Morning Moments

Saturday, 15 April 33: Feast of Unleaven Bread

A Silent Day -

By now the women are usually quietly up and preparing for the day. But there is no fire in the courtyard, no meal being prepared, no clothes being cleaned and none hanging on the line to dry on the roof top. There is something very strange going on. After all, it's feast day, but I don't hear the joyful sounds of the early risers today. The silence is deafing. My family and I are visiting and we have come a long way to celebrate the feast. Hmm, this is so unusual.

Honey, what on earth happened yesterday? I have never see a crowd so out of control. Why was this man so hated by so many? I saw him in the streets with the children. He seemed such a gentle man. I have heard so many stories about him healing and teaching and even bringing the dead back to life. Why, my friend said he even raised her friend's brother from the dead after 4 days! What did he do that made our leaders demand his death?

Daddy, I sat in his lap and looked into his eyes, and have never seen such love and gentleness. I know you love me, dad, but honestly it was as if his heart were a magnet to mine. I have never felt so close to anyone.

Yeah, dad, I watched him very closely as he spoke with Rachel and little Benjamin. I know how papa loves them and lets them sit on his knee, but when he held the kids it was like nothing I have ever seen. Why were they so cruel to him, mom?

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"Well, he's dead! We will not be bothered with him again," he thought. "But I must admit our soldiers gave that guy a beating the likes of which I have never seen. We won't have any more trouble with his followers after they saw what we can do with those who seek to upset our applecart. He got what he deserved, but I thought we would never have such support from the Jews - they fell right in line with us against him though."

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A Sad Day -

"I have listened to Mary quietly sobbing all night," he thought. What can I say to her? I so strongly believed in him myself. There was no question in my heart that he was Messiah, but now he is dead. I just don't understand what went wrong. Even our own people seemed to turn on him so quickly. And his response to what was happening - absolutely amazing! His response was, 'Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.' My heart is broken too.

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A Sobering Day -

"As I lie here thinking, I am so drained. My wife told me to have nothing to do with this man. She told me about her dream. She was so afraid for me. But I had no choice; I had to do what I did. I had to deliever him to them. Ahh, I washed my hands of this matter so why am I so tormented by what I did? I have sent many to the gallows and many to the grave, but there is somthing about this one that plagues my mind. Did I care more about my position than a person? What's wrong with me?

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A Scarey Day -

"What if he were who he said he was? After all, that scene yesterday with the heavens turning black, and the earthquake, WOW! What if we really did kill the Messiah? Will God desert us now forever? Is this the end for our nation? Looking back over yesterday I cannot believe that our feelings change so quickly about him. Should we have waited a little longer to see if he really would establish the kingdome? And what did he mean by 'my kingdom is not of this world?'. I have been a faithful Jew for a long time but I don't feel easy about what has happened."

NOW, how would you feel on this Sabbath after the crucifixion? I am not sure I would even want to get out of bed. I think I would have hurt so deeply as a Jew that it would seem all my insides had been squeezed in a vice. Oh my God! What have we done? How could this tragedy have been prevented. I cannot get our of my mind the cry of the quy at the foot of the cross, "Truly this is the Son of God!" God have mercy on us.