Lent - Day 35 - Mountain Breezes

Gospel	John 10:31-42 ©

They wanted to stone Jesus, but he eluded them

The Jews fetched stones to stone him, so Jesus said to them, ‘I have done many good works for you to see, works from my Father; for which of these are you stoning me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘We are not stoning you for doing a good work but for blasphemy: you are only a man and you claim to be God.’ Jesus answered:

‘Is it not written in your Law:

I said you are gods?

So the Law uses the word gods

of those to whom the word of God was addressed,

and scripture cannot be rejected.

Yet you say to someone the Father has consecrated and sent into the world,

“You are blaspheming,”

because he says, “I am the son of God.”

If I am not doing my Father’s work,

there is no need to believe me;

but if I am doing it,

then even if you refuse to believe in me,

at least believe in the work I do;

then you will know for sure

that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’

The last couple of days have been hard going. But finally, after much hard work, we are atop the mountains and in the distance, we see Jerusalem, the Holy City, the goal of our walk. Once we left the leeward side of the mountain and crossed over the great divide between the desert and the Promised land we seemed to be rewarded by cool breezes and we stopped one night near a stream and the waters were cold and refreshing.  We all took advantage of the cold, clear, water and washed the desert away from us.  The sun has toughened our skin and I can see why the Bedouins look as they do after years of baking in the hot desert sun.  

The Master has been more silent and reflective as we get closer to Jerusalem.  Worry lines seem to be etching themselves into His face.  He still speaks lovingly and softly to us and brings us words of great wisdom but you can look into his eyes and see that something is bothering Him.  He spoke but briefly at breakfast this morning and He Himself took no nourishment except a draught of water.  Here is what He said.

"Children, it has been a great honor to walk these weeks.  Together we have walked as brothers and each of us has conquered things that have bedeviled us in the day to day world., It has been good to have this time together.  Soon, we arrive at the Holy City.  You will look for Me, but not see me.  But you will find me because I am in your heart.  As long as you are kind and forgiving and as long as you show love to those who are not your friends, you will be doing what I am doing.  Mercy and tenderness are the stock in trade of my friends and each of you bears that title in your soul, friend." 

Jerusalem will be under our feet in a couple of days.  I wonder what we will see there when the Master enters.  What signs and wonders will we be witnesses to?