Ever wonder how many were among the Children of Israel when they wandered the wilderness, or how they managed too set up and take down camp, including the Tent of Meeting, along the way? Any among you who are Altar Guild Members, wonder how they took care of their sacred vessels? Then Numbers is for you!  

 

Numbers is part census, and part instruction manual for how to move along a host of Children of Israel for 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.  Feel free to read it much as you did Leviticus: take in what you can, and when you feel your eyes glazing over, feel free to scan, and then move on to the Psalm.

 

Speaking of Psalms, today's is 40... the Psalm I "blame" for my part in the U2charist movement that was a significant part of my ministry during my time at St. George's in York Harbor (was I ever that young?? and btw, I didn't use the word "popular" to describe the music of Bach and Handel!  Editors are sometimes no help at all...I assured Ruben of this misquote when I met him the first time, exactly 3 years ago this week!). The first time I heard U2 in the context of a Eucharist was at the Boston University Episcopal Chaplaincy. The Psalm that week was 40, and in lieu of reading it, we sang U2s' 40 together... Which, if you need a break from census and logistics, or even just a good song to be stuck in your head today, you might listen to here. The Edge's guitar will be with you the rest of the day, but that's a good thing...

 

Especially as we begin to read the Passion Narrative in Mark. Does it seem a bit like Mark is slowing down? It feels that way to me. He's not giving a tremendous amount of detail, but somehow it feels like he's taking a bit more time.  One detail he includes that has fascinated speculators for centuries is in Mark 14: 51-52. Having just read that all the disciples deserted Jesus and fled, we meet this "certain young man who was following them..." who they grab-- but get hold of his linen garment only, and he runs off naked. Many have wondered if this certain young man may have been the evangelist Mark himself-- for how else would he know that the young man was there (since everyone else had fled...) and it's a curious detail to retain, especially given how many details it seems Mark leaves out in his telling.  

 

So, what do you think? Was that certain young man Mark?

 

 

Paige+