Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had

 

 And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:

'The LORD said to my Lord,

"Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

"Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then His Son?"

Then in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."

 

- Luke 20:41-21:4 

 

Yesterday we read that some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Jesus and asked Him, saying:  "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  Now there were seven brothers.  And the first took a wife, and died without children.  And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.  Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died.  Last of all the woman died also.  Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become?  For all seven had her as wife."  Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.  But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'  For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."  Then some of the scribes answered and said, "Teacher, You have spoken well."  But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

 

 And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'  Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then His Son?"   Jesus quotes from Psalm 110, after being praised by one of the scribes for His interpretation of Scripture (in yesterday's reading, above), and poses a question of His own.  My study Bible explains that the first reference to the LORD applies to God the Father, while the term my Lord refers to Christ.  Jesus' question to the scribes is answered in that Christ is the Son of David in His humanity and David's Lord in His divinity.   The expectations of a Messiah as worldly king only are dispelled in this understanding -- for David, as king of Israel, would not address anyone as "Lord" except God.  David addresses the Messiah as Lord here in the beginning of the psalm, and therefore the Messiah must be God.  The understanding conveyed is that the Messiah is a descendant of David only according to His flesh, but is also divine, sharing Lordship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.

 

 Then in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."   In Matthew 23, we read an extensive critique of the scribes and Pharisees given in this final week of Christ's life.  Here it is much more abbreviated, and yet to the point.  He still criticizes them for their hypocrisy, their conduct of exorbitant displays of pious appearance to others -- and yet hiding their cruelty and greed.  Here He explicitly speaks of their condemnation.

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."  After Jesus speaks theft from widows by the scribes (who devour widows' houses), He puts out to all the poor widow and her donation into the temple treasury.  My study Bible says that according to patristic commentary, the Lord accounts the value of a gift not by how much is given, but by how much is kept back.  Therefore, this woman is counted to have given a great gift although she is a "poor widow," as she has kept nothing for herself.  My study Bible adds that those who give out of their abundance but keep plenty back for themselves are counted to have given very little.  

At a time when I was traveling overseas, I happened to be sitting one day in the center of a sunny city, in a nice cafe.  A refugee woman with two small children came to me, and she was asking people for money.  Ordinarily there might be a common experience of some people begging in that city, often people who used drugs.  But this woman was different, and I felt she must have come across the seas from bad circumstances and facing danger in her position.  I gave her a much larger amount that I would ordinarily hand to someone on the street but it still was not a large sum of money.  There was another person in my party who in principle thought I shouldn't do that, but I tersely said that she had two children.  Quietly and with great dignity she mouthed the words to me, "God bless you," with deep gratitude.  She comes to mind as I think about Jesus' final story, pointing out to those who listened the gracious and generous gift of the poor widow.  Although the amount I gave was small, and I didn't know how much it could help her, this woman -- who might have been a young widow with small children -- was grateful in an enormous way, possibly more for the fact that I wanted to protect and defend her than simply the donation.  Perhaps she understood that I saw her dignity and grace and recognized who she was in some sense.  At any rate, a small token or gift from me was met with tremendous graciousness on her part, and so we might think of a poor widow as one who truly knows the value of a gift, especially when the world is unkind to the powerless and the poor.  In the years since I wondered often how I could have done more for her, tried to find her a job, or some other such fantasy, but I remember her gratitude and her grace, and in that, her gift to me of genuine thanks for much more than a small sum of money.  In contrast to the widow in the story, my donation was quite paltry, a pittance.  But let us not forget how Christ looked at the poor widow at the treasury and noticed her, and had not simply compassion, but the recognition of her great gift.  It's too easy to overlook what is small in the world, and without the significance of what we call great, those unfortunate who have been treated badly by circumstances, and who need help.  But God -- our Lord Christ -- tells us differently, and that it is our job not simply to give, but to know and to recognize, to see as He sees.  Let us not forget the true gifts of life, for of such is the compassion and wisdom of Christ.  The woman to whom I gave a small momentary sum had the grace of Christ to recognize I wanted to help even if it was quite a little, but her words to me suggested her faith and its depth of beauty and goodness were much greater than whatever sum I could give her.  We live in a very imperfect world, and we cannot fix all things.  Let us remember to show the mercy we can, for our sisters and brothers are found everywhere, and in them is found much greater treasure than what we give.  What can be given out of one person's poverty may be a greater reward than we can know.

Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment

 

 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.  And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?"  Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.  If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.  He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.  Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?  Why do you seek to kill Me?"  The people answered and said, "You have a demon.  Who is seeking to kill You?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one work, and you all marvel.  Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.  If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?  Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

Now some of them from Jerusalem said, "Is this not He whom they seek to kill?  But look!  He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him.  Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?  However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes,  no one knows where He is from."  Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, "You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.  But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me."  Therefore they sought to take Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.  And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?"  

