01.03.10 GOD OF JESUS

Be merciful, just as (also) your Father is merciful.  "Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you." (Lk 6,36-38)

 

The kingdom that Jesus preached and lived was all about an absurd generosity. He says: Think of the best think you can do for the worst of person, and go ahead and do it.

Jesus is not presenting a list of rules and regulations.  He is showing an attitude of heart that his followers should have.

We should be like this because God is like this. God is generous, merciful, forgiving, providing good things to all, etc. In fact this is not a list of things to do for a follower, in stead it presents who God is or what God is.

Jesus showed his God to be different from the other Gods. But over the years we have made Jesus' God to be like other Gods with rules, liturgies etc.

If all believed in the God of Jesus then there would be no division, no violence, no revenge, no class, no caste, no desire for money and  property and possessions etc.

If God of Jesus was within us then there would only be persons, neighbours, friends,  forgiveness, sharing – a new world.

 

 

28.02.10 EXPERIENCE to EXODUS

About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.  And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.  Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.  As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." (Lk 9, 28-33)

 

Jesus went up the mountain to pray. In King James Version it is said as: he went up into the mountain to pray. Mountain is the place of prayer and it is the place of God experience. And valley is the place of despair and death, the place where the demons shriek and sufferers weep etc. Mountain-top experience is divine experience.

Going into the mountain could also be that he went into himself on top of the mountain to have God experience. He is met by Moses and Elijah. They represent the law and the prophets. They also stand for people of God experience. Moses had God experience on top of the mountain. Prophet Elijah communicated God experience to the people on top of Mount Carmel (1Kg 18). 

Jesus together with them spoke about his journey to Jerusalem. Luke calls this as exodus. Jesus' journey to Jerusalem is like the great exodus from Egypt and Jesus is going to enact this event in his life. Moses led the Israelites out of slavery. Here Jesus will lead all God's people out of sin and death.

Peter was unaware of what was happening around. He did not understand the happenings near him. It could mean that Peter wanted to keep the experience permanent and that is why he wanted the three tents.  

So Mountain-top experience is a God experience and people of God experience come together. God experience (which is personal) always motivates one for an exodus and this exodus is for the people (not for the individual alone).

 

 

27.02.10 PERFECTION

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same?  So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Mt 5, 43-48)

 

God the Father is the model for our earthly life and as children of this Father we are asked to imitate Him.

In this passage three types of people are presented as models: tax collectors, pagans and God the Father.

Tax collectors love in return only those who love them. They could be anybody: Jews, Romans, slaves etc.  If they love the tax collectors then they are loved in return.

Pagans greet their brothers. Pagans keep to their own kith and kin. They do not move out of their group, or race etc.

Love and greetings are expressions of relationships. These two relationships are exclusive relationships. These two relationships are self-centered, limited, controlled.

God the Father loves everyone. He has no distinctions and differences. God does not even look into the justifiable differences. The usual differences are between good and bad; just and unjust. No one will be really sad (in practice) when a wicked man is punished. In the same way no one will be hurt when an unjust man is penalized. One would even say that he (the offender) deserves the punishment.

But God loves everyone. When giving rain and sunshine he does not look at the colour, caste, creed, nationality, and even moral differences (good/bad; just/unjust).

Perfection of God here is not in the moral Perfection (which is impossible to attain) but perfection in loving everyone without looking into the differences. "Be merciful,  just as your Father is merciful". (Lk 6,36)

 

 

26.02.10 RECONCILIATION & FRIENDSHIP

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.  Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. (Mt 5, 23-26)

 

Jesus offers two specific and practical commands. Be reconciled; make friends. So simple and yet so difficult and costly.

Reconciliation means climbing down from the high pedestal on which one has placed himself, abandoning one's position of superiority over the person one is angry with etc. Climbing down from pedestal is important because it make one truly human. Humans do not live on pedestal. Humans are on their feet on the ground that is on the level ground that is on a level with everyone. So reconciliation is being on level with everyone else.

This reconciliation takes precedence over worship. Being on level with everyone is better than worship. It is similar to "What I desire is love and not sacrifices" (Hos 6, 6).

