Today's Reading and some ancient thoughts....

Mark 14:26-72

Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

27 And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'

28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee."

29 Peter said to him, "Even though they all fall away, I will not."

30 And Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."

31 But he said emphatically, "If I must die with you, I will not deny you." And they all said the same.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray."

33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.

34 And he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch."

35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

36 And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?

38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.

40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.

41 And he came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard."

45 And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, "Rabbi!" And he kissed him.

46 And they laid hands on him and seized him.

47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.

48 And Jesus said to them, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?

49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled."

50 And they all left him and fled.

Hilary of Poitiers: Although he was obedient, it was a voluntary obedience. The only begotten Son humbled himself, obeyed his Father even to the death of the cross. But was it as human or as a Gos that he was subjected to the Father? His subjection is not a sign merely of temporal obedience, for His allegiance is eternal. Rather it was an instance in time of the dispensation of the eternal mystery of him humbling. His actual humbling occurred within time. Yet in its very unpretentiousness it displays the eternal mystery of His humiliation. (On The Trinity 11.30)

Augustine: To show sufferers they need not despair, the True Savior became the Good Teacher by Himself epitomizing the truth in His own person. He participated in our suffering in an empathetic way, knowing that through human frailty sorrow might steal in upon our hearts amid afflictions, and knowing that we would overcome itif we yield to God's will above our own, mindful that God knows best those whose well-being He superintends. (The Harmony of the Gospels 3.4.14)

radaph: how often do I pray for "His will" to be done in my life... after dropping a laundry list of demands and requests upon Him? Is it thrown in as a spiritual soliliqouy - kind of like "In Jesus Name" - because of being indoctrinated into the "right" way to pray? Or shared with the humility that recognizes the depth of the Father's Love (because that is who He is, after all) and a willingness to walk through any fiery furnace, sleep in any den full of lions, challenge any mob of false prophets, or carry any cross based upon a belief that being with Him in the midst of those circumstances will always be better then outside of them without Him? That's the HEART of the matter....

Todays Reading

Matthew 9:1-17

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven." And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming." But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he then said to the paralytic--"Rise, pick up your bed and go home." And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Jesus Calls Matthew

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

A Question About Fasting

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."