Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you

 

 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.  

Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that he would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And he got into the boat and returned.

 

Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.  

 

- Luke 8:26–39 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught, "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him." Then His mother and brothers came to  Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

 

  Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.   The demons recognize Jesus as the Son of the Most High God.  Once again, the Gospel has thrust us into an opening in which we view the "unseen warfare" going on all the time in our world, with human beings as the battleground.  This unfortunate man is occupied by a legion of demons, language suggestive of the political occupation of Israel but teaching us about the "strong man" whom Jesus has come into the world to overthrow (see Luke 11:20-22).  We see evidence of the enslaving, destructive, and torturous nature of the demonic influence, the realm opposed to Jesus, in the description of this afflicted man.

 

 Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that he would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And he got into the boat and returned.  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.  My study Bible comments that, although the malice of the demons is great, they can do nothing against the will of God.  Therefore, they can only enter the swine with the permission of Christ.  It notes that the immediate destruction of the herd shows that the man had been protected by God care.  Otherwise, he would have perished under the demonic influence.  It further reinforces that swineherding was not lawful for the Jews, my study Bible comments, and shows the incomparable value of human beings, whose salvation is worth every price.  While there are those who teach that the presence of the swine indicates a Gentile population, this passage would seem to indicate otherwise.  Jesus forbade His disciples to go to the Gentiles (Matthew 10:5), and He Himself was reluctant to seek them out (Matthew 15:24).  These are likely to be Jews engaged in a sinful occupation.  their hardhearted response to the healing of this man seems to be further validation of their irreverent attitude.

 

Let us take a look at the man who's been "relieved" of the affliction of a legion of demons.  The last part of today's reading tells us:  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.   In some sense, the man has been through a terrible ordeal from which he's been relieved.  It reminds us, perhaps, of a person who has been through the experience of a terrible addiction, years of self-destructive behavior, with his world that of people who know him in this state, find ways to tolerate him, or otherwise live side by side in the same place.  But now that this man is healed and cleared of the demons, the ones who were formerly his "neighbors" in this wilderness of tombs and caves and deserted places away from the city want nothing to do with him.  For he in his "right mind" and in his healed state, is a symbol of the effects of Jesus, who has also sent the legion of demons into their swine.  For the swineherders of this region, the loss of their property is a far more distasteful experience than any good news of this man's healing could cover.  They've made their choices, and just as they sought an occupation sinful in the eyes of Jews for a lucrative Gentile market, so they choose again that the power of God working to relieve a man of a legion of demons is not what they want anything to do with if it threatens their livelihood by which they profit handsomely.  They have made their choice for money over the values of their faith, and now over the direct act of the Messiah.  The healed man understands this and knows that his former habitation is no place for him to remain.  Like an addict seeking to be freed of a life of addiction, he no longer fits where he was and must find a new life, and new company.  But neither does Jesus allow the man to continue with Him and with the apostles.  Instead, Jesus finds the healed man the right occupation, and gives him a new path to pursue.  He's told, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."   This is, in fact, a strong indication of Christ's work on us when we come to a kind of dead end -- when we can't go on the way we were, need to change, and to find a new life, so to speak, a new direction.   It is Christ who will give us direction, a new place we can't necessarily create of ourselves, for God's perspective is so much greater than ours is.  There are times when God will give us inspiration beyond what we could have planned or even the alternatives we can see, just like with this healed man, to whom Jesus gives a great new job -- and sends home with glorious good news.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it

 

 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

 

Then His mother and brothers came to  Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  

Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

 

- Luke 8:16–25 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.  And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries  of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'  Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.   Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in a time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."

 

  "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."  Jesus uses similar metaphors of light elsewhere in the Gospels to illustrate related concepts in His teaching (see Matthew 5:14-15, Mark 4:21-22, Luke 11:33-34).  Here, He is emphasizing internal illumination, and in particularly "how we hear."  That is, the importance of our perception and capacity for learning the spiritual concepts hidden in His parables (see the parable of the Sower, in yesterday's reading, above).  What we grasp as His disciples must be lived, nurtured, and cherished as our good treasure.

