While We Wait

“During the day, Jesus was teaching in the temple area, but at night he would leave and stay at the place called the Mount of Olives. And all the people would get up early each morning to listen to him in the temple area.” Luke 21 37-38


I chose this quote because it is the last passage before we enter the Passion story. I always wondered what went on between Palm Sunday and Holy Thursday? This is a Holy Week, right?

When I was younger I would take most if not all of the week off as my vacation because it allowed me to go to mass or stop and focus on what was going on. I, probably like you, have no such luxury now. Now I long to be one of the people who wake up early in the morning and go and listen to Jesus as he talks all day at the temple. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?

It makes me wonder what those people felt on Friday morning, when they were no longer able to listen. How many of them came to Jesus’s defense, or knowing it was futile against the Roman guards simply walked away discouraged. I feel a sense of loss for those people. Where did they turn?

I wonder…

Perhaps they are the ones who really believed that Easter morning. Perhaps they are the first Christians and we should thank them for the gift of our faith. Maybe it was their faith and courage at a time when it really made no sense that tells the real story. Jesus looked in their eyes, his Spirit touched their Spirit. Maybe they believed.

Tomorrow we will celebrate one of the most important days in our liturgical year. I want to also celebrate the gift of courage that the early Christians had. We are indebted to them because they believed. Their belief allows our belief. Praise God! Where would we be without it.