Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where

'Their worm does not die,

And the fire is not quenched.'

"And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where

'Their worm does not die,

And the fire is not quenched.'

"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where

'Their worm does not die,

And the fire is not quenched.'

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

- Mark 9:42-50

In yesterday's reading, Jesus' disciples were disputing among themselves as they traveled -- who would be greatest in the kingdom? Jesus taught them about humility. He said, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." Taking a child in His arms, He taught, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me." When the disciples reported seeing others casting out demons in Jesus' name, He told them, "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."

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea." Jesus is referring to the passages from yesterday's reading, as He continues here to teach the disciples about the humility required to be His servants. Our greatest charge, as followers of Christ, is the care of the "little ones." These "little ones" He compares to the little children He spoke of in our previous passage, when He took a little child in His arms to teach the disciples about the care of those in their charge. "Little ones" in this case are humble believers in the church - the ones who come for teaching and instruction, in faith, with no pretension to leadership. Jesus' stern warning here should serve as our understanding of His greatest concern: that humble believers who join the church in faith should be treated as if He Himself is present in them - and therefore the Father as well. This warning is directed at those who would use these "little ones" for the purpose of declaring their own greatness, and abuse the power and trust put in them to serve. My study bible says that "leaders are to be 'last': faithful and serving. A major cause of stumbling for Christians is that their leaders seek to be great."

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' " Jesus emphasizes so strongly the power of humility, and its essential quality in service to the faithful, that He uses the most vivid language possible: that of cutting off a hand or arm or leg rather than continuing in a career in which mistakes of arrogance are made and hence a failure to serve in true discipleship. The repeated passage, which refers to Judgment and true spiritual death, is from Isaiah 66:24. This visceral reminder is clearly meant to invoke the greatest importance to the disciples, and teach them about their own necessary repentance as they move through their careers as leaders in this church: whatever gets in the way of that service to the "least among them," it must be cast aside. Better to lose even something you feel is precious to you (such as personal grandiosity) than to truly throw one's life away by failing to do the important job of service to the people in this church, the lambs who will need shepherding. My study bible says, "To bring leaders to servanthood, Jesus requires not physical mutilation but uncompromising detachment, even from the most precious relationships or possessions, if they cause sin. As a negative motivation, He portrays eternal torment." Often, in spiritual growth, we may find that the things we cherish the most are things we need to give up, as my study bible points out. This would include cherished notions about ourselves, and our particular relations to others.

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt." To be seasoned with fire is to be tested. Discipleship will take us through that fire. Are there things you have had to give up in pursuit of real discipleship? Convenient or familiar notions of what is good, or even proper to you, that you may have had to cast aside? Here, Jesus continues His response to the disciples' fighting over who would be greatest in the coming kingdom - which they perhaps misunderstood to be imminent. Our notions of "greatness" here must be discarded - that is part of the seasoning fire the disciples are going through. They will make the sacrifice of such notions, and this sacrifice must be seasoned with salt. Salt, then, becomes the great metaphor for the essence which Jesus is looking for in each of us, that thing that preserves us as His own, even through fire, through judgment. Salt is an important quality that teaches us about truly saving our lives, for an eternal life. As a precious preservative in Jesus' time, salt means that which creates and retains value in us, for us - the thing that makes us His own whom He will keep with Him always.

"Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another." This quality within us must be retained at all "costs" - whatever it is we must lose in order to keep it. Once salt loses its flavor, Jesus seems to say, it cannot be replaced, and it is of no use to Him. To "have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another" is to learn to be the devoted servants He wants. My study bible says, "This difficult passage, directed specifically to the disciples, mixes both negative and positive images of salt. This may be a combination of statements made by Jesus in different contexts. (1) The fire with which everyone will be seasoned (lit. 'salted') seems to refer back to the fire of judgment. (2) Every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt tells us suffering will happen to all who follow Christ, a positive experience when undertaken in humble faith. (3) Salt is good refers to the special quality of life expected of disciples, particularly those whom Christ has called to spread His gospel. Have peace with one another suggests that one way to lose flavor as salt is to be striving for greatness."

So, salt, then becomes the great metaphor for the stuff of which we must be made to be truly Christ's disciples. What do you think it is to be "seasoned" (or "salted") with fire? Why, indeed, does Jesus speak of sacrifice - particularly having referred so vividly to the cutting off of limbs, even our eyes, if necessary, in order to preserve our lives? So seriously does He take this issue of humility, of the willingness to serve, that He gives His most powerful metaphors in emphasis of it. Whatever stands in the way of this service has to go - and if we allow any form of our own grandiosity or need for competition with others to get in the way of service, to harm the "little ones," then we will lose what we have. We lose our salt. We lose the quality of character that preserves and protects our lives, giving us true value which is everlasting in the kingdom. Ultimately, it is God before whom we must be humble, and a prayer life of many years will teach us what we need to discard for service to God. What is it then that you look for in leadership? What makes a good teacher? What creates a true disciple of Christ who can lead and care for others? This is a vastly important question - for if our leadership cannot be humble itself, cannot teach by example what selflessness is, then how can they teach the "little ones?" How do we welcome all, and teach by example, if not by the humility Christ is asking? How is it that people are turned away from the church, except by the harsh judgment or superiority, or perhaps the grandiosity of leaders who wish to rule rather than serve. Discipleship is powerful and difficult, and yet it is we who seek to serve who must set the example first. As we go forward, God may ask us to give up things that are precious to us, in order to serve the better. Let us remember the little child who appears in His name, with His image, and that of the Father as well. How do we retain our salt? How do we have peace with one another?

