Jesus, Graham Greene, & Ways of Escape

The Catholic writer Graham Greene famously summed up his life as a search for “Ways of Escape.” He said that his abundant writing and travels were simply a means to escape the panic fear, madness, and melancholia of contemporary life. Green’s life summation goes a long way in helping to explain some events found in the canonical Gospels of Jesus the Christ.

It often strikes the objective reader as odd that the future disciples drop everything on a dime when the stranger named Jesus comes walking along and says “follow me.”¹ But is it really that strange? As Thoreau said, the majority of us do live lives of quiet desperation, and thus are seeking ways of escape.

Yet few of us have the intestinal fortitude of Graham Greene–the courage to fashion an escape route on our own. But if we have the opportunity to follow someone else, someone who can lead us, then the decision to break away becomes much easier. Strength in numbers, as they say. That is why cult leaders are so successful.

Jesus wasn’t a cult leader, though, no matter how much his disciples wished him to be one.² Jesus sought to give his followers the strength to escape the chains that bound them, but once the break was clean, he wanted them to walk their own path.

Jesus Christ calls us all to be strong. Not strong for him, but rather our true selves, for the Christ in us.

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1. As Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers–Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew–casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. “Come and follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” The two men left their nets at once and followed him. – Matthew 4:18-20 [↩]
2. On the following day great numbers of people who had come to the festival, hearing that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, took palm-branches, 13 And went out to meet him, shouting as they went: “God save Him! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord: the King of Israel!” – John 12:12-13 [↩]

The Gospel of the Kingdom

Gospel of Mark 1

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 It is said in the prophet Isaiah: ‘Behold! I send my messenger before thy face; He shall prepare thy way.’ 3 ‘The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness: “Make ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ 4 And in fulfillment of this, John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism upon repentance, for the forgiveness of sins.

5 The whole of Judea, as well as all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, went out to him; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 John was clad in clothing of camels’ hair, with a belt of leather round his waist, and lived on locusts and wild honey; 7 And he proclaimed: “There is coming after me one more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to stoop down and unfasten his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

9 Now about that time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens rent apart, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him, 11 And from the heavens came a voice: “Thou art my Son, the Beloved; in thee I delight.” 12 Immediately afterwards the Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness; 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and among the wild beasts, while the angels ministered to him.

14 After John had been committed to prison, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom of God: 15 “The time has come, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe the gospel.” 16 As Jesus was going along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the sea, for they were fishermen.

17 “Come and follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 They left their nets at once, and followed him. 19 Going on a little further, he saw James, Zebediah’s son, and his brother John, who also were in their boat mending the nets. 20 Jesus at once called them, and they left their father Zebediah in the boat with the crew, and went after him. 21 And they walked into Capernaum.

On the next Sabbath, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught them like one who had authority, and not like the teachers of the law. 23 Now there was in their synagogue at the time a man under the power of a foul spirit, who called out: 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God!” 25 But Jesus rebuked the spirit: “Be silent! Come out from him.” 26 The foul spirit threw the man into a fit, and with a loud cry came out from him.

Discover the Mysteries of the Lord’s Prayer.

To continue reading Chapter 1 of the Gospel of Mark, please click on page 2 below.