Palm Sunday

A powerful start to Holy Week.

This Palm Sunday I preached on the young man who ran away naked in the garden of Gethsemane. Some believe he was St Mark, who wrote the Gospel used this year. Strange how the Passion draws us in... we have to watch even though we want to turn away or even run away like the young man. 

And he is naked. I recalled another garden, Eden, where God was accustomed to walk with Adam and Eve, until they sinned. Then they became aware of their nakedness and hid from God. He came looking for them, but they had run away. They were afraid of being exposed to God just as they were - just as we are - just as the young man was.

To benefit fully from Holy Week we must be prepared to be fully exposed to the God who hangs (naked) on the Cross for us.  To be truly present to Jesus who is present to us. He loves us, and died for us, just as we are, not how we would like to be, or think we should be, or are told we must be. Just as we are, naked before the Lord. No need to run away.