 

 Then His mother and brothers came to  Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."   My study Bible comments that it was not Christ's will to deny His mother and brothers.  Instead, St. John Chrysostom asserts that Jesus is correcting both the and His hearers "to the right idea concerning Himself," that the family of His Kingdom "is not by nature but by virtue."  Jesus' teaching here is emphasizing what we've just read of His preaching in the Sermon on the Plain (see Luke 6:12-49) and in His teaching of the parable of the Sower (see yesterday's reading, above).  He points to a spiritual family based on obedience to the will of God (see also Luke 11:27-28).

 

 Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"  My study Bible suggests that Christ deliberately permits the windstorm to arise while He's sleeping, in order to perfect the faith of the disciples and to rebuke their weaknesses.  In this way, they are being strengthen to be unshaken by the temptations of life that will come their way.  In this particular scenario, their faith is still mixed with unbelief.  They showed faith when they came to Him, but unbelief when they said, "We are perishing." Let us remember in this context that faith in Christ is rooted in trust.

 

 One part of today's reading in concerned with Jesus' mother and His brothers coming to see Him.  We can perhaps construe that at this juncture in His ministry He's beginning to attract very great crowds and a lot of publicity.  Since He has already had some run-ins with certain Pharisees (such as in this reading, for example, or this one from Monday), we can also assume that this publicity may be alarming or even unseemly to His family of rather humble stature in Nazareth.  (See this reading for the conflict which arose when He preached in His hometown, and the wrath He incurred there.) 

 In St. Mark's third chapter, the Gospel seems to write of an incident at this same period of Jesus' ministry, and also amid the clashes He begins to have with the religious authorities.  When such great crowds come to find Jesus and draw so much attention to Him, it disturbs and frightens His family enough so that they seek to "lay hold of Him, for they said, 'He is out of His mind'" (Mark 3:20-21).  The protective claim of mental illness rings true even today, for a family trying to draw a loved one out of the spotlight and away from the threat of possible action on the part of authorities.   It's intriguing to consider that Jesus' mother Mary is outside waiting to speak to Him together with His "brothers" (likely sons of St. Joseph by a previous marriage, or cousins or other extended family).  Since from the earliest origins of the Church Christ's mother Mary has been venerated for her love of her Son and her faith in Him, we can certainly assume Jesus' response is not at all meant to insult or demean her concerns (and she will stand by Him even at the Cross; see John 19:25-27).  Perhaps she's there because the rest of the family presses her to go and see Jesus and find out what He's doing.  But if we are tempted to think that He is turning her away, and contrasting her with His followers, we truly should think again.  For all the evidence that we have points to Mary the Theotokos ("God-bearer" in Greek) as one who fits this description of those whom Jesus describes as His spiritual family: "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."   It is St. Luke's Gospel, after all, that tells us that Mary responded with acceptance when told by Gabriel of the birth of Jesus; she said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" (see Luke 1:26-38).  She is the one who, in St. John's Gospel, told the servants at the wedding in Cana, "Whatever He says to you, do it," and so encouraged and helped to facilitate His first sign in that Gospel (John 2:1-12).  So, bearing these things in mind, we should consider that when Jesus responds to His mother and brothers in today's reading, He is in some sense assuring us all that Mary is in fact sister to the women we read about yesterday.  That is, to "Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance" (see yesterday's reading. above).  Or perhaps, as the mother of our Lord, it would be better to say that Mary the Theotokos is in this sense the mother of all of us.  For without her willing acceptance of her part in God's plan of salvation, none of us would be brothers and sisters in His Church.  In the view of the Church, and from its earliest years, Mary has been venerated as the greatest of Christian saints, and indeed, she is the model upon which we can all draw for Christ's description of His spiritual family, those who hear the word of God and do it.  When we read of all of these women, then, let us consider Christ's mother Mary together with them in the Church. For "those who hear the word of God and do it" include many whom we might call disparate and different, but all are together gathered in the Church, then and ever since.

