My Bible teacher used to call the opening chapter of St. Mark’s gospel: “What a week with Jesus.” After leaving the temptations in the wilderness he is baptized by John the Baptist hearing God’s affirming message, begins his preaching ministry, calls the first disciples, drives out demons to the astonishment of the people, starts his healing ministry and sets out in his traveling to bring good news to the world. All these are indications of the divine mission Jesus was undertaking. However, it is no accident that Mark reports that Jesus went off by himself to pray in the midst of this flurry of activity. He needed to do so since he was, in the words of the epistle, “like his brothers and sisters in every way.” In other words, he was full of doubts and fears and second-guessing and reluctances and questioning and tiredness that we are all prone to. Yes, a divine mission but one filled with human emotion. As we strive to live a gospel we are consoled with the awareness that Jesus is able to help those who are being tested … because he himself was tested.
