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 in 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 

 

 Yesterday we read that when Jesus came to the disciples (as He, James, John, and Peter came down from the Mount of the Transfiguration), 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 to 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.  This is the second time that Jesus predicts His death and Resurrection to the disciples.  See this reading for the first.  My study Bible comments that He does so yet again in order to show that He goes to His Passion freely, and will not be taken against His will.

 

 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 in 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."  My study Bible comments that the dispute among the disciples as to who would be greatest indicates a selfish interest in worldly power.  Christ therefore gives them the example of a little child, as a model of true discipleship.  In this way, He emphasizes the virtues which are required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven; these are (as indicated by my study Bible) humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  Here His emphasis is not simply on service, but also humility and what we know as graciousness -- as it is in receiving even these "least" not only receives Christ, but God the Father who sent Him.

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."  My study Bible notes here that according to commentary by Theophylact, John's comment is voiced as a regret, as his conscience has been pricked by Christ's teachings on the first and the last.  But St. Ambrose, on the other hand, sees John as expecting full obedience to accompany such blessings.  But, my study Bible says, in either interpretation, 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 is cited as saying, "See how divine grace is at work even in those who are not His disciples."  See also Numbers 11:24-30.   On those who use Christ's name without good faith, see Luke 11:23; Acts 19:13-16.

 

In yesterday's reading, we commented on how the focus was on faith, and how faith would be necessary for the future Church.  Here in today's reading, besides the corrective discipline necessary for the disciples to understand the nature of service, we see a hidden emphasis on the grace of the Holy Spirit.  Clearly, this also would have to be understood as instrumental to the future Church.   Although not nominally the subject of Christ's actions in today's reading, we find insight in Theophylact's comment:  "See how divine grace is at work even in those who are not His disciples."  Indeed, in speaking of grace, the entire concept of what grace is and does -- and especially of what "graciousness" would come to mean is laid out for us in Christ's response to the disciples self-centered response to His repeated predictions of His death and Resurrection.  Our understanding of grace and of graciousness is always something that needs repeated renewal and awareness in the Church.  For without it, we don't really have Christianity.  This is first of all found most poignantly in Christ's teachings on how the "little ones" are to be treated, coupled with His expression of acts of compassion in His name:  "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."   In Matthew's Gospel, a similar statement by Jesus emphasizes the gracious care of the "little ones" -- "And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward" (Matthew 10:42).  Of such is what we know not only as compassion but graciousness.  It is the foundation of what would come to be understood as what constituted "gentleness" (as in a gentleman or gentlewoman), and good manners, social conduct which defines a good society.  If we consider this on a social basis, apart from political movements which would strictly define and limit those to whom we may be "gracious" or "kind" or "compassionate," then we come to see its importance as a social value, in a society structured upon righteousness and peace.  Today's reading begins with Christ's second warning about His death and Resurrection, which possibly leads the uncomprehending disciples to think that a worldly kingdom will soon manifest, in which Christ will rule.  Hence their disputes about who will be the greatest.  Their thinking is in purely a worldly sense, with worldly understanding of greatness.  But Jesus' reply is intended to set this thinking on its head.  Not only is He beginning to correct their expectations regarding an earthly kingdom, He starts with conduct and relationship between persons as the definition of greatness to which they must learn to adhere.  His teachings turns worldly notions of greatness upside down, emphasizing graciousness and compassion -- and especially the treatment of the least powerful, such as a little child.   This is the greatness in His sight, and it should still serve to define for us what makes a person "great."  Christ's description of Judgment, in His parable of the Sheep and Goats, defines even salvation on this basis (Matthew 25:31-46).   For in that parable, it is acts of compassion -- or the lack of it -- that determines judgment by Christ.  So we should, all these centuries later, continue to understand our place in the world as those who would follow Christ.  No matter how many ways the world wants to redefine concepts of justice or righteousness, or even right-relatedness, it is only in this sense that such concepts remain true and meaningful for all of us, for each of us, no matter who we are.  For it is before Christ that we all stand as equals, and before Christ that the true reality of our lives is laid bare.  It is only He, the One who suffered for us, to whom our ultimate loyalty belongs.  Let us follow His gracious teachings for us, which alone offer to each of us the capacity for true greatness, as well as its reward.

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted

 

 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely.  And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.  And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"  But they kept silent.  And He took him and healed him, and let him go.  Then He answered them, saying, "Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?"  And they could not answer Him regarding these things.  

