Distracted Holy Week

As I sit in the Piazza della Repubblica, I am distracted.  We're visiting Florence, Italy this week which is endless in its beauty.  This place is also endless in grand masterpieces and grand cathedrals that point to the Glory of God.  Centuries old architecture, frescos, paintings and sculptures all celebrating the news of God's nearness to us.  But even in this enormous center of Christian culture, I'm distracted.

At this very moment, this is what I see:
a woman taking selfies;
a couple kissing in the middle of the piazza;
a guy riding his bike home from work;
tourists congregating;
a mom and daughter, holding hands and scurrying;
a couple an infant and with a baby stroller;
a horse drawn carriage tour;
and on and on...

I wondered to myself about this distraction and why I couldn't get my mind together to write. So, I thought about what Jesus was doing on the week before the first Easter.  Do you know?  I didn't!

We know about Palm Sunday...our sermon in the Italian church we visited offered a compelling teaching on this event.  But what about Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday?  Was Jesus distracted and dreading what lie ahead?  I know when I'm dreading an event or the end of a vacation, I begin to focus so much on the end that I miss the current day.  I obsess over what WILL happen instead of what today might offer or what I might give TO today.

From my limited research and thoughts, here was Jesus' week:
He taught... He went to His mission statement...He taught people;
He confronted some people who were confused in their understanding;
He taught more;
He cared for those closest to Him;
He shared dinner with his best friends;
He showed them extreme love;
He prepared them for what was to come;
He even loved one who would later betray him.

This is a good prescription for me this week.  Focus on my personal mission and not look to tomorrow in dread or anticipation.  As I look toward Easter Sunday, there is still work to be done today, tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  Oh, what work, Jesus did on Friday!

What work do you have this week?  (Work that is before the distraction of Easter lunch preparation.)  Who can you teach?  Who can you love?  Who can you serve?  Let our mission be extreme love this week.

Goodbye, distraction.