Mark 6: 1-6
Dear Friends, the gap between verse two and three in today’s Gospel is quite amazing. “Many who heard him were astonished. They said where did his man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given to him: What mighty deeds have been wrought by his hands!” (Mk 6:2)
No doubt, they had heard of the raising of Jarius’ daughter, the cure of the woman, the healing of the demoniac and probably the quieting of the storm at sea. In a town with no evening news on TV and no morning paper, Jesus gave them quite a bit to talk about at their break time and all throughout the day.
The community came to a quick and clear conclusion about their former carpenter. It was strong and clear. Without hesitancy, they say in verse three: “Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary? … And they took offense at him.” (Mk 6:3).
Jesus understood the challenge he was placing before his townsfolk and us. The first public words he proclaims lay out the invitation to change, to move out of the comfortable rituals and prejudices that reduce God to a manageable size and image. Jesus said, “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mk 1:15).
The folks had no confusion about Jesus’ message. He was calling them to change. Jesus was calling them out of their self-assured niche, their clinging to a past and a present of security and comfort. Jesus was calling them and us to a future that demands a deep trust and faith and change!
Jesus was not into accommodation, easy adjustment or comfort. Jesus was and is inviting us into a Mystery that shatters our little world. The Divine Teacher wants us to embrace his world of paradox where the first are last, the leader is the servant, you must lose your life to save it and you have to take up your cross to walk with the Savior to Jerusalem.
It is truly amazing how we can domesticate and trivialize Jesus’ gospel message to fit our measure of God. It may be the gospel of prosperity or seeking the safe and secure answer to all of life’s mysteries in clinging to some supposed sacred formulas and rituals. It may be clinging to the old religion like the Baltimore catechism. All these efforts seek a false security without personal investment and sacrifice. All these efforts for an easy fix are a clear denial of life’s inherent challenge to embrace our reality as totally dependent creatures. There is no trouble-free solution for the basic ambiguity and arbitrariness of life. It is only in a trusting and faithful surrender to God where we find an answer to life’s avalanche of troubles and difficulties.
We are fearful of the unknown and the ever- expanding challenge of the future. Jesus comes to call us to have faith to that future. He wants us to know he is with us in the pandemic, in sicknesses and trials, in the ever-growing demands of aging, in the losses of security our economy or life’s fickleness may bring. Jesus wants us to trust in him. He also wants us to move beyond the stress of our personal issues. He wants us to work for reconciliation in our family and community. He wants us to be open and embracing to the poor and down trodden. Jesus pleads with us to see his presence in the immigrants and the seemingly endless demands of the issues of our world if we but open our eyes.
There is no crisis that faith cannot overcome if we are willing to walk with Jesus on his terms not ours.
No doubt, they had heard of the raising of Jarius’ daughter, the cure of the woman, the healing of the demoniac and probably the quieting of the storm at sea. In a town with no evening news on TV and no morning paper, Jesus gave them quite a bit to talk about at their break time and all throughout the day.
The community came to a quick and clear conclusion about their former carpenter. It was strong and clear. Without hesitancy, they say in verse three: “Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary? … And they took offense at him.” (Mk 6:3).
Jesus understood the challenge he was placing before his townsfolk and us. The first public words he proclaims lay out the invitation to change, to move out of the comfortable rituals and prejudices that reduce God to a manageable size and image. Jesus said, “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mk 1:15).
The folks had no confusion about Jesus’ message. He was calling them to change. Jesus was calling them out of their self-assured niche, their clinging to a past and a present of security and comfort. Jesus was calling them and us to a future that demands a deep trust and faith and change!
Jesus was not into accommodation, easy adjustment or comfort. Jesus was and is inviting us into a Mystery that shatters our little world. The Divine Teacher wants us to embrace his world of paradox where the first are last, the leader is the servant, you must lose your life to save it and you have to take up your cross to walk with the Savior to Jerusalem.
It is truly amazing how we can domesticate and trivialize Jesus’ gospel message to fit our measure of God. It may be the gospel of prosperity or seeking the safe and secure answer to all of life’s mysteries in clinging to some supposed sacred formulas and rituals. It may be clinging to the old religion like the Baltimore catechism. All these efforts seek a false security without personal investment and sacrifice. All these efforts for an easy fix are a clear denial of life’s inherent challenge to embrace our reality as totally dependent creatures. There is no trouble-free solution for the basic ambiguity and arbitrariness of life. It is only in a trusting and faithful surrender to God where we find an answer to life’s avalanche of troubles and difficulties.
We are fearful of the unknown and the ever- expanding challenge of the future. Jesus comes to call us to have faith to that future. He wants us to know he is with us in the pandemic, in sicknesses and trials, in the ever-growing demands of aging, in the losses of security our economy or life’s fickleness may bring. Jesus wants us to trust in him. He also wants us to move beyond the stress of our personal issues. He wants us to work for reconciliation in our family and community. He wants us to be open and embracing to the poor and down trodden. Jesus pleads with us to see his presence in the immigrants and the seemingly endless demands of the issues of our world if we but open our eyes.
There is no crisis that faith cannot overcome if we are willing to walk with Jesus on his terms not ours.
