In today's gospel, Jesus crosses over to the other side.
While he is there he encounters a crowd waiting, pressing, pushing, needing, wanting; yet, he seems to embrace all of them with enthusiasm and eagerness;
he remains charitable and gentle even in the midst of all those demands.
The people were selfish, they only cared for what they could get; they were using Jesus for what he could provide and yet he allowed it.
Truly Jesus had gone over to the other side.
He refused to let the hounding of others determine his own attitude of charity, gentleness, and godliness. Unlike Moses, who caved under the pressure of the harassment of the people at Kadesh (Numbers 20:2-12), where he failed to manifest the sanctity of God; the new moses, Jesus, crosses over to the other side and manifest the sanctity even in such pressure situations.
He is ridiculed at one point and yet maintains his composure; goodness flows forth and benefits all. Charming indeed is the son of God, who cares for those even when they do not necessarily care for him.
Perhaps we too can cross over to the other side and begin to live differently. Grace through Christ can do this. This is what lent is about, 40 days given to us to begin the journey to the other side of life, where love of God and love of neighbor truly transforms us.
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