Mark 10:46-52 (NRSV)

They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside.  When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you."  So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.  Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again."  Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

Again, Jesus says “What do you want me to do for you?”  It is interesting that in the span of a few verses, the Gospeler has Jesus saying the same words.  It stands out to me again as the prominent phrase.  The blind man, Bartimaeus, answers directly that he wants his sight back.

Jesus and the crowd are on their way out of Jericho on their way to Jerusalem when they encounter Bartimaeus, a blind beggar.  This time the man that hey come across has a name, Bartimaeus.  His name literally means, “son of Timaeus,” so it’s almost redundant to say that he is the son of Timaeus.  He must have had some significance for his name to be mentioned.  The scriptures don't often reveal the names of the people Jesus heals.

Bartimaeus cries out to Jesus for mercy and is heard by the crowd passing by.  He acknowledges Jesus by his birthright as a descendant of the great King David.  Jesus sends for Bartimaeus and the disciples retrieve him.  Bartimaeus leaves the security of his cloak and goes to Jesus.  Jesus asks Bartimaeus “what do you want me to do for you?”  He doesn’t lift a finger (unlike before) and tells the man that his faith has made him well.  Bartimaeus immediately follows Jesus on the way to Jerusalem.

When we get to the low points in our lives, it’s then that realize that we so desperately need God.  Bartimaeus realizes that he needs the healing power of God in Jesus to regain his eyesight.  His condition has caused him not to be able to function normally in society so he is forced to beg for a living on the outskirts of town.  Jesus restores him to society without any effort but a word.  We are called today to understand that we need God always; in the good times and the bad.  When we are “with God” we have a full, rich, and fulfilling life regardless of our handicaps.  Bartimaeus realized that he continued to need God after he regained his eyesight, because even after he was healed, he followed Jesus on the way.

Mark 10:32-45 (NRSV)

They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again."  James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."  And he said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?"  And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory."  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; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."  When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John.  So Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.  But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.  For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

Jesus asks, “what is it you want me to do for you?”  This is the phrase that stands out and is an excellent response to anyone when you desire more clear direction.  I have personally used this phrase and it seems to stop people in their tracks, especially when they want something from you.

The scriptures have been building up to this.  Through the last few chapters of Mark, Jesus has been on his way to Jerusalem and the fate that awaits him.  Jesus knew what was ahead and so did his followers.  He was walking ahead, and those following were afraid.  Jesus shares with the disciples what they already know to be true.  James and John are worried about who is to take over once Jesus is killed.

Nothing infuriates an organization worse than a power vacuum.  Jesus sets it straight, saying that there is no use arguing over who “sits at the right hand” because it already belongs to who it is prepared for.  However, Jesus doesn’t say who.  Jesus then explains “servant leadership” and sacrifice.  He says that the conventional leadership as they understand it (like a tyrant over gentiles) doesn’t work in the kingdom of God.  Roles and expectations are not what we expect to see.

Jesus explains that a leader who “serves” others was not the norm in society (and it’s not the norm today).  And sacrificial actions were considered a display of weakness.  The call that I hear today is to model Jesus’ “servant leadership.”   Be a servant leader and seek to serve other and be among those who serve.  Lead from within and make sacrifices of yourself to behalf others.

Mark 10:17-31 (NRSV)

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.  You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'"  He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth."  Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."  When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.  Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were perplexed at these words.  But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."  They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?"  Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."  Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you."  Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."

A man asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  This earnest question is on the heart of all believers.  Today, Jesus offers the man and us a direct answer.  However, like the man, we may not like what Jesus is saying at first.  This scripture passage was also delt with on 2/5/2012.

The concept of wealth is a serious matter, especially in our capitalistic society where money is the scorecard by which people are measured.  It is almost as if society says, “he who dies with the most toys, wins!”  Jesus gives us a different opportunity to follow in a way that frees us from the bounds of society’s fixation on money.  He says that one must not be bounded by or governed by money.  The man in the scripture goes away grieving.  I wonder if the man sold his possessions.

If we sell everything we have, are we guaranteed salvation or eternal life?  I’m not sure that Jesus intends for us to live in poverty.  However, some have embraced this manner of life.  Having resources and money (like anything else) are hindrances to our salvation if we let their importance come between us and God.  Jesus wants us to understand this, emphatically.