The second command is to make friends. Laws, rules, courts etc will only serve to prove one against the other. They will show that one is better or right over against the other. Also, except in friendship, all the other relationships do not show equality. Only in friendship the persons are equal and relate equally.

Jesus is proposing reconciliation and friendship as solution. Both reconciliation and friendship make the partners equal and keep them on level grounds.

We are all equal in the sight of God and that is what we should be and that is the solution. 

25.02.10 FATHER

If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.  "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets. (Mt 7,11-12)

 

Jesus is introducing the Father who gives, and gives good gifts only. And He gives to those who ask him.

The same Jesus tells us that the Father knows what one needs and He gives even without asking for it. (Mt 6, 25ff.) But seek first the kingdom of God. Here, Jesus tells his followers to seek the kingdom and not to worry about the wants and needs. Kingdom should take precedence.

Jesus speaks of the Father who gives to his children whatever they ask.  So treat God as a Father. Tell him how things are with you. Ask, search and knock and he will not let you down. This is prayer and this is the underlying message of the Sermon on the Mount.

Relationship with God should be that of a Father and a child. And this is expressed in asking for good things and they are granted by the Father.

Next verse speaks about the relationship between one another. Do to one another what one wants done to him. This again, would be doing good to one another.

We are all children of a Father who is good and gives good things and so we as children of the same Father do good things to one another.  

24.02.10 SIGN

 

"This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. (Lk 11,29-30)

 

We all need signs and symbols. Many things in the world are understood through signs and symbols.  Sign is something that points to something higher. A gift given is a sign of affection or esteem. Values and higher realities are explained through signs.

Jesus' life and works did raise many questions among the viewers and followers. They were wondering about him. Some believed in him, others questioned him, still others wondered whether Beelzebul was working in him etc.

Since there was no unanimity among the followers, people asked for signs as proofs. They asked for something specific to show that he was what he was.

Jesus did not give any sign as a proof. Jesus did not dance to their demands. However when people asked him in faith for miracles, cures etc he performed them. So whatever was asked for in faith then it was granted.

Here something was asked for as a proof then it was not granted. Signs were to be found in the realities of life and in the events of life. Jonah's life was a proof and a sign.

Faith would find signs and proofs in miracles and extraordinary happenings but intellectual searches should find signs and proofs in realities, in events, and in persons who live or lived.

 

23.02.10 FORGIVENESS

 

If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgression.         (Mt 7,14-15)

 

Prayer is one of the religious activities of any religion. In fact every religion teaches its members to pray. That is why even the disciples of Jesus asked Jesus to teach them prayers. But Jesus did not give them many prayers. In fact he criticized long prayers or prayers of many words (Mt 7,6).

 

We know well that Jesus prayed and prayed often. He was going early in the morning to pray and there were days in which he spent the whole night in prayer. But what he prayed is not known much. His prayer was one of relationship with the Father and communication with the Father. He spent time in prayer but he did not spent words in prayer.

 

He picks out one element of the prayer (which he taught his disciples) for practice and that is forgiveness. Forgiveness seems to be a pre-requisite when one enters into prayer.

 

In forgiving, we become a model to God himself. If we forgive others, then god will forgive us. Our forgiveness of our offenders is a pre-requisite for God's forgiveness. So we become a model for God to forgive us. God will forgive us only if we forgive.  

 

22.02.10 KEYS

You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.  I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Mt 16, 18-19)

Keys of the kingdom of heaven are given to Peter. They could have been given to some Angels. Jesus could have kept the keys with himself. Why does Jesus give to a human and that too a weak, failing and wavering human. We know well the character of Peter.

Does this mean that anyone could have been given? One does not have the need to possess any special human or social qualities to be given the keys.

The only quality that one needs to have is the attitude to accept the revelation of God. Peter was open to the revelation of God and it was God who revealed to Peter who Jesus was. God's revelation seems to be the criterion for a man to have recourse to heaven or even control over heaven.