 

 

 

But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you"

 

 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss. 

Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. 

 

- Luke 8:26-39 

 

On Saturday, we read that Jesus taught (following the parable of the Sower), "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him." Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But he said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

 

 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.  Jesus comes across a man who is entirely disordered:  he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but the tombs.  This is the work of the demons who oppress him; he lives among the dead and entirely outside of community.  He has been seized, and kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles.  These are human attempts at "order," but his bonds were broken,  and he was driven by the demon into the wilderness.   He is tormented by a Legion of demons.  The malice of the demons is important for us to notice; it is contradictory to the kingdom of God and Christ's gospel.  The demons recognize Christ, and fear Him, for He has power to command them.  They beg that He will not command them to go out into the abyss, the place of non-existence.

 

 Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.  My study Bible has a very lengthy note on the story of the swine.  It says that while some teach the presence of the swine indicates a Gentile population, we know that Christ forbade His disciples to go to the Gentiles (Matthew 10:5) -- and He also was reluctant to seek out Gentiles (Matthew 15:24).  It's more likely that these are Jews who are raising swine for the Gentile market in this place of mixed population, and so are engaged in what for them is an sinful occupation.  According to my study Bible, the destruction of the herd of swine reveals several things.  First, animals are a venerable part of creation, but human beings are of far greater value.  Additionally, Christ removes a source of since, as swine herding was an abomination to the Jews (Deuteronomy 14:8).  Moreover, demons have no power over creation, but they are subject to the will of God.  They could only enter the swine at the command of Christ (and begged Him not to command them to go into the abyss).  Human beings are protected under the providence of God; for otherwise this demon-possessed man would have come to the same end as the swine.  For these hardhearted people who don't care about the healing of the man, the economic loss would remain as a sign for them who fled that region. 

It's important to look at the signs of what doesn't conform here to the kingdom of God which Jesus represents and seeks to bring into the world.  There is, first of all, the demonic influence of the afflicted demon-possessed man.  We don't know his name, but we know the name the demons give themselves:  "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  His life is entirely disordered, and the human efforts to give him boundaries and control don't work at all.  He's driven further and further away from human community by the demons, to the point where he lives now among the dead, in the tombs.  He doesn't even have clothes.  This is a human life that has been destroyed, and he is left entirely isolated and tormented.  We can see the true malice and destructive insanity of the demons when they enter the herd of swine, and the swine race to their deaths down a cliff into the lake (which is the Sea of Galilee).  A "steep place" like this often serves as a sign of sin, of danger, and we can see here the analogy.  Then there is another kind of evil influence in this picture, and that is of the people who are fearful of Christ and stonehearted regarding the healing of the formerly demon-possessed man.  They only care for the material value of the swine which they've lost.  It means nothing to them that Christ has cast out the demons.  Clearly they were contented the way that things were before, and the healing Christ has done has disturbed the order they lived with.  We see something similar happen within social systems where a person tries to get healing for what ails them, be it an addiction or some other problem.  There will be those who are happy with the way that things were under the old system, be it for monetary gain or some other type of currency that's valuable to them.  Healing, which can be akin to banishing or correcting some form of evil, can be disruptive.  When a person no longer settles for a dysfunctional way of being, no longer is content for not following the path that God may set forth for them of developing a skill, a talent, an intelligence, this can disrupt a system of relationships in which those who surround them are content with the way things were.  They benefit in some sense.  It's a kind of selfishness that doesn't see the bigger picture, can't be happy for the healing, and doesn't want to make an effort to do something better and cherish the higher values that may be introduced by the search for healing.  Christ offers a way out of chaos and destruction, but the material selfishness, closed-mindedness, and deliberate ignorance of these townspeople make it clear that the healed man cannot live among them, and they also demand that Jesus leave them as well.  When the healed man wants to come with Jesus and the disciples, Christ gives him a different solution for his life:  "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you." Jesus teaches him to return to the place that is home; that is, the place where there are those who will be glad to hear and to see "the great things God has done" for him, including a restoration of his right mind.  It suggests a kind of revolutionary importance of finding support for a life set on a right path, where the great things God has done for us, the healing we have experienced especially with help from our faith, can be shored up, set into a structure of community, find a home, and can be celebrated rather than feared or discouraged.  There is a lesson here for our own spiritual gains in our lives, the fruit of the spiritual life Christ brings us.  If there are those who don't like the change, it is important to find one's "house" where a positive change and institution of good order in life can be seen as the good thing it truly is, and one can testify to the great things Jesus has done for us.  We need those who will be happy for our good news.