Jesus uses hyperbole again, as he explains that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.  This is a ridiculous comparison, but makes the point.  He contrast this impossible feat by setting up the relationship that “for God, all things are possible.”  Jesus says that the believers will receive their reward now and in eternal life.

The call that I hear today is for us to be responsible with what God has entrusted to us.  We, as holders of the resources, should be diligent about building up the kingdom of God and using our wealth and resources to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Mark 10:1-16 (NRSV)

He left that place and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan. And crowds again gathered around him; and, as was his custom, he again taught them.  Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"  He answered them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her."  But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you.  But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."  Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter.  He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."  People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them.  But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.  Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it."  And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

The disciples spoke sternly to the children.  This initially stands out at me.  It makes me initially think that the disciples don’t like children, but after thinking about it, I feel they were just worried about Jesus being bogged down with all the attention he was getting.

This passage is full of Jesus’ teaching the crowds that had gathered.  A portion of this passage is found on 2/5/2012.  The Pharisees are at it again, testing him by asking questions about the law of Moses.  These questions are about divorce and the legalities thereof.  Jesus says that Moses gave them the law of divorce because their hearts were hardened, and explains the intent of the law.  He clarifies the intent of the law and relationship between the man and woman becoming one flesh.

The scripture says that people were bringing children to him in order for him to lay hands on them and bless them.  When the disciples spoke sternly, Jesus rebuked them saying that the children should come to him.  He uses this situation to explain more about the kingdom of God, saying that one must receive the kingdom like a little child.

Little children have a naiveté, vulnerability and a willingness to listen and receive.  Jesus doesn’t say that one must receive on “blind faith” or be uninformed.  I think that we must make ourselves vulnerable and willing to receive, taking the promises of God on faith.  There lies the call in today’s passage.  We are called today to be vulnerable and willing to receive the kingdom of God, thus making ourselves available to God as little children.  (there is a deeper reflection concerning children on Feb 5th)

Mark 9:42-50 (NRSV)

"If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.  If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.  And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell.  And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.  "For everyone will be salted with fire.  Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."

How can you season salt?  Jesus poses many statements and questions for us to ponder today.  He uses statements of exaggeration (or hyperbole) to get his point across.  This is not strange for Jesus, as he speaks this way often.

Jesus begins with the image of a great millstone hung around the neck of one who causes a new believer to stumble.  That one is then thrown into the sea.  Jesus doesn’t say this in a literal way.  He says, “it would be better…  if…” using this as a point of comparison and setting up a completely undesirable alternative.  He does the same thing with the cutting off body parts that cause you the “stumble.”  Jesus is not insinuating that he wants us to be cripple, but wants us to pay attention and be aware of our shortcomings and continue to strive to improve our relationship with God.

This scripture finishes with the image of salt.  Jesus says salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness it is no good to anyone.  The irony here is that salt cannot lose its saltiness.  This is where I feel the call for today is.  Jesus says, “have salt in yourselves.”  If we have salt in ourselves, then I feel that we are being who and what we are at our core…  good.  Salt is a preservative...  The we are to preserve the good.  God has created us in God’s image, and God don’t make no junk.  God’s image is good and everything that God creates is good (look at Genesis 1).  Our call is to remain salty (good), and let God continue to work the good within us.

John 1:9-14 (NRSV)

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.  He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.  But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.  And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

Today is the Feast of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary (transferred from 3/25).  The Gospel appointed for the Daily Office is part of the prologue of John.  I’m not sure why this scripture was chosen to mark this event.  The phrase that stands out is, “the world did not know him.”

This portion of the prologue almost acts as a summary of who Jesus is and what happened to him.  Very simply, Jesus was the “true light” that enlightens everyone.  He is God (world came into being through him).  His own people didn’t accept him (ridiculed and criticized by the Pharisees and Scribes of the Jewish faith).  Those who believed and received him were born of God by his power (Holy Baptism).  He shows forth the glory of God, full of grace and truth.

The call today is “know him.”  If we know Jesus, and we are born of God, we can become children of God.  Therefore, in that context, we are heirs that have a share in the resurrection.  We are to “know Jesus.”  But not only to know Jesus, we are to make him known.