This idea is very well seen in the vocation stories of Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah   etc. Their human, social qualities were not considered. Instead they were open to God and God's revelation. So they received blessings from heaven and they had control over the things of heaven (heavenly things)

So one could have the keys of the kingdom of heaven (like Peter) provided he is open to God's revelation.

21.02.10 TEMPTATIONS

 

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. (Lk 4,1-2)

 

Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days. Forty days represent the forty years spent by the Israelites in the wilderness after they had left Egypt. Wilderness was the place of God experience for the people Israel. They experienced the closeness of God, his protective and guiding presence (Ex 13,22). God's ever abiding presence was experienced in the wilderness.

Wilderness was the place where the new Israel was formed. Those who came out of Egypt were slaves and children of slaves. But those who were born in the wilderness were born of freedom and only those who were born in freedom entered the land of Canaan.

So Jesus had God experience and God's ever abiding presence in the wilderness and at the end of forty days he came out as a free person to start his public ministry.

Before he began his public ministry he was tempted by Satan. The Satan tempted him on three grounds:

·         Trust in one's own power. (You can turn the stone into bread, you have power)

·         Trust in the material world (bow down and worship I will give the kingdoms)

·         Trust in the external religion (jump down from the pinnacle and the angels)

Jesus did not fall into any of these temptations. He did not trust in his own power, talents etc; he did not trust in the material world and possession; and he did not trust in the external religion.

His answers to the Satan were all taken from the word of God. All the three answers are from Deuteronomy. (Deut 8,3 and Deut 6,13 and 6,16)

So at the end of the temptation, Jesus comes out trusting God and God only. He does not rely on his own human powers, material wealth and religious support to proclaim the kingdom.

The kingdom that he proclaims is based on trusting in God and the word of God.

20.02.10 FOLLOW

 

Levi got up, left everything, and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them (Lk 5,28-29)

 

Following someone means leaving something else. Following Jesus means leaving everything else. And Levi has done the right thing. He left everything and followed Jesus. Following Jesus was not the problem for the Pharisees or leaving everything behind was also not the problem.

The problem was in eating and drinking with the tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees were against Jesus regarding his table fellowship. But Jesus came into this world to build up the relationship. Jesus knew well that the chosen people of God were divided among themselves and there were groups among them.

Jesus chose Levi to be one of his disciples. Surely this would not have pleased the Pharisees. Not only he chose a disciple from this group but also he ate and drank with them. His second action was difficult for the Pharisees to accept. Eating and drinking would be equal to having friendship and relationship with them. Table fellowship was sacred for the Jews.

Jesus always takes the side of the suffering people and not the morally good people. 

19.02.10 FASTING

 

Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? (Mt 9,15)

 

Wedding party is a place of celebration and wedding is not a time for sadness. Jesus himself did not allow the wedding at Cana to become a place of sadness. He worked the first miracle (according to St. John) to keep the spirit of celebration.

Jesus picks up this image of wedding into religion and discipleship.

 Religion unites its followers with traditions and laws that have been followed for years. Similarly any following of a leader has its rules. It is with this frame of mind that the disciples of John the Baptist and the disciples of Pharisees come to Jesus to question him on fasting.

It is very clear that fasting is one of the practices of any religion.

But it is strange that Jesus brings in the image of wedding into this. Wedding also has its place in every religion. Jesus does not go out of the context of religion when he argues with them. Because he says that his disciples also will fast when the bridegroom is taken away from them. He is very much within the limits of religion.

What Jesus is trying to tell them is that they have to see all these factors: religion, fasting, discipleship, within the context of the  bridegroom.

When things are seen in its correct perspective the meanings are different.

For us the only perspective is Jesus.

18.02.10 CROSS

Let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Lk 9,23)


Following Jesus is not following any dogmas and rules and rituals. It is following a person. It is going behind a person; literally, it is following the foot steps of the leader. That is why when peter rebuked him saying that he should not go to Jerusalem; Jesus answered him saying that he should come after him. In fact he tells him “Get behind me Satan” because your thinking is not in line with that of God.


So a follower is to get behind the master and walk and the disciple should in no way take up the leader’s role in front of the master.


