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| lindisfarne crossing, holy island, nothumberland |
The context of the ride into Jerusalem we
remember from Johns gospel, is the healing and raising from the dead of
Lazarus. Why else would the people suddenly recognize who Jesus was...Why else
would they process and chant in such a manner? Mary the sister of Lazarus recognised
this when she took the perfume and poured it over Jesus "for the day of
his burial". The plot has thickened, the chief priests
are planning to kill Jesus because of this raising from the dead. And so you get this commotion, this riot,
this revolution. It is very surprising that when the
secret is out, Jesus fully acknowledges who he is and enjoyed for a moment the
adulation and the full meaning of him riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. For a
moment the mood was different. And the disciples did not understand what
was going on until they looked back on events.
And so we have before us a story of love
and hate. A story of duplicity. Jesus has stirred up such feelings in
people that some love him worship him and some are threatened by him, because
he is too powerful for them, too popular. Time and time again the gospels tell us
that Jesus knew the people and the implication is that he knew they were not
sincere. It is the knowledge of a mature person. And how right he was
I, like most of my generation am influenced by what I
see, and feel much more than what I read or hear. And so my path is rooted
in experiences.
I remember the devotion of Dr Cicely
Saunders working with the terminally ill in her hospice for the dying in South
London and how I was profoundly changed by her explanation that she did it
because of her faith in Christ. It gave my life a whole new perspective and
possibilities because of the energy of such a commitment and the source of that
energy. I remember the monks who worked with the homeless in Central London and
their quiet devotion. I remember the devotion shown to me by
those who have maturely worked out their faith in Christ and I am hallowed and
changed by their love.
And so it is that I know that today I
follow Christ because I want
to live up to that life expressed in the life of Jesus and
the love of those around me. And I know it is the best place to be. Not that it is easy, it isnt. Not that I dont
have very bad times, I do, but I know that I have experienced a glimpse of something transcendent
and whether in the bad times you believe Jesus exists or not, whether there is
life after death or not, it gives such deep satisfaction to follow in that way.
I have no doubt that the world desperately needs an injection of those who are crazy enough to commit
themselves to follow Christ however that is interpreted. It
will not come from cajoling. It will not come from sermons. It will come when
you see that deep commitment worked out by someone who touches your life. It
will come through seeing
love in action.
You can commit yourself to many other
things but if you commit yourself to following Christ, you are committing
yourself supremely to a life of love, love worked out in the grime and grit of families and relationships, love worked out in the tensions and stresses
at work, a love which is attractive, energizing
and wholesome, empowering and inspiring and to follow Christ up and down
the length of our days despite doubts and serious failures!