John 8:46-59 (NRSV)

Which of you convicts me of sin?  If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?  Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God."  The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"  Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.  Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge.  Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death."  The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, 'Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.'  Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?"  Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, 'He is our God,' though you do not know him. But I know him; if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word.  Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad."  Then the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"  Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am."  So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Again, we leave our weekly progression through Mark and we take a detour into the Gospel according to John.  Today we are faced with Jesus being confronted again by the “Jews” who wish to convict him of blasphemy.  The daily lectionary repeats the exact reading that we heard on February 11, 2012; give or take a verse.  The idea that gets my attention today is that they call Jesus a Samaritan, which is ironic because Samaritans do not believe in the resurrection (and Jesus rises from the dead).

The questions continue about the identity of Jesus, and about where his power and abilities come from.  They have now come to the conclusion that Jesus must have a demon.  Jesus tries to explain that his abilities and his glory comes only from God, and that God is the source of all and the judge of all.  Jesus tries to explain his connection to God by telling them that he was before Abraham.

The call that I hear today is “be a keeper of the Word.”  Jesus says that whoever keeps his word will never taste death.  Therefore, everlasting life is the reward of being a “keeper of the Word.”  How do we keep the Word of God, which we know to be Jesus the Christ?  We keep him in faith and practice.  We keep him in trust for others.  To be keepers of the word, we need to be a sharer of the word.  In order to do this, I suggest that we live as St. Francis suggested, “preach the Gospel at all times.  When necessary, use words!”

Mark 9:14-29 (NRSV)

When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them.  When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him.  He asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?"  Someone from the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so."  He answered them, "You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you?  Bring him to me."  And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.  Jesus asked the father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.  It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us."  Jesus said to him, "If you are able!  All things can be done for the one who believes."  Immediately the father of the child cried out, "I believe; help my unbelief!"  When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!"  After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, "He is dead."  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand.   When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"  He said to them, "This kind can come out only through prayer."

 

The father of the possessed boy says, “I believe; help my unbelief!”  This passage takes place immediately after Jesus, Peter, James, and John come down from the mountain where Jesus was transfigured before them.  They return to the disciples who are trying to cast a demon out of a boy.  However, the disciples are not able to exorcise the demon.

This passage shows the abilities of disciples who are trying to act out their faith.  Obviously, it is a problem for them.  Jesus seems frustrated with what he calls a “faithless generation.”  I don’ t think Jesus says this to belittle them, but to set them straight on their actions.  I have a feeling that they were trying to reenact the miraculous “dog and pony” show that the people are always asking for – what they think proves the power of God.  Their “actions” didn’t work because they were not backed by prayer.

Of course, Jesus is able to easily restore the boy to perfect health by casting out the demon.  It looks like he does this prior to the arrival of the crowd.  This would be exactly what we would expect of Jesus at this point, trying not to draw too much more attention to himself.

The call that I hear today is pray.  Prayer builds and guides belief.  A healthy prayer life becomes a centering force that strengthens you and guides your actions.  Prayer becomes a part of everything that you do as you seek to be closer to God.  We would just pour out our heart and mind and make ourselves vulnerable to God.  In prayer we make ourselves a receiver for the divine word that may come to us.

Mark 9:2-13 (NRSV)

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them.  And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus.  Then Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  He did not know what to say, for they were terrified.  Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!"  Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore, but only Jesus.  As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.  So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.  Then they asked him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  He said to them, "Elijah is indeed coming first to restore all things.  How then is it written about the Son of Man, that he is to go through many sufferings and be treated with contempt?  But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written about him."

The phrase, “apart, by themselves” jumps out at me today.  If there was any doubt who Jesus is to Peter, James, and John, there isn’t any longer.  They go up the mountain with Jesus and had an incredible experience of him being changed and he glowed a dazzling white.

The three chosen (Peter, James, and John) were the closest and trusted disciples to Jesus.  Jesus often took them off apart from the others, by themselves.  This time it is up a high mountain.  On the mountain they see Jesus transfigured and talking with Moses and Elijah, the two greatest prophets.  They are scared and confused about what this might mean.  Peter decided that it may be good to capture the moment and build a shelter (a tabernacle or tent) for each of them – he didn’t know what else to do.  They also hear the voice from say, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”  On the way down the mountain, Jesus lets them know that it is still too soon to reveal what they experienced.  They can only tell what they know after Jesus rises from the dead. 