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

On Saturday, we read about a man who brought his son to the disciples. The boy was possessed by a spirit that threw him down, made him deaf and mute, and gave him terrible seizures. Jesus came upon the disciples disputing with scribes - the disciples could not heal the boy. Jesus asked about the problem and how long the boy had been ill. "Since childhood," was the reply. Jesus told the whole crowd, everyone present - disciples and father included - that their faith was not sufficient. He called them a "faithless generation." He told the father, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." The father replied, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" The boy was healed. Later on, in private, the disciples asked why they could not cast out the spirit. Jesus said, "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. Mark's Gospel takes us further into the somber note of what is to befall Jesus. For once, Jesus' desire to remain hidden is fulfilled, and He spends time alone with the disciples. We recall that His messianic secret has recently been revealed, and the taste of the great glory of Christ at the Transfiguration (witnessed by John, James and Peter). Immediately after the Transfiguration, Jesus began to prepare His disciples for what is to occur. Perhaps He wishes private time in order to keep concealed this messianic secret from the crowds, while He teaches in private what is to come. Throughout the recent readings, we have read of the struggle with faith and understanding - in many people and in the disciples. One can just imagine the near-impossibility of grasping what He is teaching them now. My study bible says, "The disciples were afraid to ask Him, perhaps because they were aware of their own dullness, and had become sensitive to His rebukes; or perhaps because they did not want to face the fact of His coming death."

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. We don't know why this dispute comes up now, but we can speculate. Perhaps they are taking in the understanding of the Resurrection, and they have misunderstood - thinking the ultimate revelation of the Kingdom in power is coming. They are arguing for position. One other thing we can see from these verses is that Jesus is very aware at all times of what is happening with His flock. He uses every opportunity to teach. Let it be said of each of us that our mistakes are opportunities for learning! My study bible points out that "so serious is this issue" (of humility and suffering in discipleship) "that the remainder of this chapter is cast against its background."

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." Jesus begins to teach what it is to have power in this kingdom, and what discipleship is and means. My study bible says, "The passion for position must be displaced by a decision to be last, to serve all people. Beyond even humility, service is active care and love for others." He teaches the reality of spiritual rank and power: we recognize the effective presence of Christ in "the least of these" - little children are those who must grow in faith and love, and they are images of the growth of the kingdom in the world, that dwells "among us" and "in us." Furthermore, He emphasizes clearly that "Christ" - as Logos, Son or the person of Jesus - is inseparable from the Father (and thereby the Spirit and all workings of grace, wherever grace enters the world). Therefore we must understand what it is to dwell in possibility - and even an eternal sense of time is at play here. The little children are those who will indeed carry the kingdom, but the presence of Christ is with each of us.

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 says, "This discussion is the aftermath of the argument as to who would be the greatest. Sectarianism and triumphalism (the attitude that one creed is superior to all others) are forbidden, for God's working transcends our limited perceptions. One is either for or against Christ, but it is not always ours to know who is on which side." It speaks to me of the power of Christ and His presence among us. We are to share in that glory and that presence; it is with the little child, and it is among those who are not a part of our immediate group. What we come to understand is that this presence will of itself draw the boundary lines: "Whoever is not against us is on our side." But even the small gesture of a cup of water given in the love of Christ to another because they carry His presence is one that will be rewarded, so powerful is this reality among us.

Do we really understand what it is to have faith? I see Jesus' talks here as deepening our understanding of what that is and what it will mean. It's not just about a nominal creed, or a belonging to one group or another, but a spiritual presence that fills us, gives us meaning in our lives, and will work through its own presence to define, to sustain and empower. This presence cannot be contained by our understanding of boundaries, and it can't work through our sense of rank. It works in its own ways, through the power of Christ and His image and power. Therefore we truly don't know whom it is we may be serving in the person of a "little child" or the humble among us, or even those of "other" groups. First things first, we learn in discipleship the power of humility to teach us what truly is. There are many teachings at work in today's passage; it's about our faith, our place in the kingdom, our service, our discipleship, our relation to one another. The little child is the image that burns and shines for me today from this passage. How do we know what he or she may carry within themselves? There are no boundaries to His power, working in each of us - only our allegiance and love, and this grows and shapes itself through life, and changes. We can but honor that love "in His name" and to those who belong to Him. How does that work in your own life?