Take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him

 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."

Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

- Luke 8:16-25

Yesterday we read that after a confrontation while dining in the home of a Pharisee, Jesus went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.  And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things he cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'  Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."

 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."  Jesus continues His talk regarding the interpretation of the parable of the Sower.  His encouragement is for living the life we're called to live, living our faith.  To take heed how you hear is to seek spiritual discernment, to be alert to the illumination and mysteries of the Kingdom, and to grow in the light.  This would include an ongoing sense of repentance, a willing to change in accordance with the discernment.  The warning is that for one who ceases to pay heed to the proper care and nurturing of their spiritual life, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  My study bible says that it is not Christ's will here to deny His mother and brothers.  What we are to understand from this passage, according to St. John Chrysostom, is that He is correcting both them and His hearers "to the right idea concerning Himself," that the family of His own Kingdom "is not by nature but by virtue."  (See also 11:27-8.)

 Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"  My study bible explains that Christ deliberately permitted this windstorm to arise while He's sleeping, in order to perfect the faith of the disciples, and to rebuke their weaknesses.  In this way He prepares them to be unshaken by life's temptations.  In these senses of development of faith, this example parallels the teachings that have been given through the parable of the Sower, above.  My study bible adds that here their faith remains mixed with unbelief at this stage in their discipleship.  They showed faith when they came to Him, but unbelief when they said, "We are perishing."

In an interesting reading, we're given an example of the development of faith in action and in our lives that Christ's parable was about, given just before (see yesterday's reading, above).  In other words, the parable of the Sower gives us the understanding that our faith is about a fully lived life, discipleship is an ongoing, experientially challenging life mission.   We have our ups and we have our down, we have circumstances that draw out the best of what we have within us and also the worst.  And everything -- absolutely everything we live and experience -- becomes part and parcel of the life of discipleship, the struggle for our faith.  The disciples find themselves challenged by their natural fears of perishing in the storm.  But Christ is with them, although He is asleep.  In our own lives, as well, He may seem to be sleeping, to pay no heed to the severe dangers and fears we find ourselves going through.  But everything is about mission in the light of our faith.  Is He really sleeping, or are we going through a time of struggle in order to further develop our faith?  Do we forget about Him?  Do we panic?  Do we think of the goal or destiny, or even the command that is taking us along this route in our lives, the faith by which we'd been seeking to live up until the time of great panic and fear?  All of these become questions of the struggle for our spiritual lives, for the melding of that life of this world into the one of the Kingdom, so that we live both simultaneously, in and through one and the other.  And that is the depth of the struggle, to realize always that although He may seem to be sleeping, we are His and He is with us.  We are on mission and directed and guided by Him.  We call on the Lord for help, we await in faith, and we can be confident that no matter what it is with which life confronts us, whether that be loss or setback, terrible senses of failure, or great exaltation, even fear of death -- all of it is part of the mission should we choose to remember our Lord, and that we are indeed His.  Where is your mission today?  Where does it take you?  Are you being stretched past your flaws and fears?  Can you put your faith in Him when it seems lost?  What's the mystery into which you enter when you don't have all the answers?  Like the great windstorm, our faith lives in paradox, not seeming perfection -- and through absolutely all of it, He is there, even if He seems to be asleep to our pleas.  Let us remember that He has had the disciples set out for different territory with which they're unfamiliar, across the Lake (the Sea of Galilee).  Even when we don't know where we're going, our mission is always ongoing.