If the master is going to have an end, that is, going to a death on the cross the disciples also should be ready for that. Here the cross is not the daily difficulties and problem one faces. These are there even for the non-believers.


For Jesus the cross meant that he was alone, that he was insulted and humiliated because he followed the way of God. He wanted to do the will of the father. In the same way a disciple should be ready for a death that will included insults, humiliations, loneliness etc.


All these crosses come and they come daily because they follow Jesus. This is the self denial that Jesus speaks here.

17.02.10 RELIGIOUS PRACTICES

And whenever you fast,...Father who sees in secret will reward you

( Mt 6,16-17)

 

Every religion has its own dogmas, rules, liturgies, religious

 practices etc.  Judaism also had its own pious practices.

The three main pious practices of Judaism, at the time

 of Jesus, were prayer, fasting and alms-giving.

 

Interestingly these three are based on relationships.

Fasting stands for one's relationship within himself/herself.

Alms-giving represents one's relationship with the other.

Prayer speaks for one's relationship with God.

 

Hence, these practices are mainly to build relationships.

They are not actions for any other profits or motives.

And these practices are also not for a show.

They are not for rewards or applause from the viewers.

They are solely to build relationship.  

 

At the end of the season of lent if one comes out with a

 better relationship with God, with the other, and with

oneself then we can say that, the individual has

practiced the religion well.

 

This is what prophet Micah 6, 8 says. Israelites believed

that this verse gives the summary of the Old Testament.

Even if the whole of the Old Testament were to be lost,

then this verse could be a source of re-writing the bible.

 

"O man, he has told you what is good, and what does the

Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness

and to walk humbly with your God?" 

 

This verse also speaks of the three relationships.

Probably Jesus had this verse at the back of

his mind when he spoke of the religious practices.

 

Every religious practice is to build the right relationship:

with God, with the other and with oneself.

16.02.10 LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES

Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?" They answered him, "Twelve." "When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?" They answered (him), "Seven." He said to them, "Do you still not understand?" (Mk 8,17-21)

What does Jesus intend to communicate by saying 'the leaven of the Pharisees' and the leaven of the Herod?

The disciples had forgotten to take bread with them. And they were talking among themselves about it. Why should they be worried about bread because they have witnessed the multiplication of bread for five thousand and four thousand. They know well that Jesus could multiply  bread even if they had forgotten. This section of the story follows the story of the Pharisees asking  for a sign from heaven. The Pharisees have seen many  miracles yet they  ask for a sign and Jesus refuses to show any sign.

Here the disciples who had witnessed to the multiplication of bread are worried about bread. So they are as doubtful as the Pharisees. Their belief and trust in Jesus is as weak as that of the Pharisees. So the leaven of the Pharisees is not trusting in Jesus, that is having doubt in Jesus.

Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.

15.02.10 SIGN

The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with him, seeking  from him a sign from heaven to test him. He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign?Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation." Then he left them, got into the boat again, went off to the other shore.

Jesus had just fed four thousand and still the pharisees are asking for a sign. Was that not sufficient.

Pharisees demand for a sign was enough a sign for Jesus that they were not in line with him. They were not willing to see what he was doing and preaching as signs.

Jesus' own life was a sign of God's kingdom. And their own idea of kingdom was different from that of Jesus.

Their demand for a sign is like that of the temptation of Satan. In the temptation stories he argues with the Satan using the word of God and at the end he asks the Satan to move off from him. 

Here in this dispute he refuses to argue with them and he moves off.

Asking for a sign is as good as tempting God. Instead we have to see the hand of God in the daily events of the day.  

14.02.10 BLESSED

A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured. Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all. And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said... (Lk 6,17-20)

Jesus started his ministry and in a short time, he had a great following. He had his disciples and people around him. They came from near and far. They came to listen to him and be healed by him and be cured of evil spirits.

But Jesus gives them something different(in today's reading). He gives them blessings. Not the blessings that they were expecting. They wanted to be healed, and cured. But what he promises them does not correspond to their demands.

