole city gathered at his door.

At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus couldn’t have been alone if he tried. Everyone wanted him. Then he crossed every boundary and entered every forbidden realm imaginable: sickness, religion, law, nature, gender, age, profession, ethnicity, geography. He has healed everyone and he has done all things well.

Now, on the last Friday of his ministry, he is tried, convicted, whipped, and crucified.  He dies, despised by everyone.

Now a new schism opens. The seventy-foot-high curtain in the Temple, separating the outer courtyard from the Holy of Holies where the ark of the covenant containing the stone tablets of the ten commandments is stored, rips from high in the air all the way to the ground, never to be mended again.

As the Sabbath begins today, instead of being surrounded by friends and people clamoring for his gifts and attention, Jesus is alone in a tomb. But he is not finished.

He is still crossing boundaries and entering forbidden realms. This time, he enters the heart of the empire. He enters the seat of power that keeps every citizen in his or her place. He enters the places the empire uses as a threat to everyone who might think of stepping out of line. He enters intimidation, trial, shame, torture, fear, and death itself.

While the world rests, he is at work.

Text for the day:

Mark 15:1-47

Things to think about:

Love and healing shatter barriers and boundaries.

Things to do:

Find something in common with everyone you meet.

Jesus, although we have done the worst, continue to do your best.

Thursday, week two: The crowds gather (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)

As soon as the sun sets and the Sabbath rest ends, everyone gathers at the door of the house. Clearly, the men from the synagogue have been talking and that talk has been compelling.

The men were first-hand witnesses of Jesus’ mastery of the holy scriptures. With their own eyes, they saw a new teaching with power and authority that expelled an unclean spirit from their holy place of study. Jesus demonstrated that he is worthy of being their Rabbi.

Now, it’s one thing to demonstrate that you are worthy. It’s another when people actually grant you authority and are actually moved to action.

Jesus has so captivated the men of this small Jewish town that they move decisively.

At the first possible opportunity, they demonstrate that Jesus has authority. They flock to the place they last saw him, bringing with them everyone they know who is sick or troubled with unclean spirits. The whole town, in fact, is gathered at the door. The whole town hopes Jesus will do for them what he has done for one.

“Wholeness” is a big deal to Mark. He’s not interested in those who follow half-way or half-heartedly. Mark is interested in the Kingdom of God, a new empire ripping apart old schemes (remember the schism from Jesus’ baptism?) in ways that cause decisive moves to wholeness, and in ways that cause the whole community to move decisively. He heals them all. He moves throughout the whole region, doing the same in every town around Galilee.

In Mark’s gospel, people will move decisively, some toward Jesus, and some against him. There is no wishy-washiness here, only decisiveness in one direction or another. It all leads to complete healing or complete breakdowns. Either way, the Kingdom of God is near, and the call to repentance stands.

Text for the day:

Mark 1:32-39

Things to think about:

Jesus casts out one unclean spirit and the whole community moves decisively. What causes a community to move decisively today? Are those things worthy of the kind of movement they garner?

Things to do:

Talk with someone today about brokenness, wholeness, and decisiveness. Notice how your conversation binds you to each other.

Jesus help us move together toward wholeness.