Hail, King of the Jews!

 

 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person.  You see to it."  And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children."  Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.  And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.  When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand.  And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head.  And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. 

 

- Matthew 27:24-31 

 

On Saturday we read that Jesus stood before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.  And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you say."  And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.  Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?"  But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.   Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.  And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.  Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you?  Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"  For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.  While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him."  But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.  The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"  They said, "Barabbas!"  Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"  They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"  Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?"  But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"   

When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person.  You see to it."  And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children."  Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.  My study Bible comments on the cry of the people, "His blood be on us and on our children."  It says that this verse has been used by certain groups to try to justify persecuting Jews, which is a grave and terrible sin.  What was seen by many as a curse here is actually, in fact, properly understood as a blessing which is unwittingly invoked, for it is the Lord's blood that is the source of our redemption.  Moreover, these words are implicitly spoken by anybody who sins.  St. John Chrysostom teaches that although this crowd stirred by the Jewish religious leaders "acted with such madness, so far from confirming a sentence on them or their children, Christ instead received those who repented and counted them worthy of good things beyond number."  He then notes the thousands who were converted in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41) as evidence of Christ's mercy.  

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.  And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.  When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand.  And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head.  And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.   My study Bible comments here that every king is proclaimed by his soldiers.  Although the intention was mockery, it is another ironically prophetic act that Jesus should be crowned and hailed as King by soldiers of the governor (see also John 11:49-51, where Caiaphas unwittingly prophesies of Christ's redemptive work).  This mockery, it says, shows Jesus as the One despised and rejected by human beings who bears the iniquity of all of us (see Isaiah 53:3-9).  Jesus is clothed in scarlet, which represents both His royalty and the sins of humanity which He has taken upon Himself.  

As we approach the Cross, the ironies build.  The looks that appear to deceive continue to build up.  We first had Barabbas, whose name means "son of the father" who was chosen by the crowd for mercy in the place of the true Son of the Father, Jesus, whom Pilate tried three times to save (see Saturday's reading and commentary).  In today's reading, the ironies multiply.  The crowd calls down on itself what is intended as a kind of curse.  But viewed through the lens of the Cross and through the faith of Jesus Christ, what they call out is a blessing.  We know that we are cleansed and redeemed through the blood of Christ which this crowd calls down upon itself, as my study Bible points out.  At the heart of Christianity is the understanding that the Incarnate Christ, both God and Man, heals all things precisely through this union in Himself of every component of our lives and our world with the divine.  He has taught us that in the Eucharist we mystically partake of His body and blood, and that this is done ultimately for our own healing, in every dimension, to cleanse what needs cleansing, to transform what needs transforming, to uplift what needs uplifting, to redeem and to bring ultimate peace and goodness.  This is the crux of our faith:  that all must be assumed by Christ for the purpose of salvation, of ultimate healing.  This is how we have to see our faith.  So the crowd inadvertently asks for His healing and salvation.  As the ironies continue, He is also treated as a king.  All of this is meant to mock, but it tells the truth in spite of those intentions.  For He is King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14).  So the Roman soldiers also inadvertently tell us a truth, despite their intentions to deride Jesus their prisoner destined for crucifixion.  In the compounding of ironies here, all of the intentions to subvert the truth are, in effect, displaying that truth in plain sight.  But, of course, one must know where to look -- and, most importantly, how to look.  One must look with the lens of faith.  For this is the only way to know revelation.  Hence, Christ's words are continually true as this story unfolds:  the one way to remain true to truth is to watch and pray (Matthew 26:41).  As Jesus said to Peter regarding our human condition, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.  We're subject to temptations such as fear and terror; the unthinkable images described in these scenes -- without faith -- would have doomed the Church to failure without it.  The greatest "irony" of all is to come, the Cross.  And yet it is the Cross that saves, the ultimate sign of the transfiguring healing power of God.

Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude

 

 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.  He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  And he said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.  Whatever house you enter, say there, and from there depart.  And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them."  So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.  

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.  Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?"  So he sought to see Him.  

And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done.  Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.  But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.  When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provision; for we are in a deserted place here."  But He said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people."  For there were about five thousand men.  Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty."  And they did so, and made them all sit down.  Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.

 

- Luke 9:1–17 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus returned from across the Sea of Galilee, the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.  And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was ruler of the synagogue.  And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.  But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.   Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment.  And immediately her flow of blood stopped.  And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?"  When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me."  Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.  And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well.  Go in peace."   While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead.  Do not trouble the Teacher."  But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well."  When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.  Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.  But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise."  Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately.  And He commanded that she be given something to eat.  And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

 

  Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.  He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  And he said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.  Whatever house you enter, say there, and from there depart.  And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them."  So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.   We note Luke's emphasis for this first missionary or apostolic journey by the disciples.  They are to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.   And in their personal conduct they are to be modest and humble, reflecting a deep dependence upon God.  They're not to "trade up" for better lodgings, but honor those who welcome them -- and shake off the very dust from their feet as testimony against those who do not.

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.  Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?"  So he sought to see Him.   This is Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee, who is the same Herod to whom Pilate will send Jesus during His trial (23:7).  He is the son of Herod the Great, who slew the innocent infants in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16).  Of the beheading of John the Baptist, one may read the account in Mark 6:14-28.