What he promises (Blessings) them correspond to the situation in which they are:
If they are poor then they are blessed. They are not made rich.
If they are hungry then they are blessed. They are not fed.
If they are weeping then they are blessed. They are made to laugh.
So Jesus does not change the situation in which they are.

Instead their situation itself becomes blessed. This is the work of the redeeming God. Redeeming God does not protect us from evil or does not avoid the negative situation. Instead he enters into the negative situation and makes the situation a blessing.

Often we ask God to protect us, keep us out of evil, out of suffering, and out of sickness. This is not the work of the God whom we believe in. We know the story of Job where God enters in to the life situation of Job and Job finds God in the midst of the suffering. Same with Jesus, when Jesus was on the cross, God did not get him out of the cross instead he made the cross holy and he made death a victory. This is our God.

So poverty, weeping, hunger are not changed instead they become kingdom, satisfaction and laughter.

Are you blessed?

13.02.10 FOUR THOUSAND

 He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. 

Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them, 

and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they 

distributed them to the crowd.  They also had a few fish. 

He said the blessing over them and ordered them distributed also.

They ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over

-- seven baskets. There were about four thousand people. (Mk 8,4-9)

It is said that the feeding of the five thousand (Mk 6,30-44) with 

twelve baskets left over represents Jesus' ministry among 

the Jewish people ( 12 tribes), while feeding the 4000 with

seven baskets left over represent his ministry among the

gentile world (70 nations)

But it is difficult to know the exact intention of the author.

Jesus ministry of compassion is stressed here too.

He is aware of and sensitive to the needs of the people

and he is willing to meet the needs of the people.

Interestingly in this ministry of compassion Jesus 

involves his disciples. The closer one is to Jesus, the more

 likely it is that he will call him to share his work of compassion.

One should not be worried about the little he has, rather

he should be ready to offer it to Jesus and do as he wishes.

He will multiple the little gifts we have and share it with many

12.02.10 SECRET

And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!") And (immediately) the man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. He ordered them not to tell anyone. (Mk 7, 32-36)

The man in today's context is deaf and dumb. He is brought to Jesus. Jesus heals him without any show. He does not want the people to see the miracle. But we wonder why Jesus orders them not to speak about it.

He has given the speech back to the deaf man. If he has received the gift of speech then he has to speak  about it. Why the need for secrets. He could have made everyone dumb and no one would have revealed what has happened. If Jesus did not want to be seen or talked about then why did he do this at all? He could have just preached the word of God and taught the message to the people and carried on with his work. Why only miracles are not to be made known to the others. Why this secrecy?

What Jesus has done cannot remain hidden. The man who was not talking is talking now. That is not a secret for anyone who, sees him talking. Jesus tells the people around not to spread it, but they cannot stop talking.

Probably Jesus needed some more time before he is made known to the wider public. Or he was intending to travel some more, preaching and teaching. He wanted to gather some more support by passing on his message. So he wanted to be alone and wanted to move around unnoticed. But already the crowds were gathering around him and they were reaching the place of his arrival before he could even reach. The officials were already at him to close in on him. Just a couple of miracles more then they will bounce on him.
He couldn't stop his work for the kingdom. He came for that work only. So also, he could not stop the people talking about it. Kingdom spreads this way also.

11.02.10 FOOD FOR DOGS

He said to her, "Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs." She replied and said to him, "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps."  Then he said to her, "For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter." Mk 7, 27-29

The woman was desperate. She had an urgent need of help. Her daughter was demon possessed. Demons do not have any territorial restrictions. They possess people of any religion, any region, any sex, any age etc. 

If so, why Jesus makes this distinction. The author of the Gospel of Mark wants to communicate something through this miracle. Because , later on, Jesus tells his disciples to go the ends of the earth to proclaim the kingdom and to cast out demons etc.(Mk 16, 14-17)

 

This miracle story has an odd exchange of words between Jesus and the woman. May be through this exchange of words the author wants to communicate something. Jews often thought of Gentiles as dogs. It was intended to be an apparent insult. Because dog returns to its own vomit (2 Pet 2,22)  The context of this verse says that, the people who are compared to dogs are those, who after knowing Jesus return to worshiping their earlier Gods. Does Mark, the author, wants to say that anyone who comes in contact with Jesus should remain faithful to him? If not they are like dog that return to its vomit. Or is it a warning to this lady that she should not return back to her old belief after receiving the miracle? Could be.