The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me.  You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come."  Then the Jews said among themselves, "Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him?  Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?  What is this thing that He said, 'You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come'?"

 

- John 7:14–36 

 

On Saturday, we began reading in chapter 7 of John's Gospel.  (The lectionary at this time skips over chapter 6, which we will visit later in Lent).   At this time, Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.  Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.  His brothers therefore said to Him, "Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing.  For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly.  If You do these things, show Yourself to the world."  For even His brothers did not believe in Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.  The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.  You go up to this feast.  I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come."  When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.  But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.  Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, "Where is He?"  And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him.  Some said, "He is good"; others said, "No, on the contrary,  He deceives the people."  However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

 

  Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.  And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?"  We recall that Jesus is at the Feast of Tabernacles, an eight-day autumn harvest festival, commemorating the time when Israel wandered in tents (or tabernacles) following Moses toward the Promised Land.  It is now the final year of Christ's earthly life.  In John's Gospel, the use of the term the Jews is meant most often to indicate the religious leadership, as a type of political designation, and not the Jewish people. Jesus, and all those who populate the stories here are Jews, including the attributed author of the Gospel.

Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.  If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.  He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.  Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?  Why do you seek to kill Me?"  My study Bible comments here that the simple desire to know and follow God's will is the key to understanding it.  Spiritual blindness derives from an unwillingness to know God or to recognize God's authority.  St. John Chrysostom, it says, paraphrases Christ in the following way:  "Rid yourselves of wickedness:  the anger, the envy, and the hatred which have arisen in your hearts, without provocation, against Me.  Then you will have no difficulty in realizing that My words are actually those of God.  As it is, these passions darken your understanding and distort sound judgment.  If you remove these passions, you will no longer be afflicted in this way."

The people answered and said, "You have a demon.  Who is seeking to kill You?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one work, and you all marvel.  Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.  If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?  Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."  Once more, we have an example given by Jesus of a blameless "violation" of the Sabbath -- to circumcise on the Sabbath.  We recall that Jesus was accused of violating the Sabbath in healing a paralytic on the Sabbath, telling him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." (See this reading.)  He was therefore accused of violating the prohibition against work (carrying burdens).  As He does elsewhere, Jesus demonstrates that the law is not absolute over human need or service to God.  They judge only according to appearance, which feeds their hypocrisy, rather than righteous judgment.  

Now some of them from Jerusalem said, "Is this not He whom they seek to kill?  But look!  He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him.  Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?  However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes,  no one knows where He is from."  Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, "You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.  But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me."  My study Bible comments that these crowds are mistaken when they say they know where this Man is from.  This is a mistake both in an earthly sense and a divine sense.  In human terms, they think of Jesus as being from Nazareth of Galilee, which is where He was raised.  But He was born in Bethlehem (verse 42; see Luke 2:1-7).  More than this, they cannot understand that HE has come from the Father in Heaven, eternally begotten before all ages; therefore His divine "origin" is also unknown to them.

 

Therefore they sought to take Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.  And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?"   Christ's hour, my study Bible explains, is the time of His suffering and death.  It notes that He is Lord over time, an authority which is possessed by God alone.  Christ comes to His Cross of His own free will and in His time, and not according to the plots of men (see John 8:20; 10:39). 

The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me.  You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come."  My study Bible notes that in this statement Jesus is referencing His death, Resurrection, and Ascension into heaven.  

Then the Jews said among themselves, "Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him?  Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?  What is this thing that He said, 'You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come'?"   In a circumstance that often arises in John's Gospel, these religious leaders are completely baffled by Christ's response.  In this case, they will remain unknowing; but when this occurs with those who follow Him, the puzzling meaning of His words will eventually be brought out and understood.  To go among the Greeks means to go among the Gentiles, for whom Greek was the lingua franca, the international language of commerce and communication between peoples of the time.  My study Bible calls this an unwitting prophecy. (This is not the only occasion upon which the unbelieving and uncomprehending leadership will make such an unwitting prophecy in John's Gospel; see John 11:50; 18:14.)  It points to the time after His Ascension when Christ's name will be preached among the Gentiles by the apostles.  