And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done.  Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.  But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.  When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provision; for we are in a deserted place here."  But He said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people."  For there were about five thousand men.  Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty."  And they did so, and made them all sit down.  Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.  My study bible cites Theophylact's commentary, in which he sees a liturgical parallel to the feeding of the five thousand.  Christ received them and spoke of the gospel and healed, and then He fed the multitude with the miraculous bread by the hands of His disciples.  People are healed by baptism, and received into the Church; then in the Liturgy the gospel is preached and the bread of life and the cup are received from the hands  the ordained clergy. My study bible remarks also on the command from Christ, "You give them something to eat."  This commission, it says, is a type and preparation for the eventual apostolic ministry which the disciples will perform after Christ's Resurrection.  They will feed the world with the word of God an with the Eucharist.  Concerning the five loaves and two fish, my study bible cites the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, who tells us that Christ is the same Creator "of both the earth and the sea, who in the beginning brought fruit from the earth and life out of the water."  St. John Chrysostom also says that Christ looked up to heaven "not as receiving power from elsewhere, but as honoring the Father who begot Him."  That Christ blessed and broke the bread teaches us "not to touch any meal until we have given thanks to Him who gives us food."  My study bible calls this blessing a clear eucharistic image, directing us to pursue spiritual food greater than that which is earthly (see John 6:26-27). 

Possibly the most important thing we can take from today's reading is to ask ourselves where our spiritual nourishment comes from.  The whole focus on feeding is not simply a sign of God's abundance and grace for God's creatures, but of the real gift of spiritual nourishment -- and that nourishment is Christ Himself, as evidenced in the Eucharist.  What we need to think about, then, really, is what kind of nourishment we need from our spiritual life -- from Christ.  Do we need truth?  Do we need love?  Do we need a transcendent, enlarged view of life and of the world?  Do we need to understand the spiritual depth of God's life present and with us in the world -- or behind all things which we can't see? Do we need to know about God's love and concern, which is shown so clearly in Christ as Son Incarnate in our world to come to us and to feed us in so many ways?  What about the holy power of the blessing He gives to the bread?  Do we need our lives to be blessed in such a way that they proceed to grant us spiritual fruit using the earthly materials we have at hand?  If we ask for God's blessing on our own lives and endeavors, does that mean that we also seek God's ends and goals, and seek to grow in understanding that service to God which our lives can be a part of?   What does nourishment really mean?  Our world is filled with goods and services we can all strain after and work hard to attain.  But at the end of the day, with what is it that we need to be fed to make it meaningful, productive, filled with a higher and better purpose that invigorates our souls?  Does wealth really and truly make people happy in and of itself?  Or do we all have a basic and powerful need for something else?  God's nourishment feeds every part, and enlivens the food we eat with what reaches down deep into the soul, which vitamins and minerals can't do.  Let's consider the grace we need -- and the particular places that grace will ask us to "look up" to as learn to recognize real blessings.

This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late

Loaves and fishes, Byzantine mosaic, c. 480.  Church of the Multiplication, Tabgha, Sea of Galilee, Israel

 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.  But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.  And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.  When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.  Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."  But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."  He said, "Bring them here to Me."  Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.  And He took the five loaves the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.  Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

- Matthew 14:13-21

Yesterday we read that at that time in Christ's ministry, Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.  Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."  And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.  But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.  Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.  So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."  And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.  So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.  Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.  According to Theophylact, the phrase when Jesus heard it is not referring to the death of John the Baptist.  Instead it refers to Herod's comment that he believes Jesus is John the Baptist risen from the dead.   This makes sense in context, as the story of John's death is given parenthetically, as an explanation for Herod's fear about Jesus (see yesterday's reading, above).   This is one of several times that Jesus withdraws to be out of the public spotlight for a time when He hears that authorities, whether of the state or religious power, are hostile to Him.

But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.  And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.  When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.  Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."   Once again, as happens several times in the Gospels, Jesus seeks to withdraw from public attention, but He cannot be hidden.  The multitudes followed Him on foot from the cities.  This is why this crowd is in a deserted place.   We note that we are frequently told that Jesus is moved with compassion, a phrase in the Greek that indicates a feeling deep in the center of the body (using a verb which literally references the spleen, denoting the area of the physical heart).   When Christ is "moved with compassion" we are to understand this phrase as giving us a strong glimpse of Jesus' incarnate nature.   His response is to heal their sick.  My study bible cites the several times this phrase is used (20:34; Mark 1:41, 6:34; Luke 7:13), explaining that it shows that Christ's power and authority are extended to those who suffer.

But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."  He said, "Bring them here to Me."  Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.  And He took the five loaves the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.  Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.   This feeding miracle is an extension of Christ's compassion.  It is reported by all four evangelists.  It is an image of Christ as the same Lord who fed the Israelites in the desert (Exodus 16), but now incarnate as human being.  My study bible reports that the Church Fathers see in it an image of the Eucharist, an idea which becomes clear in John 6.  There is a spiritual interpretation in tradition that teaches that the five loaves indicate the five books of the Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy), which are broken open in Christ and thereby feed the universe.  The two fish represent the Gospel Book and the Epistle Book, which is the teaching of the fishermen.  As the apostles gather the leftovers, it symbolizes the fact that whatever teachings the faithful cannot momentarily grasp are nonetheless held in the consciousness of the Church.  We also note Christ's giving thanks, an example set for us to give thanks to God before eating.  Moreover, the terminology points to the Last Supper (26:26), leading to a eucharistic interpretation of the miracle.  My study bible says that as the disciples distribute bread to the multitudes, so also Christ feeds the Eucharist to all His flock through the hands of His bishops and presbyters.