There is then a discussion about the primacy of Elijah, whom the people rejected.  This is what the Scribes believe.  There is a prophecy in Malachi 4:5 of the coming of Elias; of one that goes under that name, not necessarily of Elias the Tishbite, in person, but of one that was to come in his power and spirit, and restore all things.  Jesus says that he has.  In this passage there seems to be a parallel between John the Baptist and Elijah (who some people thought was Elijah who came back).

The call that I hear today is in the context of being a witness to the transfiguration of Jesus.  The call is to be transfigured ourselves.  We are changed when we accept and follow Jesus as Lord and Savior.  The old is made new, and we are a new creation, re-created in the image of Christ as we follow and learn to be better disciples.

Mark 8:27-9:1 (NRSV)

Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?"  And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."  He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah."  And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.  Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.  He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.  But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan!  For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."  He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.  For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?  Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?  Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."  And he said to them, "Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power."

What stands out today is that Jesus calls Peter, “Satan!”  This is as if to say to Peter – if you try to stop what I must do to save the world from eternal damnation (or distance from God), then you are no better than the evil one (or the deceiver) that wants to destroy the world (separate it from God).

This passage, like the parallel in Luke 9:18-27 discussed on 2/19/2012, is Jesus soliciting 3rd party information about his perceived identity.  As we all know, we should be careful with 3rd party information.  Unsolicited, it can be a dangerous tool for triangulation and bad communication.  Unidentified, it can be destructive to all parties as it tears down the trust between them.  Jesus is very careful and talks “quite openly.”

Jesus instructs the disciple not to tell anyone about who he is.  I feel that this is because it will push Jesus’ inevitable demise up the timeline to a point that he is not able complete the work he needs to do.  If Jesus is arrested and killed early, then he is not able to fulfill the mission.

I feel that the call today is be to be bold in faith.  Jesus cautions and tells the disciples (and us) that it will not be easy to follow his teaching.  I feel that anything worth having is not ever easy to get.  A life united with God, and seeing the Kingdom come to fruition, is our eternal reward for following in the difficult way of Jesus.  Some think it is “stylish” to be agnostic or even deny Christ for social reasons.  I think that this is worse behavior than trying to follow him and falling short sometimes.  If we are bold in faith and have good intention to please God, then I think God recognizes it and is indeed pleased.

Mark 8:11-26 (NRSV)

The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him.  And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, "Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation."  And he left them, and getting into the boat again, he went across to the other side.  Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.  And he cautioned them, saying, "Watch out beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod."  They said to one another, "It is because we have no bread."  And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, "Why are you talking about having no bread?  Do you still not perceive or understand?  Are your hearts hardened?  Do you have eyes, and fail to see?  Do you have ears, and fail to hear?  And do you not remember?  When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?"  They said to him, "Twelve."  "And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?" And they said to him, "Seven."  Then he said to them, "Do you not yet understand?"  They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him.  He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Can you see anything?"  And the man looked up and said, "I can see people, but they look like trees, walking."  Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.  Then he sent him away to his home, saying, "Do not even go into the village.”

The phrase that jumps out today is when Jesus says, “Why does this generation ask for a sign?  Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”  A few days ago, I made a remark about the Pharisees and Scribes wanting Jesus to perform a “dog and pony” show to prove that he is who he says he is.  People seem to want to be entertained by the wondrous power and works of God.

Today, the Pharisees confront Jesus to test him and ask for a sign.  He doesn’t give them one and goes from that place and gets into a boat with the twelve.  They didn’t bring with them any bread with them in the boat and that spawns a conversation about bread.  Jesus cautions them about the influence of Herod and the Pharisees and calls it “yeast.”

Yeast causes bread to “rise.”  The Pharisees and Herod were rising up against Jesus and trying to influence others not to believe in him and what he taught.  The disciples still don’t understand.  Jesus then explains that the answer is in plain sight by their experience of the feeding of the 5000 and 4000.  They gathered leftovers, proving that the true word which comes from him is the true bread which gives life to the world.  When they arrive in Bethsaida, Jesus heals a blind man and makes him see clearly.  I still don’t think the disciples are seeing very clearly.