Her reply proves that she was faithful to Jesus and Jesus also accepts her response by performing the miracle. 

So belief in Jesus and following Jesus are stressed.

10.02.10 HEAR ME AND UNDERSTAND

"Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile." 

Scriptures (Old Testament) spoke about purity laws. The were also talking about food laws. These laws were like signposts. They were pointing out to something. But once you reach the destination the you do not need the signposts anymore. 

Jesus argument is that these purity laws and other food laws do not actually touch the real human problem. It is the kingdom of God that touches the real human problem. So Jesus brings to completion the covenant that God made.

Jesus, here, is making a distinction between laws and principles of life. Laws are time bound and they are for a particular situation. But the principles are true in every situation at every place at anytime and for everyone. The principles are: respect for person, love of the other, respect for life, freedom, goodness etc. These are in a sense eternal and they  are true. 

But the laws are true in one country and they are not practiced in another. 

So Jesus is telling his listeners to understand this basic difference. Man is more important than the laws. Respect for life is more important than the sabbath laws etc.

Listen to the kingdom of God. Understand the kingdom of God.

09.02.10 THEY OBSERVED

Now when the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him,  they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. Mk 7,1-2

The Pharisees and some scribes observed that some of his disciples eating with unwashed hands. I wonder whether they observed what they were eating. The disciples are there to eat. So what must be observed is what they were eating. The pharisees reach only half way. They see their hands in their plates. But they do not see what is in their plates or in their mouth. And they get stuck with that. Many a times this happens 

Do traditions end up this way - I mean the half way. Traditions, rules and regulations are made to help us complete something. They are there to assist us to reach a goal. Without the goal, the traditions are empty. The rules have no relevance.  Often times this what happens: we go in search of a goal but we reach half way and we get stuck with that. We spend all our life in the half ways.

Precisely on this ground that Jesus makes his comment on them when he says:"Well did Isaiah prophesy 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 as doctrines human precepts.'  You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition." 

Here again they reach only half way: they use words (lips service) not with hearts. They talk about worship but spend their time discussing about human doctrines. They start with God's commandments but end up with human traditions.

We need to reach beyond the traditions. Observe beyond the traditions.

08.02.10 THOSE WHO TOUCHED IT WERE HEALED

Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid  the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might  touch only the tassel on his cloak;  and as many as touched it were healed. Mk (6,56)

The crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening  to the word of God, (Lk 5,1) We know well that the crowd was after him to listen to him.

He was teaching and he was preaching. These two were his special ministries. 

But today's reading says that people were in crowds to touch him. They wanted to be touched by him and some even  just wanted to touch the tassel of his clock.

In preaching and in teaching, it is the willful act of the one who preaches and teaches. He decides to do so.

He knows well what he preaches and what he teaches.

And in the healing ministry the healer touches the sick and prays over the sick and they are healed. The healer

is aware of what he is doing. 

But today's reading gives a different tone to the miracle stories. The healer need not be even aware of what is happening around him. He is just walking about, and the people who want to be healed rush to him and they touch him and some even  touch the tassel of his cloak. Which means the healer is not even aware of what is happening around. He may not even feel the touch.

The healing power is not only with Jesus the person, but also to all that belong to him or even to his surroundings.

It could also be that healing takes place because of the faith of the one who goes for healing. But this story does not stress that point at all.

Healing power is with Jesus and he shares it with his surroundings. That is why His name is a healing, his cloak is a healing, and his shadow as well.

If Jesus is near us then even we could  be healing persons. 

07.02.10 LAKESIDE

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.  He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.  Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. (Lk 5,1-3)

The crowd was pressing in on Jesus to listen to the word of God.