The text tells us that those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.  We normally think of this as the feeding of five thousand, but that ancient system of counting was a method whereby it was the men who were counted, as the text says.  But if we should truly imagine the scene as it was, we know this was an event at which there were also women and children present.  It is an image of the whole world being fed by Christ, and even in whatever wilderness within which we may find ourselves at any point in life.  It is an image not only of Christ's dominance over nature -- and therefore His divinity, but also of our possibility of encounter with Christ when we are far away from solutions for our problems, even within a remote and deserted place on whatever level that problem exists.  There are times when we may feel we are in a deserted place emotionally, through betrayal, or neglect, or other forms of mental and emotional difficulty.  There are times when we might go without some material need, such as these men, women, and children who find themselves in the wilderness after following Christ.  There are yet other times in our lives when we may feel that spiritual sustenance is far away, and that a deep need in us is going unfulfilled.  At all of these times in our lives, we should think about this feeding in the wilderness, and turn in prayer to Christ.  The miracle teaches us that Christ is divine as it expresses a dominance over nature, but we should remember that this divine nature is that which is capable of extending to us through every medium of existence.  That is, on whatever level we need help, guidance, and a framework for life, even life in abundance.   Our prayer is a sign that we trust in Christ to guide us toward the life that we need, even when that guidance takes the form of shattering our idols and false beliefs.  Christ's initial expression of compassion in today's reading is to heal the sick.  We can imagine a miraculously cured person, but we should not ignore the fact that healing often takes forms which also involve difficulty:  an operation necessitates that we temporarily suffer to remove what ails us, an infection may require the taking of powerful drugs to combat its cause, with side effects we endure for the sake of overall healing.  There are any number of ways in which compassion and healing may be expressed even with temporary difficulties that are necessitated by the process of healing.  So we also should not be surprised if our calling upon Christ in our own need might be accompanied by a time of difficult choices, even sacrifice of some type for the sake of a full healing.  The image of the 5,000 men (and more women and children) in the wilderness gives us a picture we can draw upon when we feel we are in need and don't know where our healing resources will be coming from.  Christ sets an example by giving thanks to God before all else, seeing what is at hand, and then trusting to God for what else is necessary, and the future journey we need from there.  The fragments taken up in the twelve baskets are symbolic of what will "feed the world" through the work of the apostles to come, but in this image we can also take the promise of the fullness of the Church, and what my study bible calls the teachings we cannot for the time grasp, but which nevertheless are being held for us.  This is the way we need to think of our faith and the process of living that faith.  How do you call upon Christ today, and for what?  Let us consider the image of food as nurturing and guiding us to where we need to go for healing and sustenance, the Eucharistic image as that which we draw upon for what ails and where our needs are.  We may always begin with prayer, as Jesus does in this wilderness.

Of such is the kingdom of God

 Then He arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'  'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."    In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So he said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."   And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

- Mark 10:1-16

Yesterday, Jesus continued His teaching to the apostles after they had been disputing among themselves as to who would be greatest in the kingdom:  "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'  And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.' And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where 'Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'  For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  Salt is god, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

  Then He arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'  'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."    In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So he said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."   The Pharisees test Jesus with an issue that was subject to debate in Jesus' time:  divorce.   (See Deuteronomy 24:1-4.)  In Jesus' teachings on marriage, He regularly condemns divorce.  This was in contrast to the easy access to divorce under Mosaic Law, and because of the misuse of divorce in His time.  Instead, Jesus' emphasis is on the spiritual and therefore eternal nature of marriage.  In Matthew's Gospel, a caveat is mentioned  ("except sexual immorality" - Matthew 5:32).   But let us pay attention to Jesus' words here; He specifically attributes Moses' allowance to hardness of heart.  Emphasizing the example of permanent monogamous marriage (as in Genesis 1, 2), divorce in this view is an allowance for human weakness.   Let us understand He is addressing men (women could not initiate divorce) and their treatment of women.  What is clear either way is that marriage, as a holy institution, can be destroyed by sin, by abuse.  In such cases, even in the early Church, divorce was permitted as corrective measure of compassion.   See also Malachi 2:15-16 as an admonition to men.

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."   And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.   It seems ironic that Jesus has just used the example of little children to say, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me" (Monday's reading), here the disciples rebuke the parents who bring the children to Christ.  Theophan comments that they were rebuked because the little children were "unruly" and because they thought that children "diminished His dignity as Teacher and Master."  Instead, Christ emphasizes that little children are an example of those who will inherit the kingdom of heaven.  He provides the perfect example of His teaching in the earlier reading.

