But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized you will be baptized, (Mark 10: 38,39)

I had one of those ridiculously busy days last week.  It started with needing to write and get things done first thing in the morning, and then progressed from there.  I had ERRANDS to run.  I had CHORES to do.  I had WORK that must be completed.  I had QUESTIONS that needed to be answered and I had to ANSWER a whole bunch of questions.  It was busy.  It was consuming and I was a tinge on the resentful side that I had so much to do.  My work day ended late, and when I got home my knees ached, the dogs needed walking, supper needed making and the kitchen needed cleaning.

As I was throwing dishes around the kitchen for only the dogs to witness, and grumping about how busy I was and how I couldn’t possibly be expected to keep on top of all of my responsibilities, I was brought up short by my own thinking.

Why exactly was I so busy?

Well that’s complicated, right?  Because…well…busy is seen as better than not busy, right?  I had totally created the day that was careening out of control.  Not all of the errands I had scheduled for myself needed to be run.  Not all of the questions I needed to answer needed to be answered at exactly that time.  I didn’t allow myself to not be busy.  I didn’t allow myself to ask someone else to help me out.  I didn’t dare lighten up my self-imposed schedule.

Because in my world, ‘not busy’ is ‘not useful’.  And ‘not useful’ is somehow ‘bad’.

I’m always amazed that when I ask people ‘how’ they are doing, the standard response is ‘busy’.  In fact, that’s my standard response.  Even when I’m not all that busy lol.  Because, when I’m honest with myself, I have a really lovely life with times that I can sit on my couch and watch the squirrels running around in the back yard.  I don’t talk about those times.  When someone asks me ‘how’ I am, I never respond with “well, I’m amused by the antics of my squirrels outside and I’m feeling really relaxed sitting in my jammies”.  Because that’s not ‘right’.  That’s not ‘good’.  That’s not….and I hesitate to confess this ‘faithful enough’.

I’m also amazed that overworking is socially sanctioned, especially in church circles.  And yet, the inevitable end of overworking is burn out, and burn out is still only ever whispered about and has these little hints of judgey-ness to it.

Because despite all of repeated scripture stories about strength in weakness and community, we still consider overwork and individualism as more honorable.

This week’s lectionary reading includes a passage from Mark 10, and those of you who are part of worship will hear me preach on the whole thing on Sunday, but this little passage, about Jesus telling the disciples that they will ‘drink from the same cup’ and be ‘baptized with the same baptism’ stood out for me in light of my foolish attitudes towards usefulness and busyness.

We all know what the cup is that Jesus refers to, right?  We celebrate that cup every time we share Communion.  It’s the cup that represents selflessness.  That represent servanthood.  That represents allowing others to be first in us as last.  The baptism thing is a little more complicated, and if you want to read about it, you can find a full (and really interesting) commentary on it at www.workingpreacher.org.  But just to be clear.  The Jewish community had all sorts of cleansing rituals to prepare yourself for worship.  The difference here is that those rituals, some of which are still honored today, are done in private and by yourself.  Jesus’ baptism was done by John.  Publicly.  A cleansing ritual performed by someone else.  The act of Baptism is public and is done ‘for you’ in community.

And the Holy Spirit descended.

We are called to share in this place of selflessness, service and community.  And that is the place where the Holy Spirit is.

So, my dear Bethel peeps.  If you find yourself in the kitchen, throwing dishes around for the dogs’ amusement, or if you find yourself responding that you’re ‘busy’ when someone asks you how you are, take a moment and check in with yourself.  You are more than the tasks you have scheduled yourself with.  You are more than a full calendar and a bunch of checked off errands.  You don’t need to be busy to be worthwhile.

Because you share in Jesus’ cup, and Jesus’ baptism.

Blessings today and remember you are Loved.

~Rev. Lynne