Once again, in today's reading, we encounter the differences between Christ's words, their intended meanings, and the ways in which people "hear" them and comprehend them.  The religious leadership cannot make head or tail of Christ's speech.  They are outraged at His actions (healing the paralytic on the Sabbath at the Feast of Weeks, in this reading), and His claims to equality with the Father (in this reading).  We can also imagine that the rulers grow even more scandalized by the response of the people to Jesus, when they say things like, "Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?"  We can see the split among the people, too, as some others say, "However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes,  no one knows where He is from."    In this latter statement, John shows us yet another misunderstanding about Jesus, as the people think He's from Nazareth in Galilee, but He was born in Bethlehem, the city of David.  In terms of words and their meanings, and the misunderstandings that abound, Jesus gives us a teaching that is central to the discernment necessary in such peculiar circumstances which swirl with all kinds of agendas and misinterpretations.  He says, "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."  This is the key to understanding not only Christ Himself, but also how each one of us should approach circumstances if we would be His followers.  We need to refrain from judging by appearance, and instead seek righteous judgment.  That is, we seek through a prayerful and thoughtful approach, as best we can, to find where God leads us, what judgment we're given for all circumstances within this frame of mind, and the mindset that faith would give us.  For, without the discernment of God, without the love and understanding of God, how do we truly know how to approach life and the varied circumstances in which we find ourselves -- especially amidst the swirl of false agendas, manipulation, and the confusion of others?  A little further along in today's reading, and we get yet another misunderstanding, but one which remarkably produces an unintended, unwitting prophecy on the part of the religious leaders.  Jesus tells them the truth about where He is headed in this final year of His earthly life:  ""I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me.  You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come." He speaks of His death, Resurrection, and Ascension, but they, of course, do not understand that.  They respond, "Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him?  Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?" pointing to the time when this will happen through the apostles, a process so notably documented in St. Paul's Epistles.  If we would but discern also with righteous judgment, John's Gospel asks us to see in such an unwitting prophecy the hand of God working through the establishment of the temple and the office of the chief priests, even when that office might be occupied by those who do not serve well, even whose hearts are far from God.  Again, we turn to Jesus' words:  "I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.  But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me."  These are the words that teach us what is lacking in the religious leadership, and they incense these rulers.  Over and over again, Jesus will assert that if they "knew" God, if the love of God was in their hearts, they would recognize Him as One Sent by God, and they would recognize the truth in Him from God who is true.  And this is where we stop and think, and take note, that Jesus is teaching us about discernment here.  He's teaching us about what it means to judge with righteous judgment, and not by appearance.  It is in this relationship where we may transcend ourselves and our limitations.  For when we fail to go to this place where we can love God in our hearts in order to gain an answer for how to discern circumstances, how to listen to others and truly hear them, how to see and judge what is around us, then we have failed to do as He asks.  We will be like these uncomprehending leaders who fail in their own mission of service, and we will also be like hypocrites who rely on appearance to judge and even to define themselves in life.  Once again, we note the consistency of Christ's teachings and the Gospels, for this understanding about righteous judgment conforms to Jesus' teaching of the two greatest commandments, to love God first, and to love one's neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:36-40).  Let us endeavor to follow! 

 

 

What is this? What new doctrine is this?

 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

Yesterday we read the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, according to St. Mark.  As it is written in the Prophets:  "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You."  "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.'"  John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.  Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.   Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  And he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.  I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."  It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And immediately coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.  Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."  Immediately 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, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent, and believe in the gospel."  Mark puts emphasis on John being put in prison before Jesus began preaching.  This reveals, my study bible tells us, that a key purpose of the old covenant -- to prepare the people for Christ -- had been completed (Galatians 4:1-5).  Once Christ has come, the time of preparation is fulfilled.  To repent is to do an "about-face," my study bible reminds us.  The word is Greek is metanoia, and it means literally to change one's mind."   Repentance is an ongoing experience, and brings with it "a radical change of one's spirit, mind, thought and heart -- a complete reorientation" to a life that is centered in Christ.

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.  These first disciples, we know, had already heard the preaching of John the Baptist.  Therefore they were prepared to accept Christ immediately when called.  My study bible reminds us that although illiterate and unlearned in religion, these "people of the land" whom Jesus calls will be revealed at Pentecost to be the wisest of all.

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.  My study bible notes that the word immediately occurs nearly forty times in Mark's Gospel.  Almost all of these occur before Christ's entrance into Jerusalem.  There is a sense of urgency and purpose in this brief Gospel, as Jesus journeys toward Jerusalem to fulfill His mission of redeeming the world.  Mark's Gospel is not only the shortest, but it is also the most direct of all four Gospels.  Here, one more "immediate" effect of Christ is the response of the spirit world, usually hidden from human beings.  His power expressed through authority is astonishing to the people, as commander of the unclean spirit it is amazing and revelatory of His divine nature. 

