Casting Fire

As we come closer to Holy Week, Jesus declares that the hour he was preparing for, has indeed come. It is when the Greeks, the non-Jews come asking to see him, that Jesus declares his hour has come for him to be glorified. His glory is what he will reveal on the Cross. And it is a glory his disciples will share.

Suffering is something that seems to be an inevitable part of life. No one, good or bad, rich or poor, escapes suffering in their life. Hard as it might be, our experience of suffering becomes far more difficult due to two things: isolation and darkness. This is what the Apostles were entering into: and in their place of darkness, God reveals his light which changes everything. This is the light that God wants to cover us with, in our own time of prayer.

Mark's gospel presents the shortest account of the temptations of Jesus. It mentions the Holy Spirit, the Devil and even wild animals and angels but nothing of the content of the temptations themselves. But within this few, brilliantly crafted lines, we can see our own lives played out. And Christ comes as King battling forces far greater than ourselves, so we can have the victory.

We are confronted by the striking lament of Job in his suffering. In Job, all those who suffer, and suffer greatly can find a voice.Physical suffering can sometimes be relentless, leaving one with no rest and no joy. And the gospel seems to give God's verdict on this suffering - Jesus heals everyone. Does God really want to heal us? And does it happen today?

The book of Jonah is one of the most hilarious, yet completely profound books of Scripture. It has depths to plumb, all the way down to the deep! But in Jonah, we can find ourselves in our pain and our difficulties and a God who will go to the ends of the world to find us.