Among the crowds...
And so it was that Jesus passed among the crowds on that fateful Passover.
some wanted healing, Others sought His counsel or asked Him to bless their children. others still merely wanted to get a glimpse of this man who has created such a stir, then moved on. "The Nazerene? Yeah, I saw him pass" they may have said later.
"Do not call anyone on earth 'father' , for one is your Father in heaven' he tells the crowds. "The greatest among you must be your servant". Oh yes. we like to use that word , don't we?
In England, 'civil servant' is a favourite phrase of highly paid and privileged bureaucrats. Even governmental departments like to call themselves 'Ministries' and government ministers tend to go everywhere by limousine, rather than travel on foot.
And Jesus? he embraces servant hood in ways that his disciples find strange. He has already told Peter that He is going to be killed this Passover. And now, this crowd constantly pester him by bringing their children to Him to be blessed. Doesn't the Master have greater worries? Real concerns? Don't come bothering Him, at this time of all times. Send the children away - give Him a moment's peace...but no. Even with His own death impending, Jesus takes time out for the little children, whom few besides their own parents consider of any importance.
Jesus takes his own words seriously. He "walks his talk", as Americans might put it. Yes, he shows the way. but will we follow? Will I? In the days ahead, Jesus will go 'all the way' - and leave the others trailing in His wake. Some will go to the very limits of what they can stand. You can even say they *all* will, but some have more strength than others.
Peter, who is a fisherman, is used to 'conning the bridge' - he keeps one eye on the nets and the other on the weather. He will eventually end up leading this little band when Jesus is no longer there, for he is a natural leader, a man with a strong personality and the confidence to use it. He is tough, courageous. It is he who usually speaks while the others are still thinking. He will act while others simply talk. Yet even Peter will only go so far before he breaks, as we shall see.
It is Christ's unfailing love that shines out above our human failings. And, as our Churches around the world combine to celebrate Easter, are any of us, as Churches or individuals, prepared to answer the call to follow and serve as he did? There is no denying that we really want to. But we shall all 'fall asleep' in our own way, on our own watch, before the end.
some wanted healing, Others sought His counsel or asked Him to bless their children. others still merely wanted to get a glimpse of this man who has created such a stir, then moved on. "The Nazerene? Yeah, I saw him pass" they may have said later.
"Do not call anyone on earth 'father' , for one is your Father in heaven' he tells the crowds. "The greatest among you must be your servant". Oh yes. we like to use that word , don't we?
In England, 'civil servant' is a favourite phrase of highly paid and privileged bureaucrats. Even governmental departments like to call themselves 'Ministries' and government ministers tend to go everywhere by limousine, rather than travel on foot.
And Jesus? he embraces servant hood in ways that his disciples find strange. He has already told Peter that He is going to be killed this Passover. And now, this crowd constantly pester him by bringing their children to Him to be blessed. Doesn't the Master have greater worries? Real concerns? Don't come bothering Him, at this time of all times. Send the children away - give Him a moment's peace...but no. Even with His own death impending, Jesus takes time out for the little children, whom few besides their own parents consider of any importance.
Jesus takes his own words seriously. He "walks his talk", as Americans might put it. Yes, he shows the way. but will we follow? Will I? In the days ahead, Jesus will go 'all the way' - and leave the others trailing in His wake. Some will go to the very limits of what they can stand. You can even say they *all* will, but some have more strength than others.
Peter, who is a fisherman, is used to 'conning the bridge' - he keeps one eye on the nets and the other on the weather. He will eventually end up leading this little band when Jesus is no longer there, for he is a natural leader, a man with a strong personality and the confidence to use it. He is tough, courageous. It is he who usually speaks while the others are still thinking. He will act while others simply talk. Yet even Peter will only go so far before he breaks, as we shall see.
It is Christ's unfailing love that shines out above our human failings. And, as our Churches around the world combine to celebrate Easter, are any of us, as Churches or individuals, prepared to answer the call to follow and serve as he did? There is no denying that we really want to. But we shall all 'fall asleep' in our own way, on our own watch, before the end.