So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:  "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.  But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.'  Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.  For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." 

 

- Luke 14:1-11 

 

 Yesterday we read that some Pharisees came to Jesus, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."  And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.'  Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!  See!  Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"

 

 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely.  And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.  And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"  But they kept silent.  And He took him and healed him, and let him go.  Then He answered them, saying, "Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?"  And they could not answer Him regarding these things.  Dropsy is a form of edema, a problem of fluid retention in soft tissues of the body.  Once again, Jesus challenges the rulers regarding healing on the Sabbath (see also Luke 6:6-11, 13:10-17).  Jesus builds upon His illustration from chapter 13, in which He said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?"  

 

 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:  "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.  But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.'  Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.  For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."   Jesus teaches two parables (the first of which is here, the second of which will be in the following reading), regarding gracious, God-like behavior, specifically directed to those with authority who are sitting at this meal in the home of one of the Pharisees, but also meaningful for us today.  This first parable is directed toward guests.  My study bible comments that, in imitation of Christ, perfect humility is expected of guests, and boundless charity is demanded of hosts (see James 4:6).  

Jesus teaches about gracious behavior, and more.  Perhaps if we keep in mind that He is speaking to what is likely to be a group of Pharisees (invited to a meal at the home of a Pharisee), or those in high positions among the religious rulers, we should consider His addressing an attitude among those who would lead others, especially those who seek to serve God in doing so.  It is illustrative, first of all, of the gracious nature of the healing on the Sabbath they've just witnessed.  Moreover, in a sort of hidden or symbolic way, it seems to address their presumed authoritative positions of honor, suggesting they make room for One who does not seem to hold as high a worldly position.  Jesus suggests that it is better to receive honor through humility, rather than to claim honor through arrogance or assumption.  The setting of a wedding feast for the parable is another clue that Jesus is speaking in a veiled or hidden way about God's judgment, the time when the Son of Man returns as Son of God, in a way that is clear to all.  Then will be the time when the positions of honor in the Kingdom of God will be clearly shown and recognized by all.  Jesus suggests that in getting there, we would all be better to embrace humility as a way of life, and as a way of being elevated by God and by God's judgment.  We can read it as  gentle way to teach that although these men think they are in the elevated seats of the kingdom of God, Jesus teaches that they may find themselves not in the positions in which they think they are going to be, and that it is only humility that will save them in preparation for that wedding feast when the Lord returns.  It is a lesson to us all, as well, especially those who hold positions of authority of one sort or another, that we need humility in order to most clearly perceive our places before God.  That is, it is through humility that we understand God's word to us, and where and how we need to more deeply come to terms with that reconciliation, our true places in the Kingdom.  Let us take Jesus' teaching as a model for our behavior, and even more clearly, as a message for the one true way we can find ourselves in the places to which God calls us, and to receive those places which might be prepared for us.  The notion of gracious behavior has been given us by Christ, couched as it is in humility which Christ elevated to a virtue.  This was not the case before Christianity; humility was seen only as property of the weak, an undesirable position.  Today more than ever we need to remember where the goodness of gracious behavior, and all our notions of grace truly come from, and honor that in all our dealings.  Let us remember humility's great value as elevated by Christ, as teaching for us to emulate.  Jesus teaches us that when we are in doubt about where we stand in life, humility is always the best way to start.

The kingdom of God has come near to you

 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.  Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.  Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.  But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'  And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.  And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.  Do not go from house to house.  Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.  And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'  But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you.  Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'  But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.

"Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.  He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."