 In addition to urgency, the repeated use of the word immediately gives us a sense of God's manifestation in the world.  This is not a gradual, slow growth.  It is not something which we're prepared for in small doses.  It's a suddenness.  Although Israel has been prepared throughout its history by the prophets for this moment, each prophet's words have also been startling, amazing, astonishing -- and often greeted with disdain, especially in high places.  That's what prophets do, they shake up the order and the firmly-in-place assumptions and practices that need shaking up.  Christ's appearance -- and this very beginning of His ministry -- comes on suddenly and shakes everything up.  How startling and astonishing is His authority (for He has not studied with a famous rabbi, nor does He teach in anyone else's name).  How incredible is the experience of the appearance of the unclean spirit and the words that come out in the temple about the identity of Jesus, "the Holy One of Israel."  Even more explicitly amazing is Jesus' command of the spirit itself, in full force and with full expediency warning the unclean spirit to "Be quiet!"  And commanding that the spirit "come out of him!"  The manifestation of God is not something fuzzy and wishy-washy and uncertain.  It is quite certain, takes definite form, brooks no compromises in its portrayal.  There is nothing left to guess here.  God manifests in a concrete and particular way, making God's presence known in the world in ways that tell us something.  It's all the gospel, it's all the good news -- it is an announcement of something that is revealed to the world.  God announces God's presence in assertive ways and on no uncertain terms, to teach us something, to give us a message, to let us know what it is that we need to know -- and then to leave us to decide how we're going to respond.  This doesn't work the other way, where we get what we think we're prepared for and ready to hear and accept.  We don't get to wait until we're good and ready.  The announcement is one-sided, the instruments and form and shape of it all is unequivocal.  God manifests as a human being, in this particular place, from the heritage of this spiritual lineage, in order to present to us something.  That is why we read the Gospel -- because this is the story we're given, and it's not up to us to augment or change or fudge the details because somehow we don't quite understand the story or it doesn't fit our expectations.  God presents God in forms we need to accept and accommodate, that are meant to expand what we know and what we can consider and even who we think we are.  Jesus commands the spirit, but God commands our attention.  Let us be amazed and astonished as is only appropriate.  The people ask, "What is this?  What new doctrine is this?"   Surely this is the only way to meet the good news of God's appearance in the world.

Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment

 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.  And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?"  Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.  If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.  He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.  Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?  Why do you seek to kill Me?"  The people answered and said, "You have a demon.  Who is seeking to kill You?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one work, and you all marvel.  Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.  If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?  Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." 

Now some of them from Jerusalem said, "Is this not He whom they seek to kill?  But look!  He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him.  Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?  However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from."  Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, "You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.  But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me."  Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.  And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?"

The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me.  You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come."  Then the Jews said among themselves, "Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him?  Does He intend to go to the dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?  What is this thing that He said, 'You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come'?"

- John 7:14-36

Yesterday, we read that after the events following the teachings on His Body and Blood, Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.  Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.  His brothers therefore said to Him, "Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing.  For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly.  If You do these things, show Yourself to the world."  For even His brothers did not believe in Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.  The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.  You go up to this feast.  I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come."  When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.  But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.   Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, "Where is He?"  And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him.  Some said, "He is good"; others said, "No, on the contrary, He deceives the people."   However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.  We recall that Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (Hebrew Sukkot), an autumn harvest festival.  The events in these next few chapters of John's Gospel concern things that happened at this festival, which covers eight days, and is the feast of the coming Kingdom, commemorating the time Israel lived in tents (or booths or tabernacles) following Moses toward the promised land.

 And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?"  Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.  If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.  He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.  Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?  Why do you seek to kill Me?"  The people answered and said, "You have a demon.  Who is seeking to kill You?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one work, and you all marvel.  Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.  If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath,so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?  Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."   Once again we remember that the term the Jews is used to denote the religious leadership (all the people here are Jews, including Jesus).  My study bible says of Jesus' teachings here that the simple desire to know and follow God's will is the key to understanding it.  Spiritual blindness comes from the unwillingness to truly know God or to recognize God's authority.   My study bible cites St. John Chrysostom here, who paraphrased the words of Christ as follows:  "Rid yourselves of wickedness:  the anger, the envy, and the hatred which have arisen in your hearts, without provocation, against Me.  Then you will have no difficulty in realizing that My words are actually those of God.  As it is, these passions darken your understanding and distort sound judgment.  If you remove these passions, you will no longer be afflicted in this way."  Jesus refers here to a quarrel with the authorities which began when Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, and healed a man near the pool at the Sheep Gate.  He was subsequently accused by the leadership of breaking the Sabbath.

Now some of them from Jerusalem said, "Is this not He whom they seek to kill?  But look!  He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him.  Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?  However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from."  Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, "You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.  But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me."  Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.  And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?"  My study bible tells us that these crowds here are mistaken, both in an earthly sense and in a divine sense.  Humanly speaking, they think Jesus is from Nazareth in Galilee.  But they're mistaken, as He was actually born in Bethlehem.  But beyond worldly birth, they can't understand that He has come from the Father in Heaven, eternally begotten before all ages, and therefore His divine origin is also unknown to them.  His hour referred to here is the time of His suffering and death on the Cross.  My study bible says that Christ is the Lord over time, which is an authority that is possessed by God alone.  He comes to the Cross of His own free will and in His time, not in accordance with the plots of human beings (see also 8:20; 10:39).  Jesus makes clear statements here of His relationship to the Father, for which they seek to seize Him.