In all ways Jesus emphasizes the humility necessary for true leadership.  He is preparing the disciples for the time He will not be with them in the flesh.  Let us note this consistent teaching from the time He heard them disputing among one another regarding which ones would hold places of greatness in the material kingdom they believe is coming (see Monday's reading).  Although Christ has warned them twice that He will suffer and die, and rise on the third day, they still don't know precisely what that means.  In preparing them for the leadership of His Church, Jesus' great emphasis is on humility and service.  Here, the example of divorce also serves to prepare them with an understanding of gracious behavior that is meant to appeal to all -- and to all men in particular.  The nature of marriage as instituted by God becomes a question of the use of power in this example.  Should a wife be dismissed for failing to appeal in just any way, or is marriage meant to be more than that?   Marriage as permanent monogamous institution, in which "two become one flesh" is not simply a hierarchy of possessor and property, nor is it a question of material wealth nor simply a means to expanded family and standing.  It is holy, and the holiness is in the relationship of the two.  Clearly women were not only lower in social standing, rights, and capacity for power in the time of Jesus, but make careful note that Jesus' grace extends also to little children.  He gives us a way to see that is not based on a purely material perspective, but asks us to use the lens of spiritual understanding for our lives and conduct.  We're not seeing correctly with a "worldly" perspective.  The perspective that Christ adds is one that we call "gracious" now.  It is the command He gives us all for proper relation and understanding of the value of human beings.  That we are spiritual in origin and nature, of one whole with body, soul, and mind, gives us Christ's perspective on marriage and on relation to the little children who stand as examples of those who may enter the kingdom of God.  There is a continuity in this perspective, from the understanding of the true nature of marriage given in Genesis (reflecting our spiritual nature and creation by God) to the present day, when notions of human rights have expanded in light of cultural acceptance of Jesus' basis for the value of persons.  Let us honor fully our true natures with our lives as He has taught.

Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive

 And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"  He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.  Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.  And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.'

"But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."

- Matthew 13:10-17

Yesterday we read that on the same day Jesus went out of the house where He was preaching and sat by the sea.  And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.  Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying:  "Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.  Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up and because they had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.  But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop:  some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"  He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given."  My study bible says that the mysteries of the kingdom are not merely obscure concepts nor are they religious truths that are only for the elite.  Neither is the understanding of the parables simply an intellectual process.  Even the disciples, it notes, find the message hard to understand -- and this is something of which we should be well aware.  While Jesus teaches the same message to all, my study bible says that it is the "simple and innocent" who are open to its message.

"For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  Here is the logic of the Kingdom.  If we have ears to hear, we will hear in abundance.  If we do not, even what we think we have will be taken away.

"Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.  And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:  'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull.  Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.'  But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."   Jesus also references this passage of Isaiah in John's Gospel (John 12:40).  It is related to faith in general and also specifically to Jesus' ministry, as well as this new style of preaching in parables.  According to St. John Chrysostom, Isaiah's prophecy does not mean God causes spiritual blindness in people who would otherwise be faithful.  It is a figure of speech common to Scripture that reveals that God gives people up to their own devices (as in Romans 1:24, 26).  My study bible also says that this indicates that God has permitted their self-chosen blindness (compare Exodus 8:15, 32 with Exodus 10:20, 27).  The people did not become blind because God spoke through Isaiah, but rather Isaiah spoke in prophecy, foreseeing their blindness.  And by contrast, there is a deep reassurance here, a great and tremendous blessing, in that these (His disciples) see what many prophets and righteous men have desired to see and hear, and did not.

In a particular sense, Jesus emphasizes the great mystery of faith.  It is like "the wind" that "blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes" (John 3:8).  But in Jesus' teaching on His use of parables, He makes it clear that there is some sort of counterpart in us that is responsive to this "wind" (Who is the Holy Spirit) or to Christ Himself.  We, too, put up our own internal obstacles, we rest in a condition in which our ears are hard of hearing and our eyes are blind to something.  At this juncture in Jesus' ministry, when He starts to preach in parables, it has become clear that the leadership is not only against Him, but is plotting ways to destroy Him (12:14).  The Pharisees have brought a serious false accusation against Him (that He casts out demons by the power of demons), and they're not going to stop searching for ways to accuse Him.  There are others in many cities who've seen His "mighty works" and yet rejected His ministry (11:20-24).  This is a clear-eyed assessment and adjustment of His ministry to the conditions that He has found, the receptivity (or non-receptivity) of the people to whom He's been sent and has ministered.  This is the reality of the world in which we live, and the nature of faith that we continue to find around us.  Jesus not only accepts the response He's found, but does far more in this acceptance than meets the eye.  He teaches us about God -- that faith is not imposed upon us.  God does not force nor compel anyone to return God's love.  This statement or awareness isn't simply profound in terms of its implications for God's nature, but it also teaches us truths about ourselves:  that we have freedom to choose faith or not, and that we also have the hand of love that is continually extended and awaiting response.  What it also teaches us is our own responsibility in this struggle for faith.  We need to be aware that it is not automatic, and that our relationship with the Creator who loves us can be abused or lost, frayed with rejection, locked up within ourselves where we choose or prefer blindness or hardness of hearing.  It emphasizes the essential importance of simply being aware of our choices, and our need to return to God's love and to rejoice in the blessing we're given.  Jesus' great emphasis to His disciples, practically none of whom are highly learned nor particularly known (at this point) for their piety or holiness, are the ones to whom the transcendent is revealed -- those things that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see and hear, and have not seen nor heard.  This is the tremendous measure of the blessing we're given.  It's important to remember that, as my study bible noted (above), the disciples don't understand the parable nor immediately grasp its meaning.  But they are there with Him.  They respond to His call, and to His ministry.  The relationship is there.  St. Paul writes that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).  It is the response in us to something not given by intellectual proof nor coercion nor manipulation.   Faith, in fact, is trust.  It is a trust inspired by Christ, by the presence of the Kingdom and the holy.  It is a particular response to God's love, a way of living in that reciprocal and endlessly reciprocating relationship.  Faith in our lives is this blessing of the substance of things hoped for.  It is the evidence of things not seen.   We may accept or reject it, but without it we lose immeasurable love and hope.

Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me

 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.

Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him into His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."

Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."

- Mark 9:30-41

On Saturday we read that when Jesus came to the disciples (after the events of the Transfiguration on the high mountain), He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them.  Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.  And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?"  Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.  And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid.  So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."  He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you?  How long shall I bear with you?  Bring him to Me."  Then they brought him to Him.  And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.  So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?"  And he said, "From childhood.  And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him.  But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."  Jesus said too him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"  Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him.  And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.  And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"  So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."

 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.  After Jesus' previous encounter with the Pharisees, He made a great circuit which for the most part avoided His home region of Galilee altogether, which one can follow on a map of the region at the time.  In our readings He has gone far north out of Israel to the Gentile region of Tyre and Sidon, and then through the region of the Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. He then sailed to Dalmanutha (which some guess is on the west coast of the Sea of Galilee), touching down in Galilean territory, where there is yet another hostile encounter with the Pharisees.  after which He departs to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, to Bethsaida.  There, we note, He also avoids the town and tells a man He healed to do so as well.  He then heads north to Caesarea Philippi, where He predicts His death on the Cross.  In this region also take place the events of Transfiguration, and a dispute between His disciples and some scribes, and the casting out of a demon (Saturday's reading, above).  So we note in today's reading that Jesus passed through Galilee, but did not want anybody to know it.  Once again this sort of secrecy is accompanied by a warning to the disciples about what is going to happen to Him.  This is the second time He predicts to them His death and Resurrection.  He shows them that He is freely going to His Passion and not being taken against His will.  The disciples still fail to take in what He is telling them.  The time has not yet come, and He is avoiding open confrontation.

Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him into His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."    Jesus returns to His "headquarters" in Capernaum, where Peter's family home is.  We note that what takes place now is in the house.  After Jesus' second prophesy about His death and Resurrection, the disciples clearly fail to understand what He is saying, as the text told us.  Here it appears they have assumed the news that He will rise again means He will come into a great worldly kingdom, in accordance with popular expectations of the Messiah.  Therefore on the road through Galilee they had disputed among themselves who would be greatest in that kingdom.  That is, what positions they would have - particularly whose would be greatest or first.  My study bible says this indicates a selfish interest in worldly power.  Jesus points to a little child in response, as the model of true discipleship.  He emphasizes the virtues that are required for entrance into His kingdom.  My study bible says these are humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  The great graciousness of life in this Kingdom is displayed by Jesus:  those who receive even one of these little children in His name receives not only Jesus Himself, but also God the Father.  Everything is relevant to faith, which establishes all relationship.

Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."  The bible commentator Theophylact sees John's comment as a regret, his conscience pricked by what Christ has taught that he who would be first must be last of all and servant of all.  But St. Ambrose sees John (who after all is one of the "Sons of Thunder" with his brother James) as  expecting full obedience to accompany the blessings of discipleship.  My study bible points out that Christ's response shows that those who act in good faith are not excluded, even if they are not currently numbered among the disciples.  Theophylact writes, "See how divine grace is at work even in those who are not His disciples."  For a similar teaching in the Old Testament, see Numbers 11:24-30.  On those who use Christ's name without good faith, see Luke 11:23, also Acts 19:13-16.

Mark's gospel repeatedly calls us to faith and the importance of faith.  Over and over again, we've commented on the text as it tells us how to shore up faith, how important it is that Jesus takes people away from those who would distract them or from those whose attitudes harm the faithful who are in need of healing, even who come for help for their children to be healed.  In today's reading we get two more central teachings about the importance of faith.  First of all, it is faith that determines the nature of relationships in His kingdom.  Jesus teaches the disciples that "whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."  He is teaching that our faith sets in order particular relationships:  if one really would wish to be great, or "first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  That is, within this primary identity as faithful, we are to be like God, like Him - we are to serve.  Furthermore, to receive one of these "little children"  in His name is to receive Him and even the Father.  These men will go on to be the pillars and bishops in His Church.  What He is teaching them is about the power of that faith to establish righteousness, right relatedness.  The most humble and faithful will present to them the face of Christ and even of the Father.  This is relationship as established through faith.  Secondly, those who are not against them are on their side.  This is an establishment of relationship even to those not of their immediate circle who through faith form a kind of kinship or alliance with them.  Jesus tells them something similar to His statement about receiving a little child in His name:  "Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."   That is, faith conveys a sense of relatedness and relationship through its work between people.  To help one who loves Christ is also to be blessed by that love and that faith.  The full center of this Kingdom, and all of the ways in which it works among us and between us is conferred through faith -- even blessings to those not of the same fold (John 10:16).  Faith is at the center of our identity and it confers a depth of "citizenship," if you will, that also determines how we interact with others.  The God-likeness that Christ would have us be a part of declares that graciousness must be the hallmark of such a citizen, receiving even the littlest and most humble as if they were Christ Himself, or even the Father.  Furthermore, this extends even to those nominally -- I would say -- not even of His flock, but to all whose hearts may receive one who loves Christ regardless of what group or identity they may belong to.  In this way Christ encourages a faith that produces fruits of love.  And He teaches us what that love must look like.  Faith doesn't just serve a kind of linear relationship to God or to Christ.  Its depth offers us something that is not only more broad but also which breaks all categories of boundaries and extends into dimensions we can't count.  Faith offers us a communion that extends beyond what we know and to people whom we don't know, to those whom we may not consider a part of a "family" we belong to.  It even extends beyond boundaries of time and space, to the communion of saints and even of angels.  In short, what Christ teaches us is that faith becomes the central determination of who and what we know ourselves to be a part of -- a love that extends beyond "me, mine, my own."  The reality of the name of Christ, which we enter into through faith, is in effect an entire cosmos beyond our calculation.  In daily encounters thus described by Christ, we may find ourselves receiving Christ in a person who needs our help or who relies on us for care.  We might find that those willing to offer us help are also those whom Christ teaches us are blessed.  In short, any encounter of every day life can become an occasion to meet Christ and to see His blessings and His love at work between us.  I think it's important to consider how the energies of love know no boundaries, and how into each specific encounter we can act on our faith and know that it confers grace where none exists through other means.  Let us remember this as we go through our day, and consider how great a thing we do when our faith becomes the core of who we are, and the truth about each small or brief encounter we may find in our lives.