- Luke 10:1-16

Yesterday we read that when the time had come for Jesus to be received up, He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face.  And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him.  But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.  And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?"  But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.  For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them."  And they went to another village.  Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."  And Jesus said, to Him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."  Then He said to another, "Follow Me."  But he said, "Lord let me first go and bury my father."  Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."  And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house."  But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.  Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.  Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.  But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'  And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.  And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.  Do not go from house to house.  Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.  And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'  But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you.  Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'  But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city."   Yesterday we read that Jesus sent His apostles before His face as He determined to go toward Jerusalem.  Here we read of the appointment of seventy others who now do the same, sent out two by two to every city He will enter on His way toward Jerusalem and His Passion.  These seventy were also hand-chosen, made up of members well-known to the Church, including Barnabas and Titus.  My study bible suggests that we note Christ teaches us to pray not only for the harvest of believers, but also for laborers who will minister to them.  Wolves are those who would prey on the lambs of Christ; lambs are animals that are associated with sacrifice and characterize the lives of apostles and Christ's followers.  Peace is the hallmark of the journey, peace is what unites those who bring the Kingdom near and those who receive it.  Wolves here is used figuratively as those who seek to frighten and devour those who follow Christ (John 15:18).  Note once again the command for gracious behavior:  they are to accept whatever hospitality is first offered, and that includes foods.  This touches on the fasting disciplines traditional in the Church and particularly for monastics:  hospitality takes precedence!  Christ gives two commands emphasizing this:  graciousness, mercy, and charity figure into this practice of receiving what is set before to them.  They are to heal the sick, and here is perhaps the most important word Christ gives:  they are to say, "The kingdom of God has come near to you."  Its impact is felt in the next statement:  where that Kingdom is rejected, there will be judgment.  All the apostles are to do is to wipe off the dust of the city from themselves, but the emphasis here is given twice as well:  "know that the kingdom of God has come near you."  My study bible says that the gospel message isn't simply that there is a Kingdom in the future, but that this kingdom of God has come near.

"Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.  He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."  My study bible explains that judgment is severe for those who reject Christ after experiencing His grace.  But in contrast, it's important to note that those who have never known Christ due to genuine ignorance are without sin in that regard (John 15:22-24).  It is their God-given conscience that counts (Romans 2:12-16).  Indeed, there are Orthodox writers who say that around the world many who have never heard the name of Christ have nevertheless sought to reach toward Him in their own faiths.   Once again we note that Judgment is left to God; all these apostles are to do is wipe off the dust from themselves as a rebuke to the city where they and Christ's kingdom are rejected.

Jesus' words regarding Judgment are extreme, and therefore powerful.  Certainly there is no doubt this is intentional speech.   We see the seemingly great contrasts between these words and His teaching and instruction on the character and behavior of the Seventy.  Twice He teaches them they must graciously accept whatever hospitality is offered to them.  Rather than expressing any form of retaliation where they are rejected they are simply to wipe the dust off them in rebuke.  The gracious message, "The kingdom of God has come near to you," is always the refrain no matter what the city's response is.  But Judgment isn't something that can be taken lightly, and we really shouldn't see contradictions in any of this.  Christ teaches us about spiritual reality and the responsibility of being messengers of this Kingdom.  Their every word and deed is to reflect the true graciousness of this Kingdom, and the fact that they are ushering in a spiritual kingdom into the world.  "The kingdom of God has come near" is a message that teaches about what is coming into our world, what exists within us and among us as those who wish to be a part of this life of the Kingdom, even as we live in this world.  And that's where we take our start in understanding the true message of the Gospel and Christ's mission into the world.  We are all still a part of this mission, where the Kingdom is near, and we have a choice to accept or reject.  Christ makes it very clear that the message of the Kingdom, the spirit which guides these apostles, must be present in all that they do.  It's not just about nominally joining a Church, it's about how one lives all of one's life.  It is about action.  Grace is the great hallmark here, but we are always invited into choice.  We are responsible for what we reject, how we choose.  He tells us that there will be plenty of wolves out there for His sheep, but they are to rely on humility and grace; they serve Him, not a worldly master.  In times of difficulties and uncertainty, we need to remember the grace and peace of this life that He offers.  Our peace -- His peace given to us -- is the connecting tie  between those who bring the good news of the Kingdom and those who receive it.  To be a son of peace is to be a child by adoption, via faith.  It is to carry His Kingdom with us and within us.  His Judgment is always present with it, but so is the grace that responds to repentance or change of mind.  Let us remember this and persevere in His peace, in what He offers and calls us to in mission, in the good news of the Kingdom.  Let us not forget the importance -- the great significance -- of this choice we are called to make each day.

Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me

 Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him.  Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.  And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him.  So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."  Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?  Bring your son here."  And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him.  Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.

And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.  But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."  But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.

Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.  And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  For he who is least among you all will be great."

Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."  But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."

- Luke 9:37-50

Yesterday, we read that, about eight days after Jesus' teaching that He will suffer and be rejected and killed, and raised on the third day, Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.  As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.  And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.  But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.  Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- not knowing what he said.  While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud.  And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone.  But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.

Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him.  Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.  And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him.  So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."  Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?  Bring your son here."  And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him.  Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.   My study bible tells us here that while the disciples' faith was incomplete (Matthew 17:19-20), Christ's rebuke is also to the crowds, whose faith was still weaker (see Mark 9:22-24).  It's important to notice the destructive nature of the demons, their attacks on human life and the order necessary for health, creating chaos.  What we notice also is the love of this father for his son; almost all requests seem to come to Christ from this type of love for the distress of those who are dear or the threat of their loss.

