Week 7 of Ordinary Time, Tuesday – 25th February — Gospel: Mark 9,30-37
Afraid and confused disciples
Each of the three passion predictions follows the same pattern – Jesus announcement is followed by serious misunderstandings on the part of his disciples. In the second prediction alone, the misunderstanding is illustrated by all twelve of the disciples as a group. In the first and third cases the individual names of the disciples are well known: Peter in the first; James and John in the last. In the second predictions, the disciples not only didn’t understand what he was talking about, but they are afraid to ask any questions (Mk 9,32). Perhaps they do not want to understand this confusing message about a Messiah who suffers and dies. Or perhaps they are afraid to reveal their ignorance. May be they remember the rebuke Peter received at Caesarea Philippi and want to avoid similar humiliation. In any case, their fear of asking any questions means that they stay in their state of ignorance and confusion. In Mark’s gospel, fear is the paired opposite of faith; their confused status is emblematic of a lack of faith. For example, in the calming of the storm, Jesus asks the disciples: “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith” (Mk 4,40; cfr Mk 5,36). For Mark, faith is not an intellectual assent to a series of ideas or articles to be believed in. Faith is more about what is in your gut, fortitude.