Master, Master, we are perishing!

 Icon of the Calming of the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Greek Orthodox Church of the Twelve Apostles, Capernaum, Galilee (photo: Fr. Patrick McInerney)

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered them and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."

Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For he commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

- Luke 8:16-25

Yesterday we read that after Jesus preached the Sermon on the Plain, He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.  And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that  'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'  Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and the pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."

  "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."  Jesus continues here to speak about the work of parables.  In yesterday's reading, He emphasized the capacity of the hearer to truly "hear," quoting from Isaiah (see Isaiah 6:9-10).  He indicates here that receptivity to the "mysteries of the Kingdom" will produce more, will allow those who can hear to grow in their capacity to comprehend.  He has revealed a great light, and now does so through parables.  But that light will come to those who can grasp it.  To those who are dull of perception, even what they have will be taken away.

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered them and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."   There is a kind of relationship inherent in the capacity to receive His word, and here Jesus indicates this notion of family and communion.  His "brothers" are extended family, as the term brothers is still commonly used in the Middle East.  He's not rejecting His family, who haven't yet understood His mission and identity.  But, according to St. John Chrysostom, He corrects both them and His hearers "to the right idea concerning Himself," that the family of His Kingdom "is not by nature but by virtue."

Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For he commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"  My study bible says that Christ deliberately permits the windstorm to arise while He's sleeping in order to perfect their faith, and to rebuke their weaknesses, so that eventually they will remain unshaken by life's temptations.  These are the ones He will send out to the world on a mission, and they must be prepared for whatever they will encounter with faith.  Here their faith is still mixed with unbelief.  They showed faith when they came to Him, but unbelief when they said, "We are perishing."

Icons of the Church historically portray the Church as a boat or ship.  The image is an ancient one, and served the early Church to portray its mission on a sea of disbelief, persecution, and the problems of the world (or "worldliness").  In some sense the image illustrates what Jesus has taught in yesterday's reading with the parable of the Sower.  He taught that the seeds that did not truly take root and bear fruit were among those from whom the devil snatched away the word, or for whom temptations took away the word, or the cares, riches, and the pleasures of life choked out its roots.  The changes of life bring unanticipated challenges.  Chaos may be a part of that experience.  A stormy sea blown by the wind is an image of all of those obstacles that will be tossed on the path of the Church, that divine-human organism that carries the Word through human history.   In the story of the ship tossed by the sea, the disciples are terrified.  We remember that among them are seasoned fishermen (Peter, James, and John -- and most likely Andrew also, Peter's brother), and their fishing territory is the Sea of Galilee.  But in today's story, they are set off with Christ toward an unusual destiny to the other side of the lake (the Lake of Tiberias or Sea of Galilee are two names for the same body of freshwater), outside of what is known to them.  (There they will have a strange experience indeed.)  In a sense, this is a preparation mission, undertaken with Christ, for what they will be doing as His apostles.  He alone is calm enough to sleep while the boat is storm-tossed, and His one word to them is to ask, "Where is your faith?"  He is the one who calms the winds and the water.  But the Church will always be on this mission, and the ship has served as symbol from the earliest times of the Church.  The ship is also a reminder of Noah's ark, carrying those of faith through the waters of the earth.  It's a symbol that teaches us that the Church isn't an institution that stands still, but rather a living organism that is both human and divine, that must always meet its challenges, and is always on a pilgrimage with Christ to lead us.  It is an understanding that teaches us that we are reliant on Christ above all else.  From a Scriptural perspective, the Lord of the Old Testament, who guided Israel, is present as Christ.  The icon in the photo above is an icon of today's Scripture reading, but it also tells us something of the story of the Church.  If you look closely, you see two images of Christ in the boat:  one is of Him asleep, and in the other He is giving the blessing.  In both images, He is not only identified as Jesus Christ, but wears the crown of light in which is usually inscribed the letters that form the Greek version of the Tetragrammaton (Ο ΩΝ), that give the meaning "I am that I am," or the holy name of the Lord.  This ship isn't bound by time, as each moment of His life is with us, and He is presently always with us.  As we who make up the membership in the Church are all in this boat together, we may think of strengthening one another's faith as part of the mission of this ship, the way in which we survive and continue on and grow to meet our challenges, even through history.  On that boat are all the saints, and all who may guide and command, and the souls the ship will carry to its destination.  That is something, indeed, to think about.

Nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."

Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him, and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

- Luke 8:16-25

In yesterday's reading, we read first about the many people who populate Jesus' ministry.  While there are twelve chosen apostles, there are many more who are a part of this ministry and form its support and company, including many women.  Luke tells us that besides the apostles, with Jesus were also "certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance."  When a great multitude had gathered to hear Him ("who had come to Him from every city"), Jesus told the parable of the Sower.  Some seed fell by the wayside, some on the rock, some among thorns, and some in good soil.  Jesus said, ""He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'  Jesus explained the parable to His apostles:  "Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."

 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."   Here is another collection of teachings we also read in Matthew's Gospel.  Here, emphasizing and "reflecting" on the parable of the Sower, we're given meaning in juxtaposition with what Jesus has just taught the apostles. My study bible says, "Taking heed to hear Jesus, the Word of God, brings light within the soul.  It must not be covered but allowed to shine forth.  The more one permits God's light to shine, the more light is given."  We are initiated into mysteries with real "seeing and hearing."  But it doesn't stop there; the Fount of light continues giving.  But it's up to us to "take heed how we hear" -- for whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.  Bearing fruit takes real perseverance.

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  At first glance, this may seem to be a poor reflection His mother and brothers!  But if we look closely, Jesus is simply teaching another truth, offering more light to all.  His closest family is also His adopted family, to which anyone may belong.  That is, those who "hear the word of God and do it."  My study bible puts it this way:  "Jesus declares His true family is a spiritual one."  By sharing in the light we may all be related at true and deep levels in God's love. We may become children by adoption, even as Christ is only-begotten.

Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him, and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"  Besides the fact that Jesus, as Christ, has power over nature, there's something else deeply powerful in this story.  We've read about Jesus' now teaching to multitudes; so much so, that He now teaches in parables.  His ministry is great and spreading, He has many close followers and supporters.  Like the parable of the Mustard Seed, which will appear later in Luke's gospel, this ministry and presence of the Kingdom is spreading and growing, they are "coming from every city."  Jesus' growing family is a spiritual one.  But here, they venture off across the lake, into Gentile territory, and it's a new break in the ministry, another turning point.  They are heading for unknown territory, uncharted in some sense, as it is outside of Israel.  What do we receive when we venture into the unknown, encounter something very "other" than what we know?  The human response, very much conditioned by our life in the world, is fear.  But Jesus has the answer to worldly fear, and it is faith.

Expanding our lives in faith in the world, we will encounter many obstacles.  I think we can safely say that the Gospel stories, and especially the story of Christ and His Passion, teach us that the world will set before us obstacles, some seemingly great, some not.  But all of them will involve an element of fear.  We encounter our own limitations in this struggle to receive and share the light, as Jesus puts it in the verses above about the lampstand.  But this ministry, wherever and however it may come to us, will always involve a growth and a spread:  whether it be within us or external to us or both.  We will encounter our worldly obstacles, our fears and limitations, our own conditioning, our fear of what is "other" and different from what we know.  Many modern theologians have applied just this fear of "otherness" or "difference" to teach where faith leads in communion, as adopted children who are each unique and different from one another.  But I believe the gospel stories today speak for themselves:  that no matter what we encounter in life, especially in the pursuit of a life following His word and what we perceive in our hearts in relation to Him, we must keep in mind that it is a part of our lives in this world such as it is and as we are that we will encounter our limitations and fears.  They are obstacles to be met with faith and trust in Christ.  This is not an egomaniacal assertion of our own power as instruments, but rather a constant placing of trust in the heart, a prayer for guidance, and a deeper love in this spirit of adoption.  His light is meant to shine and to continue to grow, and it grows in us and with us as we must accommodate that growth in ourselves.  How does the light shine for you in new ways?  What limits does it cast itself upon for you to give to Christ in faith?

