Holy Week 2024: EP 5 – The Wedding Gift

Maundy Thursday.

It is so inspiring how wives like Simon’s and Thomas’ wives have been the ever first person supportive of their husband on joining with Jesus. There is this saying, “Behind every successful man, there’s a woman.” and this saying couldn’t be more true for Simon and Thomas. However, success here is not about any of the material or worldly possessions but far more than all the treasures of the earth. As Eden says to Simon, “Because someone finally sees in you what I’ve always seen. You’re more than a fisherman.” and Thomas’ wife says when he utter he don’t know what to think, his wife calmly said, “So don’t. Maybe, for once in your life, don’t think.” are I think the best words an encouraging, reassuring, supportive wife can ever tell to her confused, bewildered husband who could be uncertain of the right choices to make – their calling or their responsibility.

There is this line too from Simon that we could always reflect and take to our everyday journey as he tries to lift Andrew’s spirit and take away his arising doubt about their choices to follow Jesus, “It’s like fishing. Remember when Dad taught us? Yes he didn’t teach us anything and let just sat there, and watched. And then when it was our turn, we made our own mistakes.” Simon wanted to tell Andrew how they learn from their Dad and how they turn into great fishermen where they learn a lot from their mistakes which is now how Jesus would like them to learn as well with His guidance. This is so profound.

When Jesus said to Thomas, “Do you know why jars for purification rites are made of stone?”, this got me thinking. And followed by Thaddeus as he says to Mary Magdalene, “If the smith (blacksmith) wants to change the horseshoe or the plowshare or the pot hook, he has only to put the iron back into the fire and reshape it to fit his designs.”, these parables seem to be related to how Jesus do the miracle as he turn water into wine.  He didn’t just make it like magic but he knows how to use every power and resources He has to make the thing He planned into reality.

It also amazes me how Jesus enjoys the crowd, the people and the celebration. In this series, it looks more natural and gives common image of a human in Jesus.

Holy Week 2024: EP 4 – The Rock On Which This Is Built

Holy Wednesday.

It’s the time when Simon is being cornered by the Romans. He faced a situation of who’s to favour, his fellow fishermen or the Romans whom he owe a lot. He chose the first yet his fellow didn’t believe him. Same happened to Matthew that he has to obey Roman’s order of spying Simon. Both of these men have good hearts yet sometimes, when they face something that has a lot of at stake, their conscience is fighting against their intellect. And most of the time, they fall from the trap. This normally happens with anyone, anywhere and most of the times in our lives. And sometimes, we really don’t know what would be the best thing to choose. It’s hard but most of the times, we can only get the answers after the test. And from that, it depends on ours how we will take the lessons afterwards. And how we will take the lessons is usually what matters most over what should have been our choice in the first place.

There is this Dominus’ lines that caught my attention too – “The fruit here is incredible. Everything that grows here is immaculate except the people.  You’re such a miserable lot. You worship one God, and yet, you’re all divided. People complain we Romans run the world, but I know a dirty secret. You people want to be ruled. You want an excuse to complain. It’s part of your nature.”  After hearing these words, I just thought, isn’t making sense? What do you think?

I’ve also seen how Eden, Simon’s wife, is an image of a strong, full of faith woman when she says these words to Simon while they’re having a fight about Eema to stay with them while she’s sick – “You can’t tell me what I can or can’t do. You have had your eyes closed around here, and God is with me, even if you aren’t. How she fought for herself and communicated her views towards her husband doesn’t degraded Simon yet she appears to be firm with her words. Moreover, her words could have opened Simon’s eyes only if he chose to be and open his heart too.

With Jesus’ parable about the fishnet as He says, “This net gathers fish. All kinds of fish”, I think is a good way to catch Simon’s attention as Jesus uses the parable close to Simon’s situation. This is brilliant. I think, that’s a smart way to catch someone’s attention. When you have something to say to the people or a person you want the attention focused on what you wanted to say, you go and be with their situation so they know you are with them and with that, you got their ears, all ears. And I guess, this is how Jesus communicates with most of the crowd and people he may come in contact with. With His way of communicating with people, He was able to gather them, every kind of people.