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!

And when He came to the disciples, 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."

- Mark 9:14-29

In yesterday's reading, we read about Jesus' Transfiguration. He took John, James and Peter, his closest apostles, up to a mountaintop. There they saw Him transfigured, His clothes "shining, exceedingly white, like snow." Moses and Elijah appeared with Him, talking with Him. The apostles had no idea what to do or say, astonished and afraid. A cloud overshadowed Jesus, and the Father's voice spoke: "This is my beloved Son. Hear Him!" Suddenly, it was over. When they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them to tell no one until after His resurrection. The messianic secret must still be kept. See And He was transfigured before them.

And when He came to the disciples, 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?" In the meantime, far from that mountaintop where Jesus has just been revealed as Messiah in Transfiguration to His three closest disciples, we see the disputes that go on. This is the work of the kingdom through the disciples, who are still learning what this work involves, and the difficulties of ministry. My study bible points out, "The Lord is loyal to His own. Jesus does not ask the disciples what they are discussing with the scribes; it is the scribes who must answer." The people in this scene clearly respond to Jesus' presence.

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." The disciples are presented with a problem in their ministry: this boy and his father need help, and this is seen in the context of spiritual - not medical - help. But they are unable to help the boy.

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." While we see the symptoms described as the medical condition of epilepsy, it seems to me there are clues in this manuscript that point to a spiritual ailment. The father says that "often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him." This affliction, the "mute spirit," is seen as a destructive and malevolent force, and the helpless father can do nothing to stop it. So, he has come to Jesus' disciples for help. Obviously, the scribes - representing the temple leadership - can also do nothing to help. My study bible has a note that reads, "Faithless generation is said of all, including the father of the child and the disciples." It adds, "The man's comment, but if you can do anything, is prompted by the disciples' inability to cast out the demon. What Christ's disciples can or cannot do reflects on the Lord Himself."

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!" In some sense, the man's cry reflects all of us, all of our conflict, the cry of our condition - including that of the disciples. We live in a world that tests our faith, with hearts that are capable of receiving and understanding the things of the spirit. "I believe; help my unbelief" is the cry of humanity to God. God's word to us is here, and the Gospels indisputably present this to us: "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." We are in a constant state of this suspended conflict presented in these two verses. My study bible says that all things are possible because of God's power released through faith - and faith is what Jesus seeks to elicit from the child's father. It adds, "The presence of doubt does not imply the absence of faith. Christ honors whatever faith we have and will increase faith when we sincerely desire Him."

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. Clearly, in the spiritual context of the Gospel, this powerful affliction is the result of something truly harmful - causing pain as well as "binding" this man's hearing and speech. It's like a torturer who is deliberately tormenting the afflicted man. And when the spirit leaves, "he became as one dead" - a severely harsh affliction, leaving the man, like a tortured prisoner, as one who is dead. But Jesus' touch lifts the man up, restoring him to his rightful place, upright. On spiritual terms, this affliction is a great metaphor for the powerful forces that diminish us, that take away our will to live, our capacity to speak and to hear, leave us as one who is dead, that cause us great pain in our lives. Afflictions such as this come in many metaphorical forms, and this is a story about faith in the face of oppression and adversity we may feel helpless to alleviate in those whom we love. It is such an overpowering condition that clearly the victim is in no state to help himself. We need, in this case, a much greater and powerful "strong man" to help us under such oppression and affliction.

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." My study bible says that "prayer and fasting are essential expressions of the life of faith. The inclusion of and fasting in the text is quite appropriate, though a number of ancient manuscripts lack it." What we have here, then, is a case of dedicated faith, concerted and constant, and unremitting effort to continue in that faith. This is what Jesus describes for the disciples: a faith in which we persist and practice with focus and dedication, and in which we are not deterred by seeming failure.

