He marveled because of their unbelief

 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.  And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue.  And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things?  And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands?  Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?  And are not His sisters here with us?"  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."  Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And He marveled because of their unbelief.   Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.  He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts -- but to wear sandals, and not to put on more than two tunics.  Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.  And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"  So they went out and preached that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

- Mark 6:1-13

In yesterday's reading,  Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, back into Jewish territory, and a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.  And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name.  And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live."  So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.  Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians.  She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.  When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.  For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."  Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.  And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"  But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.  But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.  And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."  While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead.  Why trouble the Teacher any further?"  As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid, only believe."  And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.  Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.  When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep?  The child is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him.  But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.  Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."  Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age.  And they were overcome with great amazement.  But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

  Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.  And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue.  And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things?  And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands?  Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?  And are not His sisters here with us?"  So they were offended at Him.  My study bible says that "Jesus' teaching, wisdom, and miracles do not overcome the disbelief of those in His hometown.  The people see Him as one of them, the carpenter they know.  They are offended because they can do none of His works, and they are unwilling to accept a far greater role and dignity for Him.  In Scripture the words brothers and sisters can refer to stepbrothers and stepsisters, as well as other relatives."  For various reasons, including the fact that Jesus assigned Mary's care to His disciple John at the Cross, the Church from earliest times viewed Jesus as Mary's unique child.  By custom today, the word "brother" or "sister" is still used to refer to extended family (such as cousins, for example) in the Middle East.

 But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."  Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And He marveled because of their unbelief.  Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.  A note tells us that "jealousy affects faith.  Every person could have been restored.  But in the absence of faith, Jesus does not release the divine power which is always His."  In yesterday's reading, we read about a sort of "circuit" created at the meeting of the woman's faith, simply by touching her hand to His garments.  Even Jesus seems to be surprised by their lack of faith, as He marveled at their choice.  When the text reads that Jesus could do no "mighty work" in English, the text in Greek makes the connection between His power and faith more explicit.  It reads, to paraphrase:  "He could do not even one work of power," except to lay His hands on a few who were sick.  We note that Jesus moved on to other villages, doing what He can, teaching, always loyal to His mission.

And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.  He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts -- but to wear sandals, and not to put on more than two tunics.  Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place."  My study bible says that "this is the first time the twelve are sent out, as it were, on a training mission, preparing them for taking the gospel to the ends of the earth.  They go two by two for mutual support."  Jesus shares His power with them, the power over unclean spirits.  Again, Mark's Gospel emphasizes this "stronger man" who has come to help us with our defense against the evil that binds us, holds us hostage, and it is this power that is shared with the disciples.  We notice the extreme humility with which they are to conduct themselves, perhaps to emphasize all the more the "Kingdom that is not of this world" and the divine power that accompanies them, as opposed to worldly power.  To stay in one place only is an indication that once they are received or welcomed, and their work revealed, they are not to "trade up" to better lodgings, but to remain with whoever welcomed them first.

"And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"  To shake off the dust is a symbolic gesture of judgment.  The world of faith begins in hearts and minds, it is there the Kingdom takes root.  This testimony is an affirmation of the recognition of true response, or not.

 So they went out and preached that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.  A note in my study bible says, "Preaching is an earnest proclamation, and this present proclamation of the need for repentance is momentous.  This is the first time the Twelve perform miracles.  God gives His power, His energy, to human beings and through human beings -- to and through those who repent.  He shares with us by grace what is His by nature.  The disciples anointed with oil as part of the act of healing, for by the Incarnation of Christ creation is renewed:  oil and water become instruments of healing and renewal for the human race."

Today is a good day to speak of Jesus' Incarnation (as does the last note from my study bible) because for most of the world's churches, today is the day on which the Annunciation of Christ's birth is celebrated (those who celebrate Christmas at a later date will celebrate Annunciation on April 7th).  How does divine power, by way of divine energy, become one with human nature, with creation?  We really have no idea of the answer to this question, save to say by the power of God it is so.  My study bible points out the power in the elements of oil and water which "become instruments of healing and renewal for the human race."  These things are elements or effects of the Incarnation:  our God taking on a human body and human nature teach us that creation is made for glory, and in His Presence as Incarnate Son, creation is renewed, restored.  This is what we wish to keep in mind for today.  The Apostles go out two by two, preaching an earnest proclamation:  so, once again, we say, how fitting it is that today is the day we commemorate the great heralded message of the Annunciation, that God would be made human, will be born into the world as a child.  Again, we enter the realm of mystery, the ultimate paradox.  As faithful, we sit with that mystery, we can but accept it, and allow it to come to us as it will in our lives.  My study bible points out the efficacy of oil and water as instruments of healing, somehow manifesting God's power.  Human beings, in today's reading, are also imbued or endowed with this power.  In yesterday's reading, the faith of the woman with the bloodflow caused this power to be released to her from Jesus, healing her.  And we see what happens where faith is not present to make this connection:  in the envy and jealousy of the neighbors, who can't quite get their minds to the place where they can accept Jesus as He reveals Himself through His ministry, faith is empty and non-existent, and therefore the power He wishes to use for everyone's benefit simply cannot be revealed.  And He marvels at their lack of faith.  Our nature, when separated from God, is also perplexing, irrational, and causes even the "God-man" to marvel.  (Interesting to note that the root for "to marvel" here is a word used for "miracle" or "wonder.")   Judgment is interlaced here throughout today's reading.  No works of power can be revealed in a place where there is no faith; ironically, that place is Jesus' hometown, and those who are familiar with Jesus in one way cannot accept Him as revealed in another.  The lack of reception for His apostles is greeted equally with a testimony that will apply to judgment.  This is why repentance is central to our understanding of faith.  Repentance is the act of changing our minds, coming to terms with something of God that we can accept, and we change as we must to do so.  God incarnates as man, as Jesus, to meet us where we are.  But then it is up to us to come to terms with the One who is God and man.  We have a lifetime to sit with the paradox, to receive what we will in our lives through the power of God brought into the world, brought into the flesh, giving meaning and energy and grace to the life we live, to the objects of our lives, teaching us what our bodies are made for, and manifesting the essential goodness of creation.  Let us remember how the Incarnation glorifies everything, restoring nature to its essential goodness as created by God, giving us a sense of the dignity for which we are created, the powerful energy that welcomes us whole and teaches us with what dignity we must treat our bodies as temples for the grace and power of God.  Jesus gives us the fullness of what it is to be human, to fully receive the grace that is given to us.  Let us remember that the struggle with faith, to receive God as fully as we can, is a lifelong destiny, in which each moment is an opening.