Well, we’ve reached Maundy Thursday at last. Holy week is always a busy time for me – not just because there are extra services to take but also because there are extra sermons to write, hymns to pick, service to prepare, etc. Even when much of the preparation has been done before the week there is still much to be done. Of course the extra services take their toll as well – I am always exhausted after taking a service – is this just me?
I wonder if Jesus felt the same. He did an awful lot in that last week. Lots of teaching, cleansing the temple, praying, etc. I suspect a large part of him was getting pretty nervous about what was coming but maybe he also felt relief that it had at last come.
It’s a trivial example but I don’t like certain things and don’t like when they are in my diary. There is something of a relief when the waiting is over and the event has come – it’s not that I like the event but also that the waiting can be as bad – if not worse – than actually facing the moment itself.
Although Jesus must have dreaded this day I think in some ways he was relieved when Judas finally set off to betray him.