While most read this passage and assume an affliction of epilepsy, attributed to spiritual causes, I cannot help but see it as a true metaphor of the things that ail us in life. We may suffer under oppressive conditions, things and people that we cannot control, that are beyond our capacity to change. I can think of a myriad of situations and circumstances this would describe for many people. We may ourselves be afflicted by chronic and painful disease under which we suffer, or perhaps a terrible depression, or family circumstances which are a cause of endless pain. Whatever it is, there are circumstances that cause us pain and are seemingly beyond our control. In the Twelve Step programs, the first step is the recognition of our powerlessness to control affliction. And from there, the Steps turn us to a Higher Power to which we give over our problem, to help us to manage it. This is a story of faith in that Higher Power, and of our inability to control - and our apparent failures. "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" is the cry we feel midst that type of situation, which may be chronic and ongoing, even a burden since childhood, as in this story. Yet the "strong man" who has come to establish His kingdom, to overthrow the oppressor, is the One we repeatedly must turn to. And how does this happen but through repeated, concerted effort? It is we who are to turn our efforts to prayer, and to the methods that help us to improve "our conscious contact with God" if I may quote Step Eleven of a Twelve Step program. Prayer and fasting are tools of communion, of "conscious contact." They are the efforts we make to deepen our faith - the conscious effort we make and tools we use in the struggle for faith, for a deeper union with God. And this is our struggle; we live in a world in which we are vulnerable. Our choice is to find that faith, and to persist in our efforts and pursue it with every tool that we have on hand, with all that is available to us. In this sense, Jesus assures us that "if you believe, all things are possible to him who believes." "All things are possible" does not mean that our wish is God's command. It means that faith - trust - will show us a way through it, and God's power will be lent to us so that we find our way forward and out of the affliction, whatever it is that binds us spiritually, makes us deaf and mute and seeks to destroy who we are. This story is couched amid the understanding that Jesus Himself will suffer with us, for a purpose, and so will His followers. But the story of faith is one of triumph, of overcoming. "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief" becomes, in this sense, our own cry of overcoming and perseverance in our lives, and a call for the help we need.

And He was transfigured before them

Theophanes the Greek, 1340 - 1410

Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!" Suddenly, when they looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.

Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant. And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."

- Mark 9:2-13

In yesterday's reading, we read of the great and momentous confession of Peter. Speaking for all of the apostles, he has recognized who Jesus is: when Jesus asked, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Christ." Jesus warned his disciples to say nothing about this, to keep His identity a secret. Immediately, He began to teach them what is going to happen - the suffering and rejection that He will endure. He also told them about His death and resurrection after three days. Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked Him for this talk of what is to come, but Jesus Himself spoke before all the apostles and told Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!" He then taught how all disciples must "take up their cross" and follow Him, for "whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it." Then He asked, "What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?"

Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. This powerful scene of transfiguration takes place soon after Peter's confession. All of this time, through Mark's Gospel, we have seen a gradual understanding come to the disciples - but it has been, at times, trying even to Jesus! A few readings earlier, Jesus has taken them to task for their "hardness of heart" - their failure to understand Him. But here, the glory Jesus spoke of in yesterday's reading is revealed to His three closest disciples, Peter, James and John. It is these three who were also present when Jairus' daughter was awakened from death. In Jesus' glory, at Transfiguration, we see revealed the "life in abundance" - the light of life itself - that is truly His. My study bible says, "The transfigured radiance of Christ is His uncreated glory, a saving revelation at the heart of the Christian experience. The Transfiguration assures the disciples that the Messiah, who is to suffer, is also the Lord of Glory. Only His third-day Resurrection is a greater sign of His divinity than is His Transfiguration." I can't help but feel that the noted "six days" period from His revelation to them as Christ to this Transfiguration moment is significant. Six, of course, is the number of the Star of David, symbol of Israel, or the people of God. Perhaps it is in that truth of His messianic identity, revealed here, that the number six is essential for us to understand. The "prince of this world" is replaced with the Prince of Peace, and the establishment of His kingdom in which we can share here in our own lives in the world.

And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. My study bible writes, "Although Christ is addressed as Rabbi, He has not passed through a rabbinical school, and His ministry has clearly gone beyond the established function of a rabbi, which was to teach. This title shows the Master-disciple relationship between Christ and the Twelve. Peter recognizes Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets, who appear with Jesus. This is a glimpse of the glory that is to be revealed, where introductions will not be needed." How wonderful it is to "know" someone! Perhaps we are all familiar with dreams, in which someone we "know" is there, but in a form we don't recognize. It is in this sense of true "knowing" of a person that we see this glimpse of relationships in the kingdom. And of course, through our prayers and worship, it is in this sense that we come to "know" Christ, to "know" God and God's love. To suggest to build tabernacles is reflective of the Feast of Tabernacles, or Succoth, in which is commemorated the time when Jews wandered in the wilderness, and "gathered" in such tents. This eight-day festival was also based on an ancient harvest festival - and what we witness is the harvest of Jesus' preaching and teaching to the disciples, His revelation of true identity to them. Again, the symbols and suggestions here are the powerful symbols of Israel itself: the Law and the Prophets, the tabernacles in the wilderness, Israel's most ancient festival, and Jesus' glory as Christ or Messiah, Son of David.

And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!" Suddenly, when they looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves. Again, here are the powerful symbols of Israel itself: the cloud on the mountain, as appeared with Moses as Israel wandered in the wilderness. The voice of God the Father speaks to the disciples from the cloud, offering them the true substance of Jesus' identity as Son, a leader for the people of God, "Hear Him!" My study bible says, "A cloud is sometimes the sign of a theophany, the presence of God the Father. This revelation is for the benefit of the disciples, that their faith should be firm. For they are called to believe not only in Christ but in what is to come, the eternal kingdom. The Greek verb for hear is in the present imperative form, meaning 'listen always.'"

Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant. Although they accept this teaching, they have yet to truly grasp what it can mean, what impact it will have. The events of great significance in our lives may be something we pass through without grasping their full impact. Here, the disciples are taught what is to come, but they haven't yet lived through the events - and surely cannot yet taste the future for themselves and their careers as apostles in the years after Jesus' death and resurrection. My study bible says, "Christ's Resurrection is required for full disclosure of the messianic secret and for full understanding of messiahship." We may say, also, that it will be required for the fullness of the gospel, and its spread to all the world through these apostles.

And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him." The prophecy of the return of Elijah was one made to indicate events that would happen just prior to the appearance of the Messiah, in preparation for the Messiah. Jesus is saying that the return of Elijah, in spirit, has already happened, through John the Baptist. And a somber note returns, and He reminds them that "they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."

We have powerful truths juxtaposed in our texts of the past two days. Jesus is revealed as Messiah, the Transfiguration teaches us of His glory, God the Father's voice teaches us that He is Son - and the brilliance of glory, whiter than white (often indicated in icons as blue) gives us the hint that He is the Light itself, the Lord of life. But at the same time, we must understand the suffering He will undergo in the world at the hands of men and material, "worldly" power. He also teaches that the same happened to John the Baptist, who was the return of Elijah in spirit, before Him. And of course, we begin to read the hints that the apostles and the disciples to come will also take on this cross and face martyrdom and persecution. For the early church, the message was quite clear: the "prince of this world" will enact his rage at being displaced by the kingdom Jesus is here to declare and to bring, the real gospel message. So I ask today - have you experienced for yourself a touch, a taste of the glories of this kingdom, the beauty of its worship and indwelling, the power of its life in yours? And, at the same time, the disappointment with the world and perhaps its harshness, its rejection? We must also remember that those who have come before us have gone through the same thing, and set us great examples. In today's reading, we see - we behold - the glory of the Lord, the glory of the kingdom, and the disciples "knowing." Let us not forget that "knowing" is for us too - as well as all that goes with it, and all that comes to those who serve. This goes on throughout our lives as well, and the lives of those to come in this kingdom. It will continue to play out its drama of the gospel unfolding in this world as we await the age to come. How does that take shape in your life?

What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that I am?" So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ." Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."

- Mark 8:27-9:1

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught His disciples "Beware the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." He was referring to the fact that some Pharisees had disputed with Him and asked Him for a sign from heaven, testing Him. But the disciples failed to understand Jesus' meaning - and they disputed among themselves that, having mentioned "leaven," Jesus must be upset that they didn't bring bread with them. He takes them to task for their inability to comprehend, their "hardness of heart," because they fail to remember the feeding miracles in which He fed five thousand men in the wilderness, and later on four thousand people. Later, they came to Bethsaida, where Jesus healed a blind man - who gradually came to see. Jesus charged the man and his friends to tell no one in the town.

Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that I am?" Caesarea Philippi is a town north of the Sea of Galilee. It is a major city in a Gentile area, and was built by Herod's son Philip. Jesus chooses this Gentile region in which to bring up this powerful question, in the words of my study bible, "apparently wishing to avoid popular repercussions among Jews."

So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ." Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him. Many people spoke of the return of Elijah (which Jesus will say was John the Baptist, returned in the spirit of Elijah) which was to foreshadow the coming of the Messiah. Herod Antipas, we know, feared that Jesus was John the Baptist returned. But finally Jesus challenges the disciples, and Peter speaks for all of them with his confession of faith. "The Christ" is "the anointed one." My study bible says, "The Hebrew equivalent of Christ is 'Messiah,' meaning, 'the Anointed One.' Because this title was fraught with popular nationalistic misunderstandings, Jesus uses it only rarely, but accepts it when questioned at His trial before the Sanhedrin. The understanding of Christ's identity cannot be gained through human reason; nor do miracles divulge it. It comes only by revelation from the Father in heaven." At long last, in Mark's Gospel, the messianic secret of Jesus is understood and revealed to the disciples. But Jesus warns them never to speak of it to anyone.

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly. How poignant it is that at the point of revelation, Jesus must begin to teach His disciples what is going to happen, and how He is going to suffer. What a shock this must have been for them. This is in complete contrast to the expectations of Messiah in popular nationalistic understanding, and a powerful reason why they must keep His true identity a secret. My study bible says, "Son of Man is a veiled Old Testament messianic title (Dan. 7:13) which Jesus uses frequently, as it is more suitable than 'the Christ' for this stage in Jesus' ministry. Jesus must suffer: This is the inscrutable divine will, and the very heart of His redemptive work. Suffering marks Jesus' redefinition of messiahship (see Is. 53)."

Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." My study bible says that "Peter is shocked by this unprecedented notion. But Jesus is preparing His disciples -- and Christians today -- for adversity." It adds, "Peter unknowingly serves the intent of Satan other than the plan of God in attempting to lead Jesus away from the path of suffering." Jesus is powerfully reorienting them - and us - to the notions of Messiah and also the calling of those who would follow. What is spiritual life? What does it mean to serve God? to serve the Christ? These powerful questions now take on deeper meanings and solemn dimensions not heretofore pondered for popular understanding of what it is to follow and to serve the Most High. For the early Christians, there would be no doubt of what it meant to follow Christ.

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. These are the words of self-sacrifice, the opposite of what we call "selfishness." But they are words that teach us to find ourselves, while we lose a life constructed only to serve the things of the world and not the plan of God. My study bible says "Discipleship is costly: it requires giving up all claim to everything the world holds dear." To take up one's cross is a symbol of suffering and self-denial, and to find the things that are of God, to be tested by the world as we choose to worship something other than "worldly values" oriented toward a limited selfishness as a goal in life.

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power." My study bible points out that "Soul (Gr. psyche), also translated 'life,' can refer to our spiritual nature or the whole human being. Nothing is more valuable to us than our souls." From the words of suffering, and even crucifixion of the self, we receive something more powerful: the soul, and its connection to a heavenly glory, and power. Jesus promises a fullness that is a part of life in this kingdom. "The kingdom of God present with power," my study bible says, "is connected to the previous words about the Son of man coming in glory." In tomorrow's reading, we will see a foretaste of this glory.

So what does it mean to take up a cross, and to suffer for this kingdom? To be taught on the one hand that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, and on the other that they must tell nobody -- that in fact He is to suffer at the hands of the leadership -- how is this even possible, given the notions of Messiah as a nationalist redeemer? We have to think very carefully about how Jesus is re-forming and re-shaping notions of what it is to be a spiritual and religious leader, and of what the kingdom is, exactly. It is not to be merged seamlessly and perfectly into the popular consciousness of nationalist identity, in which all problems are swept away and liberation means the fulfillment of all worldly desires for a comfortable life. Rather, they are going to be working for a different kingdom to come into the world, and that kingdom is governed by a God who can declare that "my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” and “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8,9). Jesus challenges us to become like Him; as His disciples we will serve the same purpose and cause. We are brothers and sisters, and like Him, we take on the responsibilities He takes, for building a kingdom devoted to something that transcends a worldly perspective, and that serves a heavenly one. Jesus' charge is the cost of discipleship in a world that will fight this kingdom at every turn, throwing temptation and obstacle onto our paths, and teaching us all the ways of that "leaven" He spoke of in yesterday's reading. To take up this cross is to serve something that the world will not necessarily love, but it is also a kingdom that gives us true self, our souls, and the fullness of life in its power to feed our true nature in Christ, in that place of "life in abundance." Take on that cross, and see where it leads. In prayer, we meet the One whose thoughts are not our thoughts, and we build the kingdom as we are led forward into deeper understanding of where God wants us to go.

Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod

Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."

And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side. Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. Then He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have no bread." But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?" They said to Him, "Twelve." "Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?" And they said, "Seven." So He said to them, "How is it you do not understand?"

Then He came to Bethsaida: and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking." Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. Then He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town."

- Mark 8:11-26

Yesterday, we read of yet another feeding miracle (the previous one was when Jesus fed five thousand men in the wilderness). Yesterday, we read of Jesus' feeding of four thousand people. The people had followed Him for three days, and He didn't want to send them away. Some, He said, had come from far away to see and hear Him and they would faint from hunger on their way home. The disciples asked, "How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?"

Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation." Clearly, Jesus' reputation is growing. So much so, that the Pharisees are concerned they might truly be missing something. So they demand a sign. Jesus, in the course of His ministry, has already performed many signs of the presence of God. But He has not declared Himself openly; some of these signs He's forbidden others to speak about - especially the spectacular healings like that of Jairus' daughter, or the healing of the deaf man with the speech impediment in the reading from a few days ago. We've read recently that He fed five thousand men in the wilderness, and then again - from a few loaves and fishes - four thousand in yesterday's reading. Still, they want a sign. He has to prove it to them - meet their conditions for acceptance. But that's not the kind of faith that Jesus wants at all. Nor, apparently, is it condoned by the Father. Jesus' words are unequivocal - "Assuredly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation."

My study bible says, "A sign from heaven is an indisputable, spectacular act, the kind Jesus rejected in His temptations. Jesus has given countless signs by this time: causing the blind to see, the lame to walk, the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, and the dead to rise. But these are not good enough for the Pharisees. Jesus sighed deeply, for they seek a sign out of hardness of heart, daring Jesus to force them to faith." That's about the gist of it: they dare Him to force them to faith. But this is not the way the God of love works - God does not compel anyone to love Him. And what He wants is a relationship of love.