And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.  But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."  But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.  In St. Peter's Second Epistle (2 Peter 1:16), he uses this same word translated as majesty to refer to what he beheld at the Transfiguration (yesterday's reading).  Here, because of the healing of the boy, all the crowd is amazed at the majesty of God.  But once again, Jesus seeks to enforce to the disciples the betrayal that will happen to Him at Jerusalem, telling them, "Let these words sink down into your ears."  My study bible says that His repeated prediction of His Passion is meant to encourage and strengthen the disciples for the terrifying events they will face.  It is also to assure them that He goes willingly to the Cross, and is not powerless.

Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.  And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  For he who is least among you all will be great."  Perhaps the disciples believe that Jesus' predictions of His Passion, death, and Resurrection mean that He will be coming into His Kingdom as a literal kingdom of the world.  Their dispute reflects concerns about their places in this kingdom.  Whatever the cause, Jesus begins to teach them about humility, and most particularly how they are to be leaders of His Church, His spiritual kingdom.  The keynote is graciousness.

Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."  But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."  John seems to be asking a thoughtful or reflective question here, after Jesus' teaching about receiving even a little child in His name.  Jesus' teaching is again all about grace:  those acting in good faith aren't excluded, even if they're not currently numbered among the disciples.  For those not acting in good faith, see 11:23; Acts 19:13-16.

Jesus' teachings are all about grace, in so many ways.  His teachings on receiving a little child teach the disciples about the grace which must be the hallmark of leadership in His Kingdom, in His Church.  The whole of the Incarnation is about grace, and the graciousness of God's condescension and humility in order to heal humanity, for the good of human beings.  His suffering on the Cross will be the greatest expression possible of such, the most full acknowledgement that He suffers with us, that God is fully aware of the extensive and deep levels of suffering in the world. Christ's gracious majesty is contrasted with the chaos of the demons, whose destructive work makes no real sense.  Christ represents the 'good order' of that which restores and heals and sets right.  This the effect of what He brings into the world.  The key for the disciples as His followers and those who will become the bishops of His Church, is humility, an understanding of grace as the key to His power and majesty.  In the Gospels, we can contrast this kind of power with that of the leadership in Jerusalem, or of Herod.  But the real key to sharing in this experience and participation in grace and humility is the core of the reading today:  good faith.  Just what is it that constitutes good faith?  What is it that makes for real faith, or a depth of faith?  Everything starts with that.  We're not going to be able to live the gracious life Christ proposes for us without that.  We can learn 'good manners.'  We can even learn compassion, but without faith it seems to me that compassion very easily takes on tones of self-interest, or sets up its own legalistic rules for application, forms of 'correctness' which may apply in one place but not in another.  Faith begins as a kind of communion:  a deepening one, a greater fullness of participation, and a journey that shakes us down to the core at times, demanding of us that we make choices in our loyalties and assumptions.  Christ teaches that we must each take up our cross, following Him.  Faith will challenge the things we hold dear, and ask us to give up what gets in the way of its depth.  That takes great humility, necessary for the grace He gives and teaches.  Christ's majesty is characterized by this.  So, the faith journey begins and continues for us even as for the apostles.  Where are you today?  What questions is it asking of you?  How will you share in its grace, both receiving and giving it?

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

Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely.  And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.  And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"  But they kept silent.  And He took him and healed him, and let him go.  Then He answered them, saying, "Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?"  And they could not answer Him regarding these things.

So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:  "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.  But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.'  Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.  For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

- Luke 14:1-11

Yesterday we read that some Pharisees came, saying to Jesus, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."  And He said to them, "Go tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.'  Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!  See!  Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"

 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely.  And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.  And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"  But they kept silent.  And He took him and healed him, and let him go.  Then He answered them, saying, "Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?"  And they could not answer Him regarding these things.  This isn't the first time this conflict has arisen; Jesus healed on several occasions on the Sabbath, and has been confronted by members of the leadership.  (See these earlier readings.)   They've been watching in order to have something with which to accuse Him.  In the previous chapter of Luke, Jesus' illustration regarding the tending of animals sets the tone for His response today, which builds on His earlier words.

So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:  "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.  But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.'  Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.  For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  My study bible says that these parables are directed toward guests.  (In the next reading, there will be parables directed at hosts.)  It says, "In imitation of Christ, perfect humility is expected of guests, and boundless charity is demanded of hosts (see James 4:6)."  