The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me.  You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come."  Then the Jews said among themselves, "Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him?  Does He intend to go to the dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?  What is this thing that He said, 'You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come'?"  Here Jesus refers to His death, Resurrection, and Ascension into heaven -- clearly giving us a picture that He knows what is to come.  It is all, in some sense, in His and the Father's hands, and will be a voluntary "exodus" on the Cross (see translation footnote at Luke 9:31).  To go among the Greeks is to go to teach among the Gentiles; that is, Greek-speakers, as the lingua franca of the time was Greek.  This is an unwitting prophecy.  It points to the time after His Ascension, when Christ's name will be preached among the Gentiles by the apostles.  Indeed, all the books of the New Testament (and at Christ's time, as well as for many centuries afterward, even the Old Testament Scriptures) were written and studied in Greek.

Jesus takes the traditions of the past, and something new is born as fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.  Many of the people believe in Him, but the leadership -- although He does have followers among them -- firmly is against Him.  He is a threat to their place, and they will use the Law against Him, to charge Him with blasphemy.  Here in today's passage we see a common sort of development in John's Gospel.  Jesus' words are hard to understand, and hard to interpret.  A literal reading of His words will not allow one the insight to know what He's talking about.  Like the insistence upon the literal holding of the traditions that were developed around the Law, a literal understanding only of His words will not get anyone very far, because Jesus' words have meanings on many levels.  It requires an opening of the heart to perceive, an act opening to the possibility of faith.  The leadership clings to a worldly perspective, concerned as they are about their own authority and their places.  But Jesus teaches by example, and as we can see from His words, He clings over and over again to His relationship to the Father and His mission given in such relationship.  There is no separation between Father and Son.  That is, even on the Cross, as Jesus teaches, His Father is with Him (see 8:29, 16:32).  Jesus shows us the importance of clinging to this relationship, and that all things come in relation to God, even His identity as well as our identity.  He seeks the glory of the One who sent Him.  Throughout misunderstanding, throughout persecution, through all difficulties, it is the one thing necessary that Jesus clings to -- and by doing so, sets the example for all of us.  How does your relationship to Christ shape you?  How does it shape your decisions?  Does it define you when others would define you otherwise?  This is the key to Christ, and to true faith.  Who are we as we abide in Him?  What does it mean not to judge according to appearance, but to truly judge with righteous judgment?

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted

 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying:  "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.  Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.  For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.  But all their works they do to be seen by men.  They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.  They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.'  But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.  Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.  And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.  But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.  And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

- Matthew 23:1-12

Yesterday, we read that when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.  Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"  Jesus said to him, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it:  'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."  While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, "What do you think about the Christ?  Whose Son is He?"  They said to Him, "The Son of David."  He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool"'?  If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his Son?"  And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying:  "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.  Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.  For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.  But all their works they do to be seen by men."  Today's reading begins Jesus' final public sermon.  In it, He criticizes religious leadership in several basic ways.  As followers of Christ, we are not to see these criticisms merely as an indictment of the leadership of His time, but rather to take each word equally in application to the leadership of His Church should they behave in similar ways.  My study bible says that Jesus charges them with being "mean-spirited, judgmental, greedy, ambitious, absorbed in externals, and blindly self-righteous."  In these verses, Jesus speaks about the scribes and Pharisees who sit in Moses' seat.  This means to hold the succession of office down from Moses himself; it is the honor of the office, which Jesus separates from the character of the particular men who may hold it.  Jesus says, "Whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works."  The men may be depraved in character, but the words they teach are those of Scripture, the "breath" or word of God.  Within the Church, the way is the same:  the office has dignity, even if those who hold it are flawed.  My study bible adds that "furthermore, the sins of the clergy do not relieve the people from their responsibilities before God."   Here, Jesus accuses the leadership of hypocrisy; rather than being good shepherds they bind and oppress their flock with burdens, using them rather than caring for them.  Here's a root cause He cites:  all their works they do to be seen by men.  That's in opposition to the love of God as motivating priority, which should be true for any faithful person, particularly a leader of the faith.

"They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments."  Phylacteries are small leather pouches which contain passages of Scripture.  They are worn on the arm or forehead.  The idea was to keep God's Law always in mind (Exodus 13:9).  But Jesus says here they're used by these men as a show of false piety - making them increasingly larger and more noticeable. 

"They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.'  But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.  Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.  And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ."  What they love is authority, as we've already seen during Jesus' dialogues with them in the temple, in which they question Jesus as to His authority to do what He's done (particularly in cleansing the temple of the money changers and animal sellers).   Jesus groups His Church around one Teacher, and one Father.  The rest, including the hierarchs, are to be brethren:  brothers and sisters.  The love of authority creates separation between the flock and its shepherds.  Love of God, with Christ as teacher, groups all of us as children or sons in one family, all disciples with one teacher.  This isn't a prohibition on the use of the names "teacher" or "father" to indicate a fatherly care for a flock, or one who teaches the words of Christ. 