And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side. Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. Then He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have no bread." This is one of my favorite passages in all of the Bible. It makes me laugh. It teaches us so much about ourselves, about where the apostles and disciples are, and about love and faith. The Pharisees demand a sign, but in the meantime, Jesus' chosen disciples still don't get it either! They don't understand what He is talking about. They think He's upset with them because they didn't bring bread -- despite the fact that alone in the wilderness with thousands without food (even enough for the apostles), He's fed them all on two occasions! This is a parable, and they fail to grasp a thing He's teaching them.

My study bible says, "Leaven is frequently (but not always) a negative image in Scripture, symbolizing evil. Here it represents the erroneous understanding and evil intent of the Pharisees and Herod Antipas. Though they completely misunderstand the revelation of God in Christ, the Pharisees influence the people. Their teaching is like leaven; it permeates the whole. Their blatant legalism and hypocritical actions damage those who listen to them." I would add that their demands for proof become a way of holding themselves aloof from God and from spiritual sight and hearing, making themselves irresponsible for their own perceptions. This is far away from Jesus' desire for His own, who must come to Him through love and recognition, an inner pull of the heart, and even a revelation inside them from the Father. To have such a disciple is to elevate human beings from the slavish stature the Pharisees are demanding through their understanding (and use) of coercive power, to an independent, uniquely intelligent creature of free will and freedom, who can come to God through spiritual perception of his or her own - and growth by God's grace. It is an entirely different relationship, and a different standing of the creature, of men, in relationship to Creator.

But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?" They said to Him, "Twelve." "Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?" And they said, "Seven." So He said to them, "How is it you do not understand?" My study bible has a note here which reads, "Jesus is concerned about His disciples. Men who do not yet understand the Lord's provision for them in the feeding of the five thousand and the four thousand are men whose hearts are still hardened. Discipleship without an understanding of Christ is unthinkable." Just as He doesn't want anything to do with the Pharisees' and Herod's demands for proof, so He also doesn't want disciples who follow Him blindly, without real understanding. He is looking for those who will perceive with the heart, the seat (traditionally understood) of spiritual understanding, of spiritual sight and hearing. "Hardness of heart" means one cannot comprehend the things that are of a true spiritual nature, and hence, of love and all the qualities that go with it.

Then He came to Bethsaida: and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. In this following story, we are given a complete metaphor of Jesus' preaching and healing career. The blind man wishes to see -- he is brought by his friends. He wishes for Jesus' touch; that is communion, relationship of love and compassion. Bethsaida is one of the towns where there was no repentance, despite His great works done there, and Jesus' rebuke is given to us in Matthew's and Luke's Gospels. Perhaps this is why the man is led out of town; at any rate, it teaches us once again that He will not compel anyone to faith through "proofs" demanded by hypocrites.

And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking." Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. Through Jesus' touch, even His spittle, sight is gradually restored, in stages. This is the perfect metaphor for the disciples of Christ - and for all disciples throughout the centuries - who come to know Christ gradually, as faith develops and blossoms, and we see the more clearly where we are in relationship to Him.

Then He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town." In Bethsaida, He will let no one know of this "proof" of His messianic status. Those who demand proofs do not have the faith He desires; instead He wants those who truly will see. In a commentary on this passage, C. I. Scofield writes, "The probation of Bethsaida as a community was ended, but He would still show mercy to individuals. 'Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me' (Rev. 3:20)." To make the blind see is a clear attribute of the Messiah, as prophesied. My study bible says, "Jesus leads the man out of the town, to a private place once again, for another special healing [as was the case with Jairus' daughter, for example]. This man is healed in stages, just as our ability to know God grows gradually. Again, He wishes His messianic secret not to be revealed."

So it is still a question of faith, here in Mark's Gospel. There are those who demand proofs and signs in a hypocritical fashion -- they wish to be compelled to faith just as they do not wish to invest any of their worldly power in a new status that would shake up the order in which they take power already. There are those towns in which great signs have already been performed, yet there isn't real repentance, or change of mind. And then there are the disciples, the band of men who follow Him, through whom great things have already happened -- such as the first apostolic missions with their successful healings and exorcisms, and the feeding of two groups of people in the wilderness - one of five thousand and the other of four thousand. Peter, James and John have witnessed the raising of Jairus' daughter. But they still don't understand Jesus when He speaks to them of "the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod." They still think He was upset because they didn't bring bread! The blind man teaches us, just as he must have been a catalyst for understanding all those centuries ago. Our faith comes in stages; we are blind, but gradually, through grace, we can come to see. It is the perfect picture of each of us as individuals, and how we come to Christ. It doesn't matter that the great public of his town has rejected this ministry, we can all come to Christ as individuals that we are, and ask for His healing and blessing, and to be led, to be able to see. Scofield quite profoundly and rightly quotes one of my favorite passages in all of Scripture, that so rightly teaches us our relationship: "Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me" (Rev. 3:20). It doesn't matter where we are, nor who we are, we are all free to come as we are. And that is the great crux of faith - it rests neither on group nor membership nor any other qualification but that we come through love. And, we are reminded, that our friends can bring us there too, so that we stand in the place where healing can come. So then, let us think about friends and community. Who are our true friends, and where do we find community? It all starts with the heart and the relationship we find there - the same place in which we truly see and hear the One who is love itself, and find our faith.