My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You." But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."

Now it happened on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake." And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

- Luke 8:16-25

Yesterday we read about the several women who are Jesus' followers and providers -- the two of them we read the most information about were those one would not expect to be with Jesus: Mary Magdalene, out of whom had been cast seven demons, and Joanna who was the wife of Chuza, the steward of Herod. It follows along with the story (in the previous reading) of the woman who bathed Jesus' feet with her tears and anointed them with fragrant oil - whose many sins He forgave. Then Jesus gave us the parable of the Sower, introducing parables and teaching why He spoke to the crowds this way. See He who has ears, let him hear! The parable of the Sower.

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light." Jesus has just finished telling the parable of the Sower, and giving His interpretation in private for His disciples only. He described the many ways in which the seed of the word is planted in us, and may be uprooted or fail to bear fruit. The key is in our spiritual ears and eyes, what is in our hearts, how open they are to spiritual truth and understanding. Therefore it all depends on how we "hear" the parable, how we "hear" the word. Jesus also taught, in yesterday's reading, that we need patience to bear good fruit. Therefore the lamp, lit by "hearing" His word must burn the brighter in us with patience and cultivation of our ability to hear. We have to ability to continue to burn that light brighter, by receiving the word as it continues to come to us once that lamp is lit -- "For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light." Therefore, it requires patience and diligence in our spiritual journeying forth; this is not a one-time only enlightenment! "Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him." So, our ability to hear must be carefully preserved and cultivated through time, through our lives and our spiritual sojourn as disciples -- because whoever does not have, does not guard and brighten this spiritual lamp of the heart with care and patience and bear its fruit, may lose even what they have. Discipleship is a lifetime journey in which we are expected to grow, not stand still. My study bible says, "The more one permits God's light to shine, the more light is given."

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You." But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it." At first hearing, one may think this is a putdown of Jesus' mother and brothers. Rather, it is inclusive, as all of Luke's Gospel teaches us Jesus' radical inclusion in the law of faith and love and discipleship. We know why Mary has been revered and venerated: it was her own response to God's word that defined her life and her place in the economy of salvation. And so, Jesus invites each of us also to become His family by the same response to the word. This is a further "illumination" of the words about light and the lampstand, above.

Now it happened on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake." And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!" Finally, we are given a lesson in faith that also illuminates the teachings in the parable of the Sower -- because difficulties will come. Seeming threats to our lives and well-being will come: this is also an important part of the parable, and why we need patience as in Jesus' words in His teaching on the parable: "having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience." We will go through many threats to our faith in life, the cares of the world choke us, and the fears for what we may lose. But to hold onto faith is the way of patience through time and all the myriad ways in which life will challenge us in this regard. We will have fears to cope with. But we must remember the One who plants in us the seed of faith.

Jesus asks today, "Where is your faith?" How do we strengthen it through time, and allow the lamp to burn more brightly within ourselves? Where does your faith come from, and how has it been tested? Can you cultivate the patience to keep it burning brightly within you so that it bears fruit through difficulties? How does being a part of this spiritual family get you through the tough things you may bear in life, and sustain you? You may find that instead of diminishing your faith, coming through the difficulties choosing discipleship -- taking heed how we hear -- may actually help your light to shine more brightly, and bear the fruit He asks.