You give them something to eat

 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.  And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."  For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.  So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.  But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities.  They arrived before them and came together to Him.  And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.  So He began to teach them many things.  When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.  Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat."    But He answered and said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?"  But He said to them, "How many loaves do you have?  Go and see."  And when they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."  Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass.  So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and fifties.  And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all.  So they all ate and were filled.  And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish.  Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.

Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away.  And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.

- Mark 6:30-46

Yesterday, we read of the success of the first apostolic mission:  they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.  Now King Herod heard of Jesus, for His name had become well known.  And he said, "John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  Others said, "It is Elijah."  And others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets."  But when Herod heard, he said, "This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!"  For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her.  Because John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."  Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him.  And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.  Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.  And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you."  He also swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom."  So she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?"  And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!"  Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."  And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her.  Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought.  And he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.  When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

  Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.  And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."  For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.  So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.  The apostles have returned now from their first mission (see Tuesday's reading, in which we read of Jesus' choosing and conferring power on them, and sending them out).  My study bible says that Christ gives rest to His disciples to show those engaged in preaching and teaching that they must not labor continuously, but must also take rest.  We note the great concern for healing that accompanies all of these things:  their apostolic mission was one of preaching and healing (Jesus had given them power over unclean spirits, and they healed by anointing with oil).  Upon their return, Jesus' concern is also for their healing.  He takes them to rest, to a deserted place.

But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities.  They arrived before them and came together to Him.  And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.  So He began to teach them many things.  More emphasis on healing:  the people will not leave Jesus alone, their need for what He offers is something they understand.   Jesus' compassion in this case is directed toward their lost and directionless state, for they are like sheep without a shepherd.  Their need is for His teaching, and this is another part of healing.  His teaching is a compassionate response to their need.

When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.  Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat."    But He answered and said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?"  But He said to them, "How many loaves do you have?  Go and see."  And when they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."  Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass.  So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and fifties.  And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all.  So they all ate and were filled.  And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish.  Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.  What do we feed those whose need is around us and we seem to have nothing?  We start from where we are, and what is at hand.  But before that, and at all times, we have Christ with us to whom we turn with what we have.  Of course, this is as much a teaching for the apostles or disciples as it is for anyone else.  It's also a reflection of the Eucharist:  Jesus' blessing of what is on hand -- the five loaves -- and its distribution by the disciples is a picture of what happens in the sacrament.  The twelve baskets remain, one for each disciple.  It's again an occasion for teaching and healing:  and who knows which need is greater?  In the distribution of the blessed loaves, the suggestion of Eucharist also reminds us that He is our food.  So important is this image that this story appears in all of the Gospels.  My study bible suggests that the gathering of leftovers by the apostles shows that the teachings the faithful are unable to grasp are nevertheless held in the consciousness of the Church.

Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away.  And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.  Eventually, it is time again to rest -- healing is always a concern, on every level and for every person, and rest is a part of healing.  We never forget the facts of human life and the care we need for it.  We remember Jesus' teaching, earlier in Mark's Gospel, that "the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."  Jesus' need is to pray, it is for His communion with the Father, something that is never apart from our story of Christ.  If we will, this is His food.  See John 4:32-34:  "I have food to eat of which you do not know" . . . "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to finish His work."

