Over the past three weeks I have had the privilege of studying and leading a Bible study on the passion narrative in Mark's Gospel.  That experience brought many insights and has certainly been a highlight of my Lenten journey as together we move toward the cross and empty tomb.

Three times in that gospel does Jesus predict his passion, death and resurrection (8:31, 9:31 and 10:33-34.)  Jesus knew what God's will required of him and he was obedient to it, costly and painful as it was. "The Son of Man" he said on the way to Jerusalem, "came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many" (10:45).  In the garden of Gethsemane on the night of his arrest he prayed with grief and distress that God would "remove the cup" of suffering from him, "yet" he conceded, "not what I want but what you (Father) want" (14:36).  From the cross, after betrayal, denial, trial, flogging, and mocking, Jesus cried out his last words, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (15:34; see also Psalm 22:1.)

Mark's portrayal of the necessity and nature of Jesus' death is deeply moving.  It raises hard questions in the lives of readers and disciples like us.  Are we willing to be obedient to God's will when it requires sacrifice and suffering?  Or, like Peter, do we run away from the hard and costly work of the kingdom?  Are our motives "other-focused" and oriented toward serving or are we so self-absorbed that we fail to see or meet the needs of those around us?  For the sake of the gospel, and for the sake of Jesus, would we suffer peacefully and silently without self-defense through injustice, ridicule, humiliation and utter abandonment? Are we so faithful and obedient?  We confess we are not.  Are we so called?  Indeed, we are. 

We ended that Bible study with some advice given to the persecuted Christians of the first century, "Rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ's sufferings.  If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed.  If you suffer as a Christian, do not consider it a disgrace, but glorify God because you bear his name so that you may also be glad when his glory is revealed (from 1 Peter 4:13-16).  Lenten blessings to you all.