Deafening Silence

AWMoore

Today is known as Maundy Thursday in the Christian tradition – a day that Jesus dines with his disciples and commands them love one another, to serve, to remember. It is a day of betrayal and denial, trial and accusation. My thoughts turn to those moments Jesus stood before religious leaders, the state, persecutors and agitators. Like yelling at a movie to warn someone of impending danger, I have often wanted to yell at him to defend himself. Say something! But Jesus made no further reply (Mark 15:5). He was silent. What could he say before the powers?

Standing before them was a man…

·      from a marginalized community, oppressed by the state; 

·      that proclaimed Love to the religious who felt safer hidden behind doctrine and tradition;

·      heralded as a leader and feared by those in power; 

·      who lived faithfully to his calling to heal ~ standing before powers not armed with a sword but empowered by Love; 

·      a man who refused temptation to use power for his own benefit; to serve ways of the world; to worship kingdoms of institutions; who refused to satisfy his hunger with anything that would not feed his soul (Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-12).

The statement of his life was on full display as he stood before his accusers. If they could not see him before, they would not see him now. Their minds were made up like a crooked prosecutor, who is complicit in silencing any disturbance to the status quo so the status quo may be restored. Get rid of him. 

He was silent. 
What could he say…that he had not done?