The call that I hear today is to pay attention what is plain sight.  To let Jesus bring us into focus, so we can see the whole forest, and not just concentrate on the trees.  We wonder around sometimes with tunnel vision, unable to see what God is trying to do around us.  If we focus on the big picture, we can get a better vision of where Jesus might be leading us.

Mark 8:1-10 (NRSV)

In those days when there was again a great crowd without anything to eat, he called his disciples and said to them, "I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat.  If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way and some of them have come from a great distance."  His disciples replied, "How can one feed these people with bread here in the desert?"  He asked them, "How many loaves do you have?"  They said, "Seven."  Then he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute; and they distributed them to the crowd.  They had also a few small fish; and after blessing them, he ordered that these too should be distributed.  They ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.  Now there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away.  And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.

The forefront of the passage for me is “They ate and were filled.”  Just last Thursday we experienced the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5000+ with five loaves and 2 fish at the end of the 6th chapter of Mark.   And now, in Chapter 8, Jesus has done it again…  feeding over 4000+ with just seven loaves and 3 fish.  The fact that everyone ate and was filled stands out.

Large crowds continue to follow Jesus everywhere he goes.  They have been with him for 3 days and have nothing to eat.  It seems that they would have remembered the previous account, and not wondered how it is possible that Jesus is able to feed them.  Again, Jesus takes what is available, 7 loaves and 3 fish, blesses, breaks, and distributes the food to the crowd.  Everyone ate and was filled.  7 baskets of left overs were taken up.

The feeding stories have layers of meaning to include Jesus’ ability to provide what you need from what you bring him.  In both cases, everything they had was given to Jesus.  In this case, a mere seven loaves of bread.  These were most likely small barley loaves (simple bread of those that are not wealthy), which makes the miracle that much more miraculous.  The other thing that means something in the context of the story is the location.  The desert and the wilderness is a place of demons and evil.  The wildness of the woods was outside the safety of the city and not a place people went.  One only went into the wilderness for necessary reasons.  The fact that Jesus retreated there and people followed tells us what kind of magnet draw he had on them.

I understand the call today as “be filled.”  We should be filled with what God provides for us.  We trust and give and love and share and provide to one another.  In that, God fills us, physically, mentally, and spiritually, as we seek to serve God.  In the wildernesses of our lives, God is there with us, helping us and directing us, feeding us, and getting us through.

Matthew 1:18-25 (NRSV)

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.  When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.  Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.  But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’  All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:  ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’  When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Today is the feast of St. Joseph.  So, our detour from the regularly prescribed readings continues and we have the opportunity today to reflect on the birth narrative from the Gospel according to Matthew.  The phrase that stands out to me is “God is with us.”

The text introduces us to Joseph who is betrothed to Mary.  He is in turmoil about what to do about Mary because she is pregnant and he does not want to expose her to public disgrace.  God appears to him in a dream and assures him that all shall be well.  God tells Joseph to go as planned, that Mary will have a son and to name him Jesus.  Joseph and Mary abstained from marital relations until after she delivered.

The call that I hear today is to be “receptive” to what God may be doing in the most difficult of situations.  We can all be vessels through which God works, but God never promised it would be easy.  Faced with a difficult and humiliating decision, Joseph decided to remain true to himself and listen to God’s direction.  Joseph received instructions that made him a participant in bringing forth the salvation of the world because he was receptive to what God might be doing.       

John 6:27-40 (NRSV)

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.  For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal."  Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?"  Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."  So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?  Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' "  Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."  They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."  Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.  But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.  Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.  This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.

At Morning Prayer on Sundays, we get a detour from our regular continuation of the lesson’s from Mark and switch over to John.  The phrase “Sir, give us this bread always” stands out to me today.  Jesus answers in response, “I am the bread of life.”

In the passage, Jesus is talking to his followers about focusing on the “right stuff” (the right priorities).  The followers want to know what they must do, and what Jesus is going to do to prove who he is.  It almost seems as if they want Jesus to do something great and special like turn lead into gold or make something disappear as if he were expected to be great magician.  Jesus reminds them that the signs aren’t important.  Moses didn’t give Israel manna in the wilderness because the great works like that come from God, and only from God.

Jesus tells them that even though they have seen him and know him, they still don’t believe in him and that he is the Son of God.  The reward of this belief is eternity with God and participation in the resurrection on the last day.

