We approach the end of a difficult week of faith. The present closure of our churches feels especially challenging this week – Holy Week. Yet in some ways it brings home to us more than ever the sense of the despair that must have been felt by the disciples as they were separated from their master following that famous last supper. Everything was up in the air and seemed to be changing by the minute – even more so than for us today. He – their Lord, – insisted on washing their feet ! Everything was turned on its head.
Jesus’ last days as mortal contained much loneliness. He felt isolated, and abandoned. The joy with which he had been received just days earlier, was short lived. Many of us are experiencing isolation and loneliness whilst living so close to others in community. Again, the present circumstances may be presenting us with a new and challenging experience and an opportunity to understand anew to sense the painful abandonment of Christ. Even Peter, the rock upon which the church is built, denied him not once but three times.
How much more abandoned did His followers feel after Good Friday? We are so often quick to reach easy judgments, – that seems to be an in-built human failing. When our comfort zones are breached we so often seek to justify or point blame – yet that rarely is the best way to take us forward. At the last supper He shared on earth Jesus instructed his followers to “love one another”.
Today it is incumbent upon all off us to contemplate what it truly means – to love one another.We pray that Christ’s grace be with us, that we may be slow to judge, and willing to forgive – those qualities that He taught us to hold close.
With thoughts and prayers
Clive