Of course we can't help but note the circumstances in which Jesus introduces parables about humility (and in the following verses, the hospitality of hosts).  He's been invited to dine, but some of the guests are watching Him to find something with which to accuse Him.  Jesus' grace gives healing to one on a Sabbath, and not for the first time in the presence of religious authorities, to their disapproval.  But they don't recognize grace, and they don't recognize the One who sits among them and His place.  Humility is necessary for us to perceive grace and how it works.  If we take Jesus' parable to heart in this setting, the image of humility is clear in terms of how it helps us to properly see what is what; we are blind in our prior assumptions of superiority.  And we may also be blind to God's work, and the presence of grace in our lives.  We note the law doesn't prohibit the maintenance of health of the animals, including the saving of their lives.   (We may think such upside-down thinking is far away from modern lives, but the truth is that in New York city it was illegal to mistreat animals before there were laws regarding the treatment of children.)   But Jesus' parable refers to the certainty of their superiority, which is broken when His argument regarding the treatment of animals shows them up, and they are unable to answer.  So often we think we know "the last word."  And this is another example of the assumption of superiority, and why we need humility to "learn" from God.  When we decide we have nothing to learn anymore, then we've put ourselves in a place where repentance (metanoia in the Greek, meaning "change of mind") becomes impossible.   The real practice of repentance is a lifelong habit, in which we're prepared to learn new things, to change habits and thinking we thought were fine, toward God whose grace teaches us to move along the road following Christ, teaching us to become more "like Him."  The Greek word for "sin" does not necessarily convey a terrible guilt; it means "missing the mark."  So in this context, even those habits and customs we wouldn't question may need to come under scrutiny.  We don't have the "last word" on anything, after all.  And there is our humility, the exposure of a smugness that is unbecoming to the true Superior, the One who knows better.  Within that spectrum lies the whole of humanity.  Our job is to learn, and both humility and graciousness are necessary for that journey.  As Jesus' example teaches, this should be not just the basis, but the whole form of our lives in what we do.  It is a proper attitude, one that is cultivated in aims for "gentle" behavior.  It is an aim understood even before Christ:  for the ancient Greeks, hospitality to strangers was the most important virtue.  But to know this, we have to turn "worldly" thinking in terms of power on its head, and understand how God's power works, and strive to be "godlike."  We note that humility, in Jesus' teaching, is akin to a search for truth:  we strive by this practice to a proper assessment of ourselves, of our own true reality, our true places.  Jesus lays out the benefits of the practice of humility, and in Monday's reading He will speak of truly gracious behavior -- also dependent upon the practice of humility.  So often these concepts seem to be missing from modern life, and increasingly so.  Can we really afford to diminish their importance from all our lives and the ways in which we conduct ourselves through the world?  So much more depends on how we think, what habits we cultivate.  Ultimately, the host is Christ Himself, who may tell us, "Friend, go up higher."  But only if we know the value of humility can this happen.

Go and do likewise

 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  He said to him, "What is written in the law?  What is your reading of it?"  So he answered and said, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.'"  And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live."  

But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"  Then Jesus answered and said:  "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a certain priest came down that road.  And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was.  And when he saw him, he had compassion.  So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.'  So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among thieves?"  And he said, "He who showed mercy on him."  Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

- Luke 10:25-37

Yesterday, we read that the seventy apostles who had been sent out by Jesus returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."  And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."  In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes.  Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.  All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son will to reveal Him."  Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it."

 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  He said to him, "What is written in the law?  What is your reading of it?"  So he answered and said, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.'"  And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live."     The two laws cited by the lawyer (an expert in the law) are from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. 

"But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"  Then Jesus answered and said:  "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead."   My study bible says, "Jerusalem is the place of peace, symbolic of communion with God.  Jericho, on the other hand, was renowned as a place of sin (see 19:1).  Falling among thieves speaks to the natural consequence of journeying away from God toward a life of sin (see John 10:10)."

"Now by chance a certain priest came down that road.  And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side."  My study bible tells us that titles and positions are meaningless in God's sight when good deeds do not accompany them.  Quoting Cyril of Alexandria:  "The dignity of the priesthood means nothing unless he also excels in deeds."  A note continues, "That the priest and the Levite did not help the man also indicates the failure of the Old Testament Law to heal the consequences of sin."