Let us think about feeding, and what that means in the texts of the Gospels.  This story is the most pertinent to that consideration.  As we've said, it's so central to the gospel message that all four Evangelists write about it.  To feed others in a deserted place, without sources for provision, but using whatever is on hand, is to find oneself in need for the sake of others.  But there's nothing here that is divorced from the power and person of Christ.  It's important that we understand this feeding to be more than merely providing physical nourishment, but working hand in hand with that which ultimately heals:  Christ Himself.  The reflection of the Eucharist in this portrait of feeding five thousand men (and more women and children) in the deserted place is in the power of healing, feeding, and blessing that is in Christ.  His teaching is His first response to the needy crowds, who have followed Him and gained His compassion because they are "like sheep without a shepherd."  There are many times in life when I find that what someone needs from me is much more than what they are looking for.  We might think that more money will solve a problem we have: "if only" one were in this position or that. But so often we forget how important faith and love are, how important spiritual realities like hope itself are.  The cynical will say that this is some kind of rationalization, but the feeding of the 5,000 here in the wilderness is a testimony about the power of Christ to multiply and bless whatever is on hand.  It isn't just about physical feeding, but about the wholeness of persons and what many things go into healing our lives, no matter what the problems may be.  There are times when I can't deliver a full healing of an illness, or purchase whatever someone else may want for themselves, but I can offer what is and may be distributed through each of us by the power of Christ:  I can offer compassion and love, I can offer hope, a word, a kindness, and genuine care.  And one would be surprised by the effectiveness of this addition to any situation and how it may start movement toward resolution of a problem.  We neglect faith when we think that such a spirit of hope and love cannot help others cope with their problems.  Often it may be the one thing necessary to make the connection between what other options are available and the despair over a particular concern.  It may be the spark to help adjust a way of thinking that closes off all other considerations but dire need, the one thing necessary to put a situation in the proper perspective.  Most of all, Christ adds grace to all things, and the power of prayer can create powerful insights and coping capacities we don't know are available to us or to others.  Christ's help may get us thinking about priorities and how exactly we best use what we do have at hand.  I would like to suggest, as today's reading does, that all of this is food.  All of this is something we can use to feed others in any situation or circumstance.  It is up each person to choose whether or not to receive what is available through the power of Christ, but God works with and through all things.  A loaf of bread is blessed and bears the mystical person of Christ in the Eucharist, just as Jesus multiplies all that is available in this feeding in the wilderness.  We simply don't know what our own spiritual gifts will offer to those in need around us, nor whether or not others are capable of receiving them.  But we remember that "with God all things are possible."   As a caregiver for an elderly parent, I can say that the power of prayer is the one thing necessary that has helped me to think of resources I might not have found otherwise, to keep going and looking for what will help a problem that overwhelms me when I don't have the answers, and refreshes the mind with a "food" that serves God and gives me the energy to continue to do so as best I can, even in the form of what service I can render to others.  It is Christ's healing, nurturing grace that is the great thing necessary, even giving strength to make do with what is on hand, and courage and love to find peace and joy even in the present time of need or "imperfection."  It is surprising how that power can help a struggling friend, or anyone you know (even oneself) who may be like a sheep without a shepherd.  It is often the one thing I have to offer, but it is the true gift of love.  This gift is the fullest basis of healing, for any problem and ailment -- and anything else may be added unto it.  It is really the one thing truly and always needed, and so often we overlook it in our blindness to what we are fully and truly all about.







 

No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light

 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!"  But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, "This is an evil generation.  It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.  For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.  The lamp of the body is the eye.  Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light.  But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.  Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.  If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light."

- Luke 11:27-36

In yesterday's reading, Jesus cast out a mute demon; all marveled when the mute spoke.  But some said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."  Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.  But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them:  "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.  If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?  Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.  And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out?  Therefore they will be your judges.  But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.  When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.  But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.  He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.  When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."

 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!"  But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"  Again, we get a statement about family relations here.  Luke gives us other kinds of presentation of family relationships, and the surpassing status or value to the relations of the Kingdom (of course, whole families, in the Gospels, are also faithful together).  We've recently been given the story of two sisters, Martha and Mary, and the kind of "tug of war" between household sisterly duties and Mary's sitting listening to Christ's word at His feet.  Jesus has told two would-be disciples, "Let the dead bury the dead," and "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."  And in chapter 8, Jesus has said, "My mother and brothers are those who hear the will of God and do it."  If we look at His statement today, there's an inference about loyalty and love; in the fidelity of a nurturing mother, we can read the fidelity of the believer He described, one who hears the word of God and keeps it.  My study bible emphasizes the theme of blessing:  "God's blessing falls not upon those who have prominent family connections, but upon those who hear the word of God and keep it.  Jesus is stating a principle, not denigrating His mother:  she both heard God's word and kept it, and thus became the most blessed of women."

And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, "This is an evil generation.  It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.  For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here."  My study bible says, "The sign of Jonah is the preaching of Jonah under which the Ninevites repented.  [See Jonah 3.]  By contrast, this evil generation did not repent under Jesus' preaching, which is far greater than Jonah."  It adds that in Matthew, the sign of Jonah is also Jonah's three day sojourn in the belly of the great fish, a picture of Christ's death and Resurrection.  The Queen of the South is the Queen of Sheba who came to listen to the wisdom of Solomon. We're again in the territory here of what has true value, what is of surpassing value to all else, and we are asked to discern that value and make choices.

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.  The lamp of the body is the eye.  Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light.  But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.  Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.  If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light."  My study bible notes, "Spiritual sight is compared to physical sight:  if the eyes of both body and soul are healthy, a person is full of light."  We go back to the earlier verses in today's reading, and see the emphasis on discerning what is truly good, what gives things value, what wisdom there is, recognizing something precious and that gives value to our lives and relationships, vivifies our choices.  Illumination is always an important theme linked to Christ as the true light. 

The theme for today is wisdom, preaching, warning.  What is the true light?  What is it which gives us and our lives light?  How do we make choices that invest our lives with meaning and with wisdom?  Jesus' emphasis here extends from what is truly blessed, what gives us blessings.  As such, we can see in Jesus' light that which illumines the whole body, gives something to our whole lives, and helps us not to walk in darkness.  I believe the emphasis here is on what we value, and how we choose what we are going to love in our lives.  There is also a tie to the theme of repentance or personal change -- the word for repentance means "change of mind" in the Greek.  We have the analogy to the people of Nineveh in their response to Jonah the prophet.  In some sense, Christ asks us to transcend our worldly ties through the light of this illumination, just as the Queen of the South came to hear Solomon and find for herself, through hard questions, just how great was Solomon's wisdom.  So we are asked to be discerning enough to find what is a true blessing in life, what truly gives our lives light, what truly determines how we are related to one another and to the world.  To seek this light is to add value to our lives, blessings, and light; it vivifies everything, and it helps us to transcend our own limitations of sight.  Elsewhere Jesus speaks of the plank in our own eye that keeps us from seeing clearly; it is this light that is meant to help us to see and to remove that plank.  So how do you value this light?  How do you allow it to shine within you so that the whole body is full of light, as on a lampstand? 