But the word of God was read and preached in the synagogue. Jews had such a respect for the word of God that they would not play about with it. Especially they would not look for it in the sea shore/lakeside. So the crowd was more on to Jesus and the words of the Kingdom that he was preaching.  The word of (God) Jesus was attracting the crowd.

Why do we find the preacher on the sea shore or the lakeside?

So he himself was not like the official preachers who were found in the temple and in the synagogues or in their homes. Sea shore/lakeside is the place where you find no buildings, no structures, and no institutions. It is an open space. Only the elements of nature like air, water, earth, space and fire (to cook fish) are found. Basic created elements are there and visible and observable. Probably Jesus wanted to preach to the universe and the people were also a part of these listeners.

If you know the geography of the people of Israel, then you will understand that sea is the farthest end of the earth and there is nothing beyond. So Jesus takes the extreme end and he can only preach to the landside. For behind him there is nothing (it is the end of the world). So he preaches to the whole living things of the earth.

He preaches to the universe and also to the whole creation.

He stands on the water in a boat. He is the master of the water as God the creator was at the time of creation. And the miracle that takes place behind him in the sea is really a miracle. But it is also a parable for the viewers. Peter, the fisherman, who was a failure in catching fish that day, finds himself catching loads of them at the command of Jesus, son of a carpenter. But Jesus is in command.

And again this is a parable, because the kingdom of God will be like this. Human hands will catch nothing for the kingdom but it is the work of Jesus that will bring in loads of people into the kingdom that even boats (churches) will not be able to hold.

So Jesus preaches the kingdom to the universe, to the elements, to the earth - from the ends of the earth, and to the people.  And the kingdom will have followers in great numbers as to sink the boats.

06.02.10 REST

He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place

and rest a while." People were coming and going in great 

numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they 

went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. 

Mk 6,31-32

Jesus asks disciples to take rest.

But, it he who said that the harvest is plenty and the labourers

are few. (Mt 9,37)

It is he who sent his disciples with nothing to carry with except

the message. Because the mission was urgent and it has to 

be completed in time. They had no time to sit and relax in stead 

they had to dust their feet and move to next place.

How could such urgency be broken with rest in the desert?

Could we say that Jesus, though he was aware of the urgency

of the mission, was more human than many of us. When he 

knew that his disciples had completed a course of activities,

then he also allowed them to have the needed rest.

When he sent them for a mission he gave them directions as to

what to carry and how to go about. But now they are just told 

to be off and take rest. Nothing to do.  It is only for a while.

Could this be to imitate God the creator who rested on the sabbath?

That is God created everything, then rested, then he continued 

with the other works (providence, redemption etc).

Similarly this rest could be, to start other activities, for the disciples.

Whatever be Jesus says that rest is to have a break from the previous

activities; it is to move away from the place of ministry (to desert);

it is also to be far away form the people (not to be disturbed).

And it is for a while. 

05.02.10 KING HEROD

King Herod heard about it, for his fame had become widespread, and people were saying, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him."  But when Herod learned of it, he said, "It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up." Mk 6, 14.16

Today's reading is very interesting. Mark, the author, has written it with a journalist's hand, we can say. The three areas that he touches in the reading are important and even today's news papers will work the same way. 

They are : the people on high places (King Herod), the sex scandal, and the religion. One thing is certain that what we have read in todays reading is historical. If it was not true, then the first century people (authority) would not have allowed this story to go around among the people. Historians have written more than enough about King Herod and his wicked ways. 

Also, what is written about Jesus is more than true because the people thought that he was a prophet. He was behaving as a prophet and he spoke of himself as a prophet. Because he was doing prophetic works. Elijah, who according to Jewish tradition would return to get things ready for the final judgement.

Here, Herod speaks theology. He speaks about resurrection. But he is wrong in saying that John is risen in Jesus. Resurrection is not the work of John or Jesus, it is the work of GOD. 

His guilty conscience pricks. 

His guilty conscience is not at peace. 

Whatever happens around is a constant reminder of the wrong that one has done.  

Whatever be the ugly story, in it, there can be found real encouragement to faithful witness and constant hope.

