Run Away
If you are a Monty Python fan like I am, you no doubt recall the scene in The Holy Grail where the searchers of the Holy Grail wind up at a cave. When they discover the bunny guarding the cave is much more ferocious than they expected, they quickly leave under the command, "Run Away."
All of them deserted him and fled. A certain young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked. - Mark 14:50-52
Today's Gospel reading is about the capture of Jesus by the crowd. When they come to get them, all the disciples run away.
But one guy starts to follow until they catch him, and he runs away naked, having dropped his linen cloth.
We don't expect Monty Python style humor in our Gospel stories, so what is the significance of the naked man running away?
Some believe the character represents the author, John Mark and they argue that he will appear again, fully clothed at the tomb watching the women encounter the angel.
Others believe the two scenes are symbolic of our baptism, when we come to Christ naked and discover the new clothes of eternal life.
I think the man represents all of us in our desire to follow and our fear of persecution for following.
The early Christians were sought out and punished for their crime of believing God could have sent a son to His people, and to some extent, we remain apologetic for our faith to this day.
When we find ourselves in conversation with other believers in the same One God, others who are not Christian, don't we tend to focus on the stories we share in common and not talk about the Gospels?
Maybe we feel we are wearing just a thin linen cloth, not enough to shield us from the elements, and certainly not enough to keep us covered.
So, when they come to confront us, we run off.
If we truly believe that Jesus fulfilled what was written in the Scriptures we hold in common, we should feel comfortable talking about that, and standing in faith, without running from it.
Perhaps that is why we need to stay connected, to gain strength through The Holy Spirit and each other.
So, let us try in our next encounter with others, to be ourselves and share our beliefs when appropriate, without running away.
We may find it gives us strength and courage.
More to come...