How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?

In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar." Then His disciples answered Him, "How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?" He asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven." So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude. They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them. So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away, immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

- Mark 8:1-10

In yesterday's reading, we were told about the Syro-Phoenician woman, who begged Christ to heal her daughter of a demon. She was bold and repeatedly pestered Him, although a foreign woman, and even through His goading. Then we read of a man who had a speech impediment and was also deaf -- Jesus commanded "Ephphatha" - "Be opened," and he was "released" from his impediment, the "bondage" that held him mute and deaf. See Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs.

In today's reading, we have yet another feeding miracle. We recall earlier in Mark's Gospel, a reading from last week - You give them something to eat - like sheep without a shepherd, in which Jesus fed five thousand men. (By custom, we are told the number of the men present, but it is also assumed there were women and children in addition.) This second feeding miracle is also reported in Matthew's Gospel.

In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar." In this story, Jesus is in the Decapolis, southeast of the Sea of Galilee, a territory where there are also Gentiles among the population, so many assume that this crowd (as opposed to the previous feeding miracle) includes many Gentiles as well as Jews. They have followed Him, in this case, for three days. I think it's important to note that in each case of this feeding miracle, the crowds have followed Him with great devotion, so much so that this is why they are without food. They have not thought to take provisions for such a long time, and their zeal for what He offers has exceeded their preparation for this journey of faith. Jesus tells us, "I have compassion on the multitude." He feels moved by their plight; this is His empathy for this crowd of people. Not only have they followed Him for three days, but many have also traveled from far away to be with Him in the first place. He feels He cannot send them away in such a condition that may endanger their health.

Then His disciples answered Him, "How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?" My study bible says, "To feed the hungry in the wilderness is a messianic sign, fulfilling the prophecy, 'Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? . . . Can He give bread also?' (Ps. 78:19,20)." If we refer back to the previous reading and commentary on the feeding of the five thousand, and especially the events of the next day (see Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid), we sense the importance and even the perplexity of the fact that it is the disciples who are the skeptics. They just don't seem to get it! In fact, in some ways, they seem to be the last to understand about Jesus.

He asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven." So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude. They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them. So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. As with the previous feeding of the five thousand men, Jesus asks what there is on hand. And once again, the disciples haven't even enough food for themselves. But whatever is on hand is treated in this way: it is set aside, thanks are given to God and a blessing is given over the food, and it is broken and given to the disciples who then distribute to the multitude - another picture of the Eucharist.

And He sent them away, immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha. Jesus does not stay nor linger to get thanks or to dwell on this great miracle of the feeding. He has done what He has hoped to do - to care for these people until they can reach home. Immediately He goes off to a new region, having sent away the multitudes.

We will see in a future reading that Jesus' disciples are still slow to understand anything about these feeding miracles. What may seem obvious to us in hindsight is not so obvious in the real time of the events we read about. The disciples still have no idea about His messianic secret, or His divinity. We haven't yet heard a confession of faith. History (and even apocryphal reading) reveals there were many who practiced forms of "magic" of all kinds, and sorcery and even competitions for who could perform the greatest feats. But Jesus is no magician; He is something quite different. People come to Him for help, and for teaching and preaching. But Mark shows us a slow unfolding of faith in those whom Jesus has picked as His disciples. Their "hardness of heart" teaches us how it is that we perceive - or fail to perceive - what is right before us. This may seem extraordinary to us in the story of Jesus, but if you think about it, it is really not such a great leap of difference from what we see and experience now to this story. To get to know a person, to truly see may take a long time, although the signs were all around us in the first place. With spiritual reality, it is even more important that we cultivate spiritual sight and hearing in order to understand, to know what is or may be going on round about us, in all of our lives. We may be very slow to heed the signs of God's grace, calling for our attention, or to understand the ways in which events may be pulling us in a certain direction. How do we know where God wills us to go, or what God wants us to do? I have found that events in my life pushed me in a certain direction far, far earlier than I understood the direction consciously. I can look back upon experiences in prayer and understand where I was pointed, but only from the vantage point of many decades later. God's grace is at work all around us and in our lives, but we may be always too deaf and blind to know it or understand it. This story, after all, is really not so strange. Pray for the vision of the Spirit in your life, to know God's grace that is all around, and for a heart that can receive it, and perceive God's blessing. Whatever we have, as in this story, is filled with the potential to be used for God's work, by God's grace, in the very nature of God's creation. We have but to be willing to have the faith to go forward with it, as even these apostles would prove they were! In a commentary by Chrysostom, he points out that we only have the Gospels to understand the slowness of the disciples -- and it is those very disciples themselves who gave us these stories! So, we too, though unknowing may go forward, and one day look back and understand what is happening now in our own lives, through grace.