"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was.  And when he saw him, he had compassion."   My study bible suggests that the Samaritan, while a despised foreigner, is an image of Christ (see John 8:48).  Christ "came down from heaven" (Creed) to save even those in rebellion against Him."

"So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.'  So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among thieves?"  And he said, "He who showed mercy on him."  Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."  A note says, "The bandages, oil, and wine are sacramental images for (1) the garment of baptism, which delivers us from the wounds of sin; (2) the oil of chrismation, which gives us new life in the Holy Spirit; and (3) the communion of the living Blood, which leads to eternal life.  His own animal indicates Christ bearing our sins in His own body, and the inn reveals the Church in which Christ's care is received.  He pays the price for that care (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23)."

Jesus' statement, "Go and do likewise," puts us in an entirely different place than the Law leaves us. The Law speaks about refraining from vengeance, and from holding a grudge.  These are important points that Jesus also makes in various Sermons, that I think we miss all too often.  (It also tends to refer to those who are of the same people; see again Deut. 6:51.)  "Love your enemies" is a direct appeal against vengeance.  But from there, in this story, our understanding of the concept of neighbor becomes entirely changed from a "do not" into a highly proactive behavior.  And in this "Go and do likewise" we find yet another mandate for gracious behavior.  That is, being like Christ, imitating the grace that is given to each of us through Him.  And in this behavior is a "neighbor" made.  It is entirely within keeping of the Gospel message, of being disciples, even being sent out into the world to represent this Kingdom into the world, that we are to be -- in some sense -- proactively gracious!  In that case, it is entirely up to others (would-be neighbors) whether or not they accept or reject our gracious (loving) behavior.  It is in the practice of kindness that we offer the Kingdom to others.  Refraining from the kind of vindictive behavior that a grudge would carry to someone else is another side of the same coin; what Jesus teaches isn't at all in contradiction to the Law.  Rather, as He says Himself, it is in fulfillment of it.  In a time when image becomes more and more powerful, given the omnipresence of social media of all kinds, we are -- somewhat surprisingly -- living in a world where it seems like graciousness is increasingly hard to find.  The ever-present and growing power of image becomes a weapon, for PR or perhaps for fighting or bullying.  The seeming anonymity or protection of a screen and distance seems to amplify hostility and rudeness, and it translates into our daily lives, where a kind of force of how you look to others, how impressive one is, how much power one has, becomes a leaven that is evermore bluntly pursued and winds up affecting daily commerce in many ways, especially among the young.  Image also serves hypocrisy, where what matters isn't your heart, but what impression other might have (that is, the right people).  This can translate into donations that have meaning for publicity's sake, but a lack of charity in personal behavior.  I have found a lack of graciousness in all settings, in Churches and among those who really should know better, who may occupy and seek positions of importance.  And, on the other hand, I regularly experience great graciousness from the powerless, and the less seemingly-important, including elders of another generation.  Graciousness, "good manners," is all about the kindness we offer to others.  There's a well-known saying that good manners or etiquette really translates into one thing:  making another person feel comfortable.  This the Samaritan quite literally does.  He treats the hurt man as if he were in his own home, and in effect makes a home for the man, providing for his care.  Thus the Samaritan makes a neighbor of the other.  We don't know whether or not the hurt man was grateful.  The story doesn't tell us that.  It doesn't tell us whether he went his way after healing feeling he had just "gotten something" out of someone else with an attitude of entitlement or superiority.  It doesn't tell us if he repaid the innkeeper for the cost of care provided by the Samaritan.  It just doesn't tell us any of those things.  But it does give us a recipe for ourselves, and for bearing a gracious kingdom into the world.  "He who showed mercy on him" is the one who was the true neighbor.   Let us endeavor to go and do likewise.  It is the way to be disciples and apostles, the very way to show that we are followers of Christ.

I send you out as lambs among wolves

After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.  Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.  Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.  But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'  And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.  And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.  Do not go from house to house.  Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.  And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'  But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you.  Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'  But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.

"Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.

"He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."

- Luke 10:1-16

Yesterday, we read that, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that Jesus steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face.  And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him.  But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.  And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?"  But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.  For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them."  And they went to another village.  Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."  And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."  Then He said to another, "Follow Me."  But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."  Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."  And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house."  But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.  Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."  The seventy apostles (or disciples) are by tradition understood to be devout "laborers," some of them also mentioned in the New Testament.  Among them are Barnabas and Titus. My study bible suggests here that we are to "pray not only for the harvest of converts to Christ, but also for the laborers who will reach them."

"Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves."  My study bible says that "lambs speak of the sacrificial life of the apostles and of all followers of Christ.  The wolves are those who seek to frighten and devour those who follow the Lord (John 15:18)." 

 "Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.  But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'  And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.  And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.  Do not go from house to house.  Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you."  We notice the reliance on God conveyed in these directions -- everything starts there first.  To remain in the same house is to stay in the first place offered, and not to "trade up" for better accommodations, no matter how humble the home may be.  My study bible tells us, "Twice here Christ commands the apostles to eat whatever is offered to them.  This has a twofold significance:  (1)  the apostles must be content with whatever is offered, even if the food is little and simple; and  (2)  the gracious reception of others' hospitality takes precedence over personal fasting or dietary disciplines."

"And heal the sick there, and say to them, "The kingdom of God has come near to you.'"  The message is not just that there is a Kingdom in the future, but rather that the kingdom of God has come near."   It is present in those who carry it, those who are sent bearing it into the world, those who bear signs of its presence.

"But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you.  Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'  But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city."    Once again, as with the first sending out of the Twelve, these apostles are to shake the very dust off their feet in rebuke to those who reject them and their message -- the kingdom of God that has come near.

"Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.   He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."  My study bible notes, "Judgment is severe for those who reject Christ after experiencing His grace.  In contrast, those who have never known Christ due to genuine ignorance are without sin in that regard (John 15:22-24), and are instead judged by their God-given conscience (Romans 2:12-16)."  We note the powerful representation in this Kingdom that has come near:  those who hear the apostles hear Christ - for rejection it is the same, but Christ as "bearer" of the Father ("I and the Father are one") means also it is the Father who is rejected.  Relationship or communion, in this Kingdom, is everything.

Judgment is a difficult proposition for a lot of people.  It makes them uncomfortable.  But what Jesus speaks about here is a rejection; that is, a rejection on the part of those who don't want to hear about it, don't want to welcome the disciples.  It's a rejection of the message of the Kingdom coming near -- and that is the essence of the message.  We can take it as the essence of His mission to and ministry in the world:  the kingdom of God has come near.  Then the question posed to all of us becomes more clear:  Do you want it, or do you not want it?  In effect, the judgment becomes a question of rejection by those to whom it is offered.  It is not up to us how that judgment happens or even to judge how reception or rejection happens (after all, this judgment is in the future, and we are not the ones who know the hearts of all).  But it does give us a very important clue about how we are to bear the Kingdom into the world and also about how we are to deal with rejection.  This is the second time the apostles are told to wipe the dust off as a sign of rebuke, and to move on in their mission (the first time was in the sending out of the Twelve).  I think this is a good guideline for all of our lives.  It is important that we understand we're not the ultimate judges here.  The concept that rejection simply means a "rejection" back (shake the dust off!) and moving on, focusing positively on the work that is at hand, just as the Kingdom is "at hand."  It's a good guideline for the ways in which we live our lives.  As disciples and apostles, it would seem, their mission is simply offering this Kingdom in all that they do.  That includes gracious behavior everywhere they go, akin to humble behavior everywhere they go.  They are not told to show great might and force as representatives of this Kingdom but rather the power and force of the holy:  they heal, they cast out demons, they preach the Gospel message.  "Greet no one on the road" is an admonition to refrain from elaborate formal greetings, and to remain humble in this sense.  They are lambs in the midst of wolves; this is the way the Kingdom comes into the world, and it is the way we are taught to bear ourselves.  Grace comes first as a way of representing Christ and the Father.  Let us get the message clearly.  Let us remember the power of grace.

Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me

Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him.  Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.  And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him.  So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."  Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?  Bring your son here."  And as he was coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him.  Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.  And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.

But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."  But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.

Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.  And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  For he who is least among you all will be great."

Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."  But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."

- Luke 9:37-50

Yesterday we read that, about eight days after Peter's confession that Jesus is Christ, and Jesus' subsequent warnings to the disciples about what is to come in His life, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.  As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.  And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decrease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.  But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.  Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- not knowing what he said.  While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud.  And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone.  But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.

Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him.  Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.  And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him.  So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."  Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?  Bring your son here."  And as he was coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him.  Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.  And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.  My study bible suggests that while the disciples' faith was incomplete (Matthew 17:19-20), His rebuke here is also meant to the crowds, whose faith was "weaker still" (see Mark 9:22-24).

