Balm that soothes
May anxiety never linger about you.
May your outer dignity mirror an inner dignity of soul.
Take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.
Be consoled in the secret symmetry of your soul.
May you experience each day as a sacred gift,
woven around the heart of wonder.
Anxiety had probably lingered much longer than Jesus ever thought possible.
He received comfort where he could. And as Monday’s gospel reading from John shared, the comfort he found after entering Jerusalem was in the home of dear friends.
Martha, Lazarus, and Mary opened their doors to welcome their friend and his followers.
Food is always considered a balm. And so a table was spread.
It's possible that Mary knew the risk Jesus was taking as he entered the walls of Jerusalem. Was she telling him she knew by washing his feet with heart and soul? That precious oil and her hands were a balm.
The tension in that home eluded no one. The city’s leadership hovered nearby, gathering information here and there. Information they would use when arresting Jesus.
His own disciple, Judas, showed his dissatisfaction with Jesus’ leadership, once again. It would not be long before this disappointment and frustration would lead Judas to betrayal.
This is Wednesday of Holy Week. Today's gospel reading from John tells of a shared supper among Jesus and his disciples.
Once again, food was balm.
Breaking bread and passing a cup would become a sacred act in the years to follow. Today, we hear the words “Do this and remember me” in churches offering communion or the Lord’s Supper, and we are taken back to this shared meal.
Tension was right outside the door. Yet, Jesus knew the importance of teaching his followers how to “celebrate the quiet miracles.”
The time spent around this table together would go by quickly. Soon, the outside tension and noise would surround everyone. Remembering this meal would be understood as a gift, holy and healing.
Quote: John O’Donohue, from For Presence