Mark 14:50-52
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic tale The Hobbit, the main character, Bilbo Baggins, starts off on an adventure unprepared. He leaves his home in a hurry, late for an appointment, and is upset to find that he has gone off without hat, walking stick or money. And most distressing to him is that he realizes he has left his home without his pocket handkerchief.
Whenever there is a moment of crisis or when we are confronted with an emotionally upsetting situation we can find ourselves completely unprepared, not at all ready to face what needs to be faced. In Mark’s account of the arrest of Jesus in the garden we get a sense of the turmoil the unexpected encounter has caused.
What did all the disciples do? What happened with the young man with the linen garment?
These last two verses of Mark seem to be a strange anomaly, an odd and graphic description of what was happening. Why do we need to hear about a young man who runs away from Jesus naked?
It seems to be presented to us so that we can see how desperate these followers were to get away from the responsibility of following Jesus just when things were getting difficult. The young man was so intent on escaping what was happening that his clothing no longer mattered to him.
As we prepare for Easter we must be certain that we have indeed prepared for the celebration. We must not only be ready to rejoice in the resurrection, but we must also be prepared to accept what the resurrection means.
It is more than just a gift to us through the love of God. With the new life Jesus gives us in the resurrection comes responsibility. We are called on to be a living example of the sacrificial love Jesus exhibited on the cross. We are called on to be strong enough to accept the forgiveness of Christ, to acknowledge our own sinfulness, and to set our eyes on a life that is more holy than what we have been living.
DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you be ready to accept a new life of forgiveness and Christian duty?
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