All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth

Christ Pantocrator, 6th century, St. Catherine's Monastery, Mt. Sinai

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

- Matthew 28:16-20

Today is Ascension Day, the day we commemorate Jesus’ ascension into heaven. In the Eastern church, Jesus is exemplified as Pantocrator, the Resurrected Christ. Pantocrator means Almighty; the One for whom “all authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” The icon, above, is the earliest surviving icon of Pantocrator, from St. Catherine’s monastery on Mount Sinai. If you look closely (you can click to view it larger), you will see the two sides of Christ's face, and His two eyes – one full of human suffering and experience, the other by contrast illumined, fresh, “heavenly.” They are meant to give us the full picture of our risen Lord, both human and divine. We note that He holds the Gospels, His word, decorated with the Cross which speaks to us both of His life and Resurrection. His hand confers blessing, in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit -- the two extended fingers representing His two natures, the one divine, the second (just a little lower) human.

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. The eleven, minus Judas, meet at the place they’ve been told to gather. They are back in the place of Jesus’ ministry, where He began to preach and the place where most of the disciples come from, Galilee. Galilee, we remember, is a place of mixed races and cultures, not considered purely Jewish. It is an important symbol for all the world, both Jew and Gentile.

And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. We know the story of the Apostle Thomas. The Gospel gives us the understanding that the Apostles, though commissioned here in today’s reading, do not have what we might call a “perfect faith.” But Christ begins where He begins, and His Church begins with the resources it has, even eleven disciples (minus one who betrayed the Master).

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." Jesus makes His statement about His status. He has been given “all authority in heaven and on earth.” He is the full Lord of the universe. We assume that this authority comes from the Father. Jesus has said that “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” Here, all authority is His. My study bible says, “This is the terminology of exaltation and glorification. It manifests the power of His Resurrection, and the authority to bring human beings back to life.”

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” In my opinion, the three statements Jesus makes here are all coupled for a reason, inseparable from one another. First, we are told that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. Now comes the next command, inseparable from that power. Contained within this second statement here are several important elements: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations . . . and the command to baptize in the name of the Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit. In Him now is all authority, and where He is there is the Trinity. The full weight of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is in the baptism, in what is holy, in His name. And finally, His full set of commandments: “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” His teaching is inseparable from baptism in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In Him is fulfilled the Law and the Prophets. Matthew’s Gospel has fully given us, in repeated form, this emphasis. My study bible adds, “If we observe this context for the Lord’s command to make disciples of all the nations and to baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we see that making disciples cannot be done in the strength of man, but only in the power of God. The reality of the Resurrection refers not only to its historicity, apostolic witness, and necessity for faith, but also to its power in our Christian life and mission. The resurrected Son of God, living in us and energizing us, makes possible the salvation of all.”

“And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Here is the great promise of Ascension Day. As risen Lord, as the One to whom all authority has been given, Christ is ever-present. He supersedes time to be with us, even individually – but also in all ways; i.e. “where two or three are gathered in my name.” And His rule is without end, even to the end of the age. What will happen then, none of us knows. But this is an eternal promise. The end of the age refers to earthly life, not to His rule. This is a promise that His presence will not leave us, nor will His authority of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in heaven and on the earth. My study bible puts it this way: “By saying He is with you always, Jesus means His Resurrection is neither of the past, nor of the future. It is always present in our lives through the Holy Spirit. We know Him directly, here and now, in the present, as our Savior and our Friend. To the end of the age does not by any means imply that we are to be separated from Him after that great consummation. He is with us now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages.”

If we consider the power in the authority with which Jesus is conferred, we have to see that the promises of this kingdom, His seed among us, are really unlimited. They are even a great mystery: we can’t say, as human beings, where we are headed, where His ministry in us is headed, where His Church will go. “All nations” tells us that as far as earthly powers are concerned, there is no limit to discipleship, to the spread of this gospel message, His teachings and commands, the power of baptism in the name of Father, Son and Spirit. And baptism confers a rebirth, and an anointing. Baptism gives us an introduction, a citizenship in a holy kingdom, it initiates us into something, an order of heavenly rule that also has all authority on earth. Let us think about His promise. Perhaps the greatest promise of all is His ever-presence for us, “even to the end of the age.” What do we do with this great gift? How do we allow it into our lives? How do we give our assent to its work within us and through us? How do we live as a part of this kingdom? One thing my study bible has emphasized in its notes today: this power is with us and works with us and in us. The power of baptism and discipleship is not ours to create or make, but ours as a gift in the power and the name of Father, Son and Spirit. What do you do with the gift? How do you receive it today? Do you seek to limit its work in you? How do you practice your discipleship? Faith does not have to be “perfect.” But, let us remember, that faith is a trust. How do you put your trust in His authority?