The call today is to believe.  Believe in Jesus (without the dog and pony show), and trust that Jesus is who he says he is and that he will nurture us with bread (which is himself) that will lead us to eternal life with God.

Mark 7:1-23 (NRSV)

Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them.  (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.)  So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?"  He said to them, "Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.'  You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition."  Then he said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition!  For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.'  But you say that if anyone tells father or mother, 'Whatever support you might have had from me is Corban' (that is, an offering to God ) then you no longer permit doing anything for a father or mother, thus making void the word of God through your tradition that you have handed on.  And you do many things like this."  Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand:  there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile."  When he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable.  He said to them, "Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?" (Thus he declared all foods clean.)  And he said, "It is what comes out of a person that defiles.  For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly.  All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."

The fact that the disciples were “eating with defiled hands” stands out to me.  My grandmother would have a fit!  She always insisted on us washing our hands prior to eating anything!  (Maybe she was a Pharisee?)  Anyhow, Jesus uses this situation and the ridicule by the Pharisees to teach them.

The Pharisees and scribes have joined the crowds that continue to gather around Jesus.  Mark uncharacteristically provides much detail in the interaction between the Pharisees and Jesus, giving us a chance to feel the tension between them.  The Pharisees ask why the disciples don’t wash before they eat as the elders did.

Jesus calls them hypocrites for teaching human precepts as doctrine.  The Pharisees were strict about keeping the letter of the law, careful not to do anything outside of Torah.  However, they get mixed up sometimes in their pious practices and confound the law with human traditions.  Jesus uses the example of Corban.  Jesus shows how the Pharisees sidestep one of the Ten Commandments -- "Honor your father and your mother" (from Exod. 20:12).  This particular commandment required financial support and care to aging parents.  Corban is a form of deferred giving.  A person could declare something Corban (dedicated or sacrificed to God) and then tell his or her parents that their old-age support has been given to God.  In truth, the property has only been promised to God, but that promise gives the child an excuse to dodge his or her obligation to parents.

Jesus further explains that it isn’t the foods that we eat or ritual defilement that makes us unclean, but the thoughts and feelings of our hearts.  This is received as strong language in the context of the Jewish culture that honors food laws and other ritual observances.  The Torah goes into great detail regarding clean and unclean foods, and Jewish people distinguish themselves from their pagan neighbors by observance of these food laws.

We are called today to “nurture holy things.”  This should not be confused with pious practice.  We live in a culture that tells us that we must honor our feelings rather than to control them, and fiercely resist any constraints that Christ or common sense would place on behavior.  The result is that we live in a world characterized by evil thoughts, (adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, blasphemy, pride, foolishness, and etc., etc…)   Jesus’ teaching points us in a radically different direction.  He tells us that "evil things come from within;" within our human heart, and implies that we have a responsibility to nurture holy things rather than evil things in our hearts.

Mark 6:47-56 (NRSV)

When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land.  When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he came towards them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by.  But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid."  Then he got into the boat with them and the wind ceased.  And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.  When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat.  When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.  And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Jesus came toward them “walking on the sea.”  The image that comes out at me is popular.  When we think of Jesus, we often associate him with the miracles that he performed; healing the sick, changing water into wine, casting out demons, walking on water, feeding the multitudes, and raising from the dead (just to name a few).  He amazed many (and continues to amaze) people with the wonder and power of miracles that shows the power of the one true living and loving God.

From yesterday’s reading, Jesus catches up with the disciples.  He comes to them across sea of Galilee, walking on the water.  The wind was up and the sea was rough.  The disciples were terrified.  They didn’t expect Jesus to be coming toward them like that.  Once Jesus got into the boat, the wind stopped.  They were flabbergasted.  The disciples were still trying to understand the miracle that they had just witnessed, the feeding of the 5000, and Jesus comes at them with another display of power over the elements.

After they came to Gennesaret, they were immediately noticed by people.  They brought their sick to him to be cured.  Jesus was recognized everywhere, and there was a crowd everywhere he went.  Even people that touched the fringe of his cloak were healed.

It is hard not to concentrate on the awesome power God in this passage that is shown by Jesus.  His presence and actions are godly and of godly proportions.  To me, the call that is present in this reading is in the phrase that Jesus says to the disciples, “take heart, and don’t be afraid.”  The power of God is a scary thing; the closer we get to experiencing it, the more afraid we can become.  If we take our experiences of the living God to heart, and are not afraid, then we can let God get close and use us as vessels to spread the good news about Jesus to the world.