But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.  And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  Jesus emphasizes community.  Like all the prophets before Him, His emphasis is on the care of the flock, on what makes a good shepherd.  The real cornerstone for everything in His Church is love.  That is, He is the head of the corner, but the entire edifice is to made from love:  starting with love of God, as in the two great commandments we've just read about in His teaching -- love of God and love of neighbor.   In Jesus' teaching, we are more than neighbors.  We are brethren, and more -- the greatest among us are servants.

Jesus' teachings on humility in His leadership are really teachings about love, and about what creates community.  We rally around the focal points of love:  God and Christ.  With these pillars who teach us love, the rest comes in humility.  We're all part of the flock, all children and brethren, and He teaches us true care.  I read recently an excerpt from a popular book that's winning a lot of awards and accolades in the United States.  In it, the author describes his understanding of his identity as created by hate when he was younger:  community came from those "others" he hated, and defined who he was.  But Christ calls us to the absolute opposite:  it is community created by Who we love.  Community, in the model of Christ, is created and described in the two great commandments:  love of God and love of neighbor.  Within those commandments we learn the necessity of humility; that to truly be good servants to Christ and the Father, good disciples ("learners"), we need to understand proper relationships and to learn what love is.  This is to be a community in which love as Christ teaches it is the glue, what makes for relationships and draws us together.  Active love is taught in terms of how we are as neighbors, as brothers and sisters, as servants.  But Jesus' words would not be here if to be faithful sheep meant we were to close our eyes to the things that don't make for community, and make instead poor leadership:  hypocrisy, everything done to be seen by the "eyes of men" and to impress others, burdens of all kinds placed on the flock.  Control by guilt seems to be a particular form of such burdens, rather than good instruction and appropriate correction:   fears about what we might do wrong replacing an active love, social shaming (a form of authority by appearance to others) taking the place of passionate commitment to love of God and love of neighbor, and humility doesn't seem to get a mention these days in terms of what we consider admirable or a virtue.  When we move off of His teachings, it doesn't really matter what form it takes.  Sophistry hides in all kinds of disguises and shapes, even as weeds resemble wheat in one of Jesus' parables.  So, we watch for the things that He teaches us to watch for.  We remain faithful as He teaches, but we are also to be wise.

He is risen!

 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, "Go into the all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen.

- Mark 16:1-8, 9-20

In yesterday's reading, we were told that at Jesus' crucifixion, there were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.  Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went into Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Pilate marveled that He was already dead, and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.  So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.  Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen.  And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.  And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph observed where He was laid.

  Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  My study bible says, "At least some of the mothers of Jesus' disciples were involved in His life and ministry.  Mary the  mother of James is probably the mother of James, son of Alphaeus (also called James the Less), one of the Twelve.  Salome is probably the mother of James and John, sons of Zebedee, two of the Twelve.  They bought spices, aromatic oils, when the Sabbath was past, out of respect for the Sabbath-rest.  Anointing the body, but not embalming it, was a Jewish custom.  The women seek to fulfill this custom, in their courage exhibiting their great love and devotion for Jesus, in contrast to the scattered disciples.  They are rewarded by the honor of being the first witnesses to the Resurrection."

Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.   My study bible says that the stone had been rolled away not to accommodate Jesus' Resurrection, but to show that the tomb is empty.

And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.   A note tells us:  Entering the tomb, that is, the first chamber, they see a young man who is actually an angel.  The details vary among the Gospels:  Matthew reports the angel as sitting outside on the stone (Matt. 28:2), while Luke recounts two angels in the vicinity (Luke 24:4)."

But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. My study bible says that "and Peter indicates Christ's loving concern and encouraging word for the disciple who had denied Him.  Galilee, an area to the north of Israel and removed from the center of Jewish life, is already inhabited by Gentiles and represents Christ's mission to the Gentiles.  The plan of God progresses toward the goal of offering salvation and glory to all mankind.  So, in Mark, He instructs His disciples to return to Galilee after the Resurrection."

Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.  Let us note here that some manuscripts do not include these verses and the ones that follow.  My study bible says that "later traditions testify to several endings.  The Church, however, has always regarded this ending as canonical and inspired."  It notes that Mary Magdalene is the first to break the news of the Resurrection.  "She who at one time had seven demons now becomes the first to see the risen Lord."

After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.  Let us note the Gospel says He appeared in another form.  Of this my study bible says, "Christ's resurrected body transcends not only time and space, but physical appearance as well.  He was sometimes recognizable to His disciples and sometimes not."

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.   A note says, "Failure to believe the report of the Resurrection is worthy of blame.  Jesus rebuked the disciples for unbelief and hardness of heart even as they experience the joy of intimacy with the risen Lord in meals alluding to the Eucharist.  The Holy Spirit comes to lead them to a full understanding of the mystery of Christ and His mission."

