35th Day of Lent
The Last Follower Stopped Following
"And a young man followed him...and they seized him." Mark 14:51

As Martin Marty points out, this is certainly an unusual story.  A young man was following Jesus as he was betrayed and arrested.  This man, wearing only a linen cloth, was also seized, but the linen cloth came loose and he was able to run off naked. 

Naked.  Exposed.  Vulnerable.  Embarrassed.  Perhaps this man's nakedness is meant to symbolize what took place at this time with all the disciples.  They all ran off, naked, so to speak, showing their lack of courage and faithfulness.  They left Jesus alone to face his captors, alone to die on the cross.

Or perhaps it is meant to symbolize what will soon happen to Jesus.  He will be alone and vulnerable, stripped naked and nailed to the cross.  He becomes naked for our sake, becoming our sin, dying the death we deserved. 

This week we are naked before God.  Like this follower and all the disciples, our sin is revealed.  And this week Jesus Christ becomes naked for us, taking our betrayal and dying for it on the cross.  Because of this we no longer need to be embarrassed or ashamed before God.  We are clothed in the righteousness of Christ.