Mark 6:30-46 (NRSV)

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught.  He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while."  For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.  And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.  Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.  As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.  When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat."  But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?”  And he said to them, "How many loaves have you? Go and see." When they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish."  Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass.  So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties.  Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all.  And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.  Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.  Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.  After saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray.

Jesus told the disciples, “You give them something to eat.”  This phrase and extension of hospitality stands out to me today, as Jesus offers to feed the multitude that has gathered to learn from him.  They are out in the middle of nowhere and have very little, but out of very little, in a generous display of hospitality, Jesus provides enough and then some.

Marks story takes an interesting turn in the narrative.  After the back story of John the Baptist, Mark returns to focusing on Jesus who is again on the move.  He is trying to get away from the crowds to rest and goes to a deserted place by boat with the twelve.  However, when he gets there, Jesus is greeted by a great crowd.  Jesus has compassion for them and teaches them.

The disciples want to let the people go to the nearby towns in order to get something for themselves to eat.  This is when Jesus tells the disciples, “You give them something to eat.”  However, the disciples don’t understand and think Jesus wants them to go and buy food for everyone.  Jesus asks them what they have and asks everyone to sit on the grass in large groups.  Jesus then distributes the five loaves and two fish to the five thousand plus (most scholars agree that women and children were not in the count).  After all were fed, twelve baskets of scraps were collected.  Jesus then sends the disciples away in the boat to go ahead of him to the other side while he dismissed the crowd.

The call that I hear today is rely on God’s provision.  It has been often said that God equips the called, he doesn’t always call the equipped.  Like the disciples sent out two by two on Tuesday, we are to trust that God will equip us with what we need if we give to God what we have.  Jesus uses the miracle feeding of the 5000 to show that God has the ability to provide abundance out of scarcity.  This is Good News to those who are afraid that they do not have enough.  If we give it to God, then God will multiply with great abundance.  With God, there is always enough.

Mark 6:13-29 (NRSV)

They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.  King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some were saying, "John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him."  But others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old."  But when Herod heard of it, he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised."  For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because Herod had married her.  For John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."  And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him.  When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him.  But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee.  When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it."  And he solemnly swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom."  She went out and said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" She replied, "The head of John the baptizer.”  Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."  The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her.  Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John's head.  He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl.  Then the girl gave it to her mother.  When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

It’s Elijah, It’s John the Baptizer…  These comments jump out at me as the crowd try to figure out who/what Jesus is, and by what power he does his mighty works.  When I was a child, I remember the phrase, “look, up in the air, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superman!”  It seems to me that the folks that are gathered around are acting just like this.  They don’t know what they have confronted, so they apply it to what they already know.

Today we get the back story of the horrific beheading of John the baptizer.  This is in the context of people trying to figure out who Jesus is.  When Herod hears of Jesus, he thinks that John has been raised, because he regarded John as a righteous and holy man.  The scripture says that Herod feared John and had him bound and arrested because John spoke out about Herod’s marriage to his brother Phillip’s wife Herodias.  Herodias had a grudge against John and wanted to kill him.

Mark’s gospel story in the New Revised Standard Version is confusing when it comes to the birthday banquet.  The NRSV calls the woman who danced “his daughter Herodias.” We know from other sources that her name is Salome (Josephus).  Salome is Herod’s step-daughter/niece (she is the daughter of Herodias and Phillip).  Regardless of the relationship, her dance gave her the opportunity to fulfill the desires of her mother against John.  To fulfill his promise and save face in front of his guests, Herod had John beheaded and brought his head on a platter to Salome.  She in turn gave it to her mother.

Within the hideous account of John’s murder, the call that I hear is perseverance.  As disciples and followers of Christ, and as people that have faith and belief in the One, true, loving, and living God, we are all called to persevere.  Things happen throughout our ministry as we seek to do the things that God has given us to do (as we heal the sick and cast out demons of all sorts).  We may come across challenges and distractions, and within them we are called to persevere and stay strong.  I could offer a bad pun and say that we are called to keep our head about us, or better yet, not loose our head within the challenges and distractions.