And He said to them, "Go into the all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."  We observe the promises made in these verses, and the commands.  My study bible points out the command is to the Apostles to baptize.  It says, "to invoke the name of the incarnate Son of God is also to call upon the Father and the Holy Spirit:  three Persons, one in divine nature and divine power.  The power to cast out demons had already been given to the disciples.  Now future believers are also promised the gift of exorcism.  Speaking with new tongues was a gift highly valued by the Corinthian Christians (1 Cor. 13:1; 14:2-28).  For the Church Fathers this was the miraculous ability to speak foreign tongues in order to spread the gospel, as at Pentecost (Acts 2:6-11)."  It also points out that Paul took up a serpent and was not harmed by its bite (Acts 28:3-6).  "According to a tradition preserved by the Church historian Eusebius, Barsabas Justus (Acts 1:23) in his later life, while tested by unbelievers, drank poison and survived.  The Church Fathers strictly prohibited deliberate, harmful acts against oneself as demonstrations of Christian faith."

So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen.  My study bible suggests that we regard the sequence:  "Ascension, sitting down at the right hand of God, mission.  This sitting down refers to (1) Christ's enthronement in glory and (2) the immovable stability of His royal state,  His eternal sharing in the divine power and lordship of the Father.  He will cooperate with the apostles, working with them and confirming the gospel they will preach, in part through accompanying signs.  The book of Acts provides ample evidence of this ongoing synergy between man and God."

So ends the Gospel of Mark.  Let us most especially note the cooperative promises of the risen Christ, working with them and confirming the word.   I believe that we can't possibly know nor define for ourselves all the ways in which this can happen; Christ's spirit can manifest in our lives in infinite ways, as the holy is infinitely creative, and the Holy Spirit and Christ's cooperative power are unlimited, beyond our attempts at categorizing or defining boundaries in any way.  We just don't know what new forms of holiness will manifest through those of faith, and we can't make solid predictions or judgments about it.  But the Gospel testifies to this cooperative power, this synergy as my study bible puts it.  Just one example of that synergy is the powerful witness of Mary Magdalene, a person out of whom Jesus cast seven demons, who not only becomes the first to whom He appears, but also becomes "Apostle to the Apostles" spreading the good news (that they do not believe!).  The Gospel itself teaches us of the unlikely workings of the holy, as we discussed in yesterday's reading.  The story of the first who show faith after His death by crucifixion is quite the most unlikely:  the group of women followers, the centurion, and Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Sanhedrin.  Synergy is a term we can use for the workings of man and God together, in this cooperative energy that creates something new, a manifestation of the holy in the world, and all the paradox we know and is contained in so much of the religious worship in the Eastern Church.  Christ the uncontainable was somehow -- for some brief period -- contained in the tomb, and in the womb of Mary, and in Jesus the son of Man.  In baptism we are each born of the Spirit.  And in faith, we really don't know how our lives may be transformed.  But we do know and have affirmed for us this strange synergy of Christ and man, God working together with us, and confirming the gospel through our lives.  Faith is our real key to this cooperative work, an active faith that is willing to invest itself in this synergy, in this covenant which Christ has made with us.  The risen Christ is not present for His own glorification, but rather to share with us and to lift us; His uncontainable nature there for each of us, His cooperative Spirit present in unique ways in each of our lives.  He was lifted upon the Cross, and lifted to the right hand of the Father, in order to extend His hand to us.  Let us remember this synergy, this cooperation, this gift of the risen Christ who is everywhere.  He has lived through everything the world could throw at Him, He ascends so that He will be with us in all things and through all things and places we may find ourselves.  His cooperation is always ready.  Are we ready to come to Him and live His gospel?  How do you live your faith?

Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment

 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.  And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?"  Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.  If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.  He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.  Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?  Why do you seek to kill Me?"  The people answered and said, "You have a demon.  Who is seeking to kill You?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one work, and you all marvel.  Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.  If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?  Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

Now some of them from Jerusalem said, "Is this not He whom they seek to kill?  But look!  He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him.  Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?  However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from."  Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, "You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom You do not know.  But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me."  Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.  And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?"

The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and chief priests sent officers to take Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me.  You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come."  Then the Jews said among themselves, "Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him?  Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?  What is this thing that He said, 'You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come?"

- John 7:14-36

On Saturday,  we read that Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the religious leadership sought to kill Him.  Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.  His brothers therefore said to Him, "Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing.  For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly.  If You do these things, show Yourself to the world."  For even His brothers did not believe in Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.  The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.   You go up to this feast.  I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come."  When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.  But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.  Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, "Where is He?"  And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him.  Some said, "He is good"; others said, "No, on the contrary, He deceives the people."  However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.  And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?"  Jesus has never been a student of a famous rabbi, like the scribes or others who would know Scriptures in the ways that He does.   From the beginning of His ministry, questions have come to Jesus regarding His authority, and whence it comes.

Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.  If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.  He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him."  My study bible tells us that "Jesus identifies the source of spiritual blindness:  unwillingness to do the will of God.  St. John Chrysostom paraphrases the words of Christ:  'Rid yourselves of wickedness:  the anger, and the envy, and the hatred which have arisen in your hearts -- entirely without provocation -- against Me, and you will have no difficulty in realizing that My words are actually those of God. For, as it is, these passions darken your understanding and distort the sound judgment that shines there, while, if you remove these passions, you will no longer be thus afflicted' (Homily 49)."  Jesus shows us the path to true humility:  we seek the will of God in all we do, just as He does.  It reminds us of His great "knowledge of letters" at which the temple authorities marvel.  Jesus summed up all the Law and the Prophets in two great commandments:  to love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself.   And He also teaches us about loyalty:  Jesus is eminently loyal to the One who sent Him.  Out of love, He is righteous and true.

"Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law?  Why do you seek to kill Me?"  The people answered and said, "You have a demon.  Who is seeking to kill You?"   The leadership deny that they seek to put Him to death, after Jesus points out they're not following the law of Moses in making the decision to do so.  Later on before the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus will seek to defend Jesus' rights before the Council

Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one work, and you all marvel.  Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.  If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?  Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."   My study bible notes, "Jesus implies that healing the paralytic on the Sabbath is a greater obedience to the will of God than circumcising on the Sabbath."  What best shows God's mercy, in restoring the wholeness of a person?  Is this not the purpose of the Sabbath rest?  To judge with righteous judgment is, once again, to truly seek the will of God before all else.

Now some of them from Jerusalem said, "Is this not He whom they seek to kill?  But look!  He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him.  Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?  However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from."  My study bible tells us, "This is an ignorant claim filled with irony:  they know Jesus' human origin, but not His divine origin." 

Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, "You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom You do not know.  But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me."  Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.  Jesus refutes their claims:  they know Him and where He is from.  But the One who sent Him is true, and they don't truly know God.  Emphatically He repeats again His relationship to the Father:  "I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me."    My study bible notes, "His hour is the time of His suffering and death.  Jesus Christ shows Himself to be Lord of time, a prerogative possessed by God alone.  He comes to the Cross of His own free will and in His time, not as a result of the political machinations of the Sadducees, Pharisees, and Romans."

And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?"  The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and chief priests sent officers to take Him.  The leadership responds to the popularity of Jesus and those coming to faith through His appearance and teachings in the temple. 

Then Jesus said to them, "I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me.  You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come."  My study bible notes here:  "Jesus speaks of His death, Resurrection, and Ascension.  His hearers, as is so often the case, do not understand Him."

Then the Jews said among themselves, "Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him?  Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?  What is this thing that He said, 'You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come?"   A note reads:  "Among the Greeks means among the Gentiles.  In those days, there were communities of Jews scattered throughout the Mediterranean world, especially in Syria, Asia Minor, Greece and Egypt.  Their question bears a tinge of irony.  By the time this Gospel was written, the Christian faith had spread throughout much of the Gentile world."

In today's reading, Jesus stresses His union with the Father.  But what kind of union is it?  Jesus speaks first of a knowledge of God that comes from love of God.  He says that His doctrine is not His, but of the One who sent Him:  those who know the One who sent Him will know the doctrine.  Jesus does not seek His own glory, but the glory of the Father, the One who sent Him.  And He links that will with full healing, becoming completely well, as His healing of the paralytic expressed.  Righteous judgment, in Jesus' formulation here, also comes from love of the Father.  Jesus repeats that "I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom You do not know.  But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me."  Finally, He stresses His return to the One who sent Him.  But they, the leadership who seek to kill Him, will be unable to follow:   "You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come."  Again the relationship with the Father, through faith, is what gives us the capacity for eternal life.  In each of these ways, Jesus' emphasizes His relationship to the Father.  He is sent by the Father, He does the will of the Father, He seeks the glory of the Father and not His own, and He will return to the Father, and where He is going, they cannot come.  Over and over again, we hear stressed this basic relationship.  And the caveat is that without this love of the Father in our own hearts we will not be able to understand Him, nor to understand where His doctrine comes from.  So how do we seek the glory of God in our lives?  What do we do that gives glory to God?  Surely the act of mercy of healing the paralytic is one example of what it is to be God-like, to become a child of God through adoption.  While we cannot all do signs and wonders such as Jesus does, we do have the capacity to help to heal.  We do have the capacity to wish and to pray for wholeness, not only for ourselves but for all those around us, for our community and society, and for the world.  Jesus instructs us to pray for our enemies.  In this way we understand right relationship, and putting things into the hands of God.  Moreover, seeking God's glory really is all about seeking how God wants us to live our lives, and there is no better way that I know of to find that except through prayer, by allowing God's energies to infuse our hearts and help us to heal so that we may also see His way.  How do you honor God today?  How do you seek the glory of the One who is the Creator of us all?  Let us remember the love that ties it all together.  Let us seek understanding so that we may judge not according to appearance, but with righteous judgment.  Can we, too, discern the difference between the traditions of men and the commandments of God?