March 29, 2010

Monday in Holy Week

St. Paul's is walking the Way of the Cross this week with an Email arriving early in the morning. Each day there is a lesson from the Gospels and the Collect inviting everyone to a moment of reflection on Jesus' journey to the Cross. The lessons for most of the week are based on Marcus Borg and John Crossin's book "The Last Week."

Today's lesson is Mark 11.12-19, Jesus overturning the temple.

What strikes me this morning is the response of the authorities: They looked for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

On Palm Sunday the whole crowd ostensibly ignored Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem, but today they were amazed. What changed? Why were they amazed at his teaching and not royally ticked off at his violent reaction to their long held religious system? This fickle crowd will not be enamored with Jesus for long, and today is the first time we see Jesus' disciples start to move to the background as the whole crowd asserts its mob rule. This is important. This is pivotal. This is Monday.

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