The four gospels in the New Testament often share similar stories. The first three – Matthew, Mark, and Luke – share many episodes in common. It is also true for the Passion narrative - the preparation for the Passover, the prediction of Judas’ betrayal, the Institution of the Eucharist, the prediction of Peter’s denial, Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane, and the arrest of Jesus.

The shortest gospel, Mark, however, reports something during the arrest of Jesus that you cannot find in any other gospel. It is about the mysterious, anonymous young man in a linen cloth. When the Jews captured Jesus, all his disciples deserted him and fled. However, after this, this mysterious young man followed Jesus. Who was it? Who told St Mark about the young man? The witness must have seen him because he gives a specific description of him. The young man wore nothing but a linen cloth. Does it not sound strange? It was still chilly at night around the Passover, but the young man did not wear anything but a single-layer of linen. But how did the witness know how many layers of clothes he wore? Because the witness saw him also captured but slipping away from his captors, leaving his linen cloth and running naked. Well, it sounds even stranger now. Why did the young man follow Jesus without much clothing that night? Where did this young man come from? How did he know where Jesus and his disciples were?

We can ask more questions. But my question is why St Mark kept the story in his gospel? It is not related to any other episode. Even Jesus seemed to know nothing about this young man. But why did St Mark have to add this episode to his short gospel? What does the Holy Spirit want to teach us here?

No one knows why the young man followed Jesus at his arrest. But the young man knew where Jesus and his disciples were that night. He was around Gethsemane garden. He came out to follow Jesus but did not clothe himself enough. Linen cloth in ancient times was expensive. He must have had many more clothes at home, but on that night of Jesus’ arrest, did not wear warm enough to spend the cold night with Jesus. And when the Jews also seized him because he was following Jesus, he left his only clothing and ran away naked. He wanted to follow Jesus but was scared enough to run naked.

Many people, many Christians want to follow Jesus. But we do not realize how cold it is outside. And we forget how risky and challenging it is to follow Jesus. However, many of us only pick up a single-layer linen cloth. We are well-to-do. The Christian library of knowledge of faith is extensive and still expanding. The saints of the Church teach us virtues through their examples. However, we often think that one layer of the baptismal gown should be enough to follow Jesus in his Passion.

Brothers and sisters! Now is a dark, cold night. Our captors are lurking around to seize us. Without preparation, we cannot follow the Way of the Cross with Christ. Let us exam what we have put on ourselves now. Do I wear layers of knowledge of faith that keep me warm in the cold night of skepticism and relativism? Do I wear good shoes of patience that can persevere much suffering? Do I wear a coat of chastity that can stop all the temptations of the flesh? However nice it is, a linen cloth of the baptismal dress is never warm enough.