04.02.10 NOTHING FOR THE JOURNEY

He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick-- no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them."
Mk 6,8-11

Jesus is sending his disciples as missionaries two by two. Probably one has to be a witness for the other. Or only when two bear witness together on anything, then the facts are acceptable. There is no time for dispute and verifications. Two together are already sufficient to verify. So what they preach has to be  accepted without much suspicion and doubt. 

The author here allows them to take a walking stick along with them and they are allowed to wear sandals.  So it is a journey and that too a long journey. Walking stick is a support when they are tired, yet they have to keep on walking with the help of the stick; They cannot give up because they are tired. Keep going and going. Sandals again are for a journey - that too a journey along difficult (rough, thorny) paths. 

So their missionary journey is long and difficult. 

They are not to take food, money, a second tunic etc. The journey is for an immediate return. There is no holidaying or picnicking along the way. It is not a leisure trip.  It is: go for a job, finish the job and return. That is why they are asked to shake off the dust if not welcomed.  There is no time to plead, argue, convince etc.

There is another interesting note on this:
It is said that when a Jew goes on a trip to a foreign land on his way back he stands at the border  and shakes off the dust  from his sandals before entering into his own land (Israel). He should not bring in the dust of another country thus bring another (land's) god in. God is in the dust too. See 2 kings chapter 5 where in Naaman asks for two sacks of sand from the land of Israel to build an Altar for the LORD and to offer sacrifice for the LORD. God is mingled with the sand.

So if they do not accept your message then they do not  believe in the God whom you are presenting them with. Shake off the dust. Move to another.

So carry only the message and nothing for the journey 

03.02.10 NATIVE PLACE

He departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. (Mk 6,1-2)

Native place, in the case of Jesus, seems to raise a question. Native place is where one has grown from his childhood days. The people of the place know the individual thoroughly. They know his origin, his parents, his talents, his strengths and  weaknesses.

They have a slot and one has to fit into that fully. The way one dresses, speaks and moves about can be easily 

detected (and predicted) if one knows the place of the origin of the individual. One is cultured in his own village.

When one behaves differently in his own native place then people wonder as if something has happened to him. 

People expected him to be another synagogue preacher. They expected him to tell people how to obey the law of God. They thought that he would explain the prophets.

But he was speaking on his own authority: and from where he was, the kingdom was etc. This is the odd thing. But they have heard what he has done in other places and what he has preached and how people followed him in crowds.

Lack of faith, it seems, seriously hinders Jesus' power. This is an important message. 

When Jesus is seen with human eyes, social eyes etc, then he is a Jew and all that he has that belong to the 

town of Nazareth. 

When he is seen with an eye of faith, then he is the Son of  God, Messiah, preacher of the kingdom of God and 

miracle  worker.

Will we find faith in the native place, in our relatives and friends. Caution: this should not be an excuse for our inactivity.

Faith yes, even in the native place!!!

02.02.10 PRESENTATION OF THE LORD

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male  that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,"  (Lk 2,22-23)

God created the world. 

All creation belongs to God. 

Every new creation also belongs to God.

 And whatever comes out of the created world also belongs to God. 

Since they belong to God, man cannot have any claim over them.

Every fruit from the trees,
every grain from the fields, 

every sheep even 

every child that is born belongs to God. 

And hence man has no claim over them. 

Man has to offer them or bring them to God. 

It is this conviction that made the people of Israel to offer the first fruits to God. They offer the first fruits and say to God " I have toiled and brought forth these fruits. They all belong to You.

But I offer some of them to you so that I may have the rest for my use" 

Thus the tradition of offering the first fruits come to be  practiced. 

The first child that opens the womb also belong to God and hence it has to be offered to God.

A practice which becomes a tradition later enters into legal  system. In this legal system there is also the  possibility of  offering a substitute offering. This is the practice that we in todays reading.

What is important is the prophecy of Simeon: "a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel." This again gives the role of Jesus in his ministry. He has to reveal God to the non-Israelites and bring the glory of God to the people of Israel. A  beautiful mission.

So can we say that all creation belong to God and all have the same mission: to reveal God and the glory of God.