Holy Week 2007-
Tuesday- Conflict and the Son of Man
(Based on thoughts from Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan in the book, The Last Week.)

Surprisingly Mark spends more time on Tuesday than any other day of the week. Three chapters (11:27 – 13:37) and 115 verses continue the narrative. Of those verses two-thirds involve conflict with the Temple authorities and one-third are about the coming of the Son of Man- an apocalyptic vision.

When I think about it, it isn't a big surprise that Jesus (and Mark's editing) would put it together this way. The apocalyptic vision does follow on the conflict with the authorities. Apolcalyptic visions are always the produce to a time and place of oppression, conflict, and misplaced worship. The Book of Revelation was written in such a time of fear and uncertainty. The Y2K version, often picked up by Christian apocalyptics, came in suc a time of change and uncertainty.

So Jesus challenged the powers that be and gave a vision that the world was changing. Radically. Quickly. Be aware and alert. Such is the message of all apocalyptic literature. Be faithful and single-minded about your faith. Don't collaborate with the powers that be- they will soon be gone.

We can argue- and we Christians HAVE argued- over the exact meanings and timetables and impacts of the apocalyptic prophecies. But the point Jesus is making is that faithfulness means being there when the world starts to change- and being there with God. The power of the "domination system" collaboration between religion and government will not stand through the change. Don't put your hopes and security in the state. Even to advance or protect the faith and the faithful as the leaders of Jesus day (and ours?) would hae argued.

Is this Holy Week just a political demonstration? That's what it can begin to sound like. That may be because in the end it was the ways of the world- usually wrapped up in the politics- that challenges the faith most fully. It is in many instances a competing entity calling for worship. Don't let it fool you.

To remain faithful to God means to remain faithful in all our lives. May this Holy Week lead us deeper into being aware of that and doing it more fully.

From March Madness- to April Depression-
to Opening Day
Okay- so Corey won the pmPilgrim bracket challenge. Just because he got the right winner in Florida. He bettered me in the final score, 129 to 96. But I do have to point out that in the overall tournament I have 43 right picks and he only had 41. So what if he picked Florida? That's the depression part.

But let us not overlook Opening Day. Ah, the season of Baseball has begun. Can summer, even in Minnesota, be far behind?