Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea

 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where

'Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.'

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where

'Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.'

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to  enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where

'Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.'

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

- Mark 9:42-50

Yesterday, we read that Jesus and the disciples departed from the region of Caesarea Philippi (where the Transfiguration and a healing had taken place) and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.  Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him into His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."  Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'  And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to  enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where 'Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'"  We really couldn't get a stronger warning than this.  Jesus quotes three times from Isaiah 66:24, a statement about the final disposition of those who rebel against God.  It's an astoundingly stark and frightening statement of power and authority, but it's made in defense and protection of "these little ones who believe in Me."   My study bible says that little ones include all who have childlike humility and simplicity, all who are poor in spirit.  Such little ones are those who are easily exploited, or misled by others in authority.  This teaching, once again, is to those who will be the leaders of His Church, and it is all about how they are to cultivate humility and sinlessness.  Jesus speaks about mutilation as a metaphor for decisive action to put away one's own sinful tendencies.  A hand is that which grasps; here Jesus refers to behavior that seeks to take what is not one's own, or perhaps to do some violence to another.  A foot may walk on paths it should not walk, go where it should not go.  It may also be used for violence.  An eye covets what it should not, whether that be lust for possessions not one's own or for people one may exploit or mislead.  My study bible says these statements also apply to relationships that must e severed for the salvation of all parties (see Luke 14:26; 1 Corinthians 5:5).  These are teachings about the use of power:  and a dreadful warning to those who would abuse positions of authority.  It is better to be "missing" that which one may have nurtured and clung to, personal behaviors that indulge in sinful tendencies and forms of selfishness that poison relations in the Church, rather than abuse the trust of the "little ones."

 "For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."  To be seasoned with fire is to be tested to see if one's faith and works are genuine (see 1 Corinthians 3:11-15).  When Jesus says that every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt, He's quoting Leviticus 2:13, in which salt is a reminder of God's covenant with His people. 

Throughout the centuries, Jesus' strong words about self-discipline and the importance of casting off sinful tendencies have shaped our understanding about our own attitude to ourselves.  These words teach us something important about the leadership of the Church, and what constitutes righteousness in terms of His understanding of their role as those who are to care for the "little ones."  The Church is not without its scandals, but nevertheless we remember Jesus' dire warning here:  "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea."  In fact, the Greek root for the verb for "stumble" is skandalizo, from which we derive the word "scandalize."  The origin of the word means "snare" or "stumbling block."  St. Paul also wrote about the importance of not scandalizing those whose faith was weak in the Church (Romans 14:1).  He writes, "Let us not judge one another anymore, but rather to resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way."  He encourages the faithful not to quarrel with one another over issues such as unclean foods (see Romans 14:12-16).  Therefore the encouragement in faith that Jesus is asking those in authority to build up in the littler ones also extends to each one of us.  We are to avoid scandalizing those who come to the Church.  Petty disputes are another way of throwing one's weight around, so to speak, or lording it over others who are weaker (Matthew 20:25-26, 1 Peter 5:2-4).  These are meant to be the ways of faith and authority in the Church.  We strive to be examples for one another, not through authority as we understand worldly authority, but rather through love and grace and mercy.  And this is the way Jesus exhorts His disciples to lead His Church, to build up and nurture the flock of "little ones."  Each of us must take these issues to heart.  Christ requires of us the self-discipline (or, as it is often called in Tradition, self-mastery) to rise above our habits, even the things we may nurture so much within ourselves they are like another hand, or arm, or eye.  Jesus' analogy is quite a good one, as is always the case, in terms of illustrating our psychological state so well through metaphor.  As we progress in our faith, we are called to stronger and deeper discipline, to a character more well-shaped through God's love and grace, unlike those for whom power may mean simply the authority to enforce self-centered choices upon others or to use power in ways that don't consider the good of all -- and particularly the little ones who are humble.  Let us remember that we're all called as living stones, part of a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:4-10).  As such, we are all called to nurture one another, to be examples of living faith, as those shown mercy who live through mercy.  So often we tend to forget that this also involves our own discipline and willingness to let go of those things that may harm community through "scandal."  This is how we remember our covenant with Him, and have "salt" in ourselves.