But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."  But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.   In the past couple of readings, the revelation of Jesus' identity as Christ was immediately met with a warning about what is going to happen in His ministry.  After that came the Transfiguration experience of His inner circle of disciples (yesterday's reading).  After a particularly impressive act of healing in today's reading, and the marveling of the crowds who are amazed at God's majesty, the disciples are immediately brought "down to earth" so to speak, when He warns them again about what is coming.  My study bible says that His repeated prediction of His Passion was meant to encourage and strengthen them for the terrifying events they were going to face -- and to assure them that Christ was not powerless but went willingly to the Cross. 

Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.  And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  For he who is least among you all will be great."  The understanding of Jesus' true identity and the revelation of majesty in so many ways creates a notion of power among the disciples.  This is now a new sense of who Jesus is, just what this ministry is about.  And of course the first appeal to weakness in human beings is the powerful nature of what they might find themselves involved with.  It's telling for all of us how the disciples respond to the understanding of Jesus' identity as Christ:  they start disputing over who's going to have a more powerful position in the Kingdom.  Jesus' first teaching then is about humility; how they must treat the littlest ones.  Gracious behavior is true greatness!

Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."  But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."  This is yet another sort of teaching on humility.  The chosen disciples aren't the only ones who call upon Christ.  "He who is not against us is on our side" is a good motto to follow!

Humility is a repeated teaching in today's reading, and it's a kind of subject flowing through all the recent readings in which the true power and majesty of Christ is revealed in the person of Jesus.  It's a necessary component of our faith.  Not only are we asked to remain "down to earth" in our understanding of where we are and who we are in our lives as Christ's followers, but we're also asked for an imitation of His condescension and graciousness as well.  The Christ Himself, the Son, has come into the world as a vulnerable human being.  So we are also to remember even the "littlest" among ourselves as though we were greeting Him.  These are His words to those who will lead and shape His church in the world.  And we can't get enough of these teachings.  The understanding of ourselves as powerful beings is a very important part of human nature. Our need for strength and power, for security, becomes a vulnerable spot for understanding life and the nature of life in Christ's kingdom.  The first taste of power and its revelation brings out the competition in the disciples.  They are thinking of a worldly kingdom -- we can relate it to a modern country in which all kinds of offices are appointed via an elected leader, and competition within the party for places.  This is clearly an example of human nature for us, where we go when faced with a prospect of some sort of power.  But Christ calls His disciples to a different kind of power, and it's the kind of power via which His kingdom will work.  It's the power of humility and the understanding of what it means to practice the kind of grace He shares with us.  Even in the littlest, we are to see a reflection of His power and majesty, and His love.  This is the only way in which His church is really going to work properly.  It is the thing that we are called to.  He will go through terrible suffering, and the death reserved for the worst criminals.  They will face all kinds of slander and He will be tried with lying witnesses.  It is only humility that will enable them to continue with their missions in the face of what seems like apparent and thorough defeat.  Humility becomes a kind of weapon that defeats all forms of egotism and selfishness, the influence of evil in the world, because it keeps us grounded within our true reality.  People confuse humility with self-abasement but this is a completely false understanding, in my point of view.  Humility is not about any form of groveling to human power; it is, instead, a grounding in the love of Christ, a recognition that we are all imperfect and that our great goal is simply seeking His love and to be like His love in all its manifestations of graciousness.  It is the willingness to change and repent, to accept that He always has something else to teach us on this forward road of faith, no matter how far we've already come.  Most of all, it's the understanding that we accept our identities given by Him in His love, so that regardless of what the world may tell us about ourselves -- either via a false kind of flattery and inflated egotism, or a false negative (such as the false charges against Jesus and later on His followers) -- we may remain in truth, grounded in the reality that we really do need to cling to.  Humility is the key to clear thinking, to landing on our feet, to grounding ourselves in the awareness of the kingdom.  Thus He leaves us with clear-sightedness, about just what is what:  warning us against our own foibles and foolishness, but also guarding us from the lies the world may tell us about ourselves.  It is the only true realistic path.  The sooner we understand this the better; we strive to know Him better, to bear His kingdom better into the world.  But at the same time this should make us more aware of the reality of the world, not blind to it.  This is His wisdom given to us.  Let us remember how essential humility is, and the great goal of graciousness.  It is carrying that kind of grace that makes us truly like Him.  It doesn't mean we look for ill-treatment or suffer it unnecessarily.  Rather, in humility is our true dignity.  It is a product of the kind of faith He's calling us toward.