The kingdom of God is at hand

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." They immediately left their nets and followed Him. When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.

Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who You are--the Holy One of God!" But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

- Mark 1:14-28

As we continue through Mark's Gospel, events move along at a very fast clip. In yesterday's reading, we read of the baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist, and the Theophany (or revelation of the Trinity). Immediately afterward, we read, the Spirit "drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him."

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, . . . " My study bible says here, "Jesus preaches the gospel of the kingdom of God: the Good News of the royal reign of God revealed decisively through the Person, words and works of Jesus, the fullness of the faith of Christ." Mark's Gospel moves at such a fast pace, so that when we read details we know they are significant. Here, in a very short phrase beginning this verse, we're told that John is in prison. It's important to know that such a great figure as John the Baptist in some way "makes room" for Christ. In John's Gospel, he will say of Jesus, "He must increase, but I must decrease." It is at this time that Jesus comes to Galilee preaching His gospel.

. . . and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." The "decrease" of John the Baptist is the sign of fulfillment -- the old is finished, and John is the last and the greatest of all the prophets in the perspective of Jesus. My study bible notes, "To repent denotes an about-face in life, a necessary part of faith and the experience of the Kingdom as a present reality. The Kingdom is yet to come, but it is also at hand, already here. It is inaugurated but not yet fulfilled." To repent, of course, is to "change one's mind." The "gospel" (Gr. evangelion) is the "good message" or "good announcement." So the "about face" of repentance is for belief, in order to hear and to perceive something -- an important, "good" message. It is so we may be present to the reality of that message!

And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." They immediately left their nets and followed Him. When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him. My study bible says of this passage, "Time has elapsed and many events have occurred between the temptation of Jesus and the call of the first disciples. Jesus chooses simple fishermen as messengers of the divine gospel." What intrigues me, once again, in this passage, appears as a detail: "they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants." Repeatedly, Jesus' acts and the people who surround Him and make up His apostles and followers teach us about loyalty, community and family. The "hired servant" is a term Jesus will use to imply those without true faith, who may been seen by their lack of true love for the flock, for the followers or community of the Body of Christ. This passage implies nothing about the relationship of father Zebedee to his sons, but it tells us everything about the kingdom: that it will demand great loyalties, it will teach love on a new basis, it will come before all things and other relationships, it will define community. It will shake up our sense of how we relate to the world and to one another, our priorities, and how we "do business" in the world. The "good news" or "good message" is heard by those who can perceive the presence of the kingdom, even among us. My study bible also points out that this is not the first meeting of John and James Zebedee with Jesus. "They obey Him and immediately leave their nets because He has already established a relationship with them, and they trust Him." Trust is an important understanding of relationship in this kingdom. The Greek word for faith is the same as to trust. My study bible points out in this passage that "called suggests discipleship is an invitation issued by Jesus, the emphasis being on His initiative--the opposite of rabbinic discipleship, where the student took the initiative to follow the leader (rabbi). Jesus does not hesitate to include groups of friends and relatives among His disciples. Here are two sets of brothers, and the two families are friends, perhaps even relatives." To be called is also to be able to hear and to perceive a message. One must have ears to hear all of this!

Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. "The scribes," my study bible notes, "speak by virtue of their official role and scholarly education. They quote others, usually earlier, well-known teachers; at times they must be boring. Jesus speaks and acts by an inner, divine authority. He needs no credentials nor the renown of others to back Him up." There is an immediacy and a presence to Jesus, something felt and sensed in the power and authority with which He speaks. This backs up our sense of the perception of the kingdom that is at hand, that is present to us. We must be present to it.

Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who You are--the Holy One of God!" But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee. My study bible says of this passage, "Jesus demonstrates His authority not only by His teaching, but by dealing powerfully with this unclean spirit (v. 23). Not one demon ever successfully resists His command. Here a spirit tries to command Jesus: Let us alone (v. 24). It does not work. Jesus responds with two commands: (1) be quiet, and (2) come out (v. 25). The unclean spirit has no choice but to obey Jesus because God has authority over these spirits. The demons recognize Jesus as God without having full understanding of what this means. But they do rightly fear that, with the coming of the Holy One (v.24), the time of their confinement has come." Personally, I'm always intrigued by the demons' response to Jesus. They know who He is. It is a kind of taste of the reality of the presence of this kingdom in our midst -- there is a spiritual reality that is at work amongst us and with us, only we need to be present to it to understand it. Here, the "unclean spirits" know who Jesus is, they recognize Him. While they create life difficulties for human beings, the saving power of Christ is an authority they cannot resist. The kingdom is at hand, and it is here to do its work with us and among us. Jesus will share His authority and power with us to help us in our lives, to give us strength to cope with our problems and difficulties. Being aware of that "present help" in all circumstances is a part of being present to the kingdom of God in our midst.

I have been thinking a lot about this sense of "being present" to the kingdom. I'm a practitioner of contemplative prayer, which one can find in various forms in Christian practice, both East and West. So, the question here is a very important one to me personally. What does it mean to be present to the kingdom of God? How does one practice repentance, or "change of mind" so that one is always aware of this presence at all times? Many contemplative techniques teach us about "mindfulness" - but to be present and awake, alert, to this kingdom and its reality is a very important historical part of Christian teaching that has come to us from the Gospels and the words of Jesus, who will teach His followers that they must remain alert, awake, and always ready for the kingdom (and His return). So these Gospel passages are in some sense a "wake up call" for all of us. What is this reality that is expressed through Jesus' encounter with the demons? Immediately after the revelation of the Trinity at His baptism (see yesterday's reading), Jesus is "driven into the wilderness" by the Spirit - and there He was tempted by Satan and at the same time ministered to by angels. So we have an important reality to understand, but it's not something that is far away. It is in our midst, and Jesus in His Person, in His incarnation in the world, brings us a physical presence that will remain through grace and the anointing of the world by the Spirit. It is all a grand "wake up call." Are we present to Its work in us and among us? Can we be awake enough to the present moment to understand it, and to perceive its ministrations for us? Can we allow it to help us and to be our strength in times of trouble and difficulties, and to help us with the problems that plague us as human beings? St. Paul will hear, in response to a prayer about his own infirmities, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness," and he will go on to say, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." Let us understand, then, the power of this kingdom and its presence to us, and the meanings in this story. Can we be awake enough to respond, as do the first apostles? Can we hear the message and the call? Will we allow in this help, so that our weakness may be made strong in this power?