And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?

 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 had 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

Yesterday we read that 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."

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 had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.   Here is the story of Jesus' Transfiguration.  We first note that this occurs after six days from the revelation to the disciples that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah (see yesterday's reading, above).  That is this is seven days from that time, a number symbolically indicating fullness or completeness.  The Transfiguration is the revelation of Jesus' divine nature as Son.  Several elements combine to reveal the truth of His identity to the disciples, so soon after He has also revealed to them that He will suffer and be killed, and on the third day rise again.  That His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them is indicative of a holy light, impossibly white, often depicted with a blue tinge in icons to express its ineffable quality of "beyond white," indicating a fullness of the spectrum of light beyond a normal worldly experience of light.  Elijah and Moses both speak with Christ, indicating in themselves the Prophets and the Law.  In Luke 9:31, we're told that they discuss Jesus' "decease," in the New King James Translation; but the Greek word for this is literally exodus, meaning Jesus' departure from this world, His death.  Peter's seemingly disjointed statement that they should build three tabernacles for them reflects his understanding of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) as that of the coming Kingdom; in his mind he has grasped that the Kingdom is present with them.  This is also reflected in the fact that the disciples are greatly afraid, a natural response of tremendous awe at a revelation so outside the boundaries of normal experience.  The cloud which came and overshadowed them further cements the connection with the Feast of Tabernacles, as it resembles the cloud which overshadowed the tabernacle of the Israelites in the wilderness, a sign of God's presence with them (Numbers 9:15-23).  The cloud, and the voice of the Father, together with the revelation that Jesus is the beloved Son, is a revelation of the presence of the Holy Trinity. 

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."   According to the prophecy of Malachi (Malachi 4:5-6), Elijah was to return first before the Messiah would appear.  But Christ explains the prophecy, in a reference to John the Baptist (see also Luke 1:17, Matthew 17:11-12).  Jesus' emphasis is on the suffering of both John the Baptist and Himself.  The revelation of the Transfiguration is a way of emphasizing to the disciples (and to us) that Christ goes willingly and voluntarily into His suffering and death.  We note that the disciples still do not understand what rising from the dead meant.   Over the course of the past several readings, Jesus has repeatedly solicited public silence regarding His identity both from the disciples and from those whom He's healed, as He does also in today's reading. 

Another aspect of Peter's suggestion that they build three tabernacles (or tents) at the Transfiguration is that the booths or tabernacles built at the Feast of Tabernacles symbolized God's dwelling among the just in the Kingdom.  Moreover, Moses represents those who have died, while Elijah never experienced death.   Each of these elements together teaches us about the living Kingdom, dwelling in the communion of saints, those who live and those who have died -- and all who bear witness to Christ as Messiah and fulfillment of the entire Old Testament.  That living Kingdom which dwells among us and within us is a truly universal reality, one which is timeless and without limitation and surpassing all boundaries, for even death itself cannot be a barrier to its living presence shared among all who bear witness.  This universal communion is present, and it is the light of Christ in which it dwells.  The Transfiguration is an experience of the source of life itself, so that these men -- and we ourselves -- will know Christ as the source of life, although He goes toward His suffering and death on the Cross.  It is at this stage that Jesus begins to warn them to prepare for this end to His worldly life, and teaches them to see the suffering He will endure as also that which the world has given to the prophets and John the Baptist before Him:  "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 Transfiguration is a reminder of the truth of spiritual reality present to us, even as the worldly treat such truth with contempt and the violence that comes from that contempt.   The Transfiguration invites us, perhaps as no other event quite does in the same way, to think about the reality of this dynamic spiritual energy contained in the vibrance of an impossibly brilliant light, which is always with us and contained in all things, yet mysteriously hidden from our sight.  Our capacity to perceive this reality may be commensurate with our spiritual growth and understanding, in the sense that our angels are always with us, hoping to spur our growth so that we too, may see light in His light (Psalm 36:9; John 1:4).  It is when we are unaware that such a powerful truth and reality is always present with us, when our choices in our lives fail to at least heed an awareness of this possibility, that we enter into the contempt for the holy things expressed by the "worldly" -- that which is purely materially oriented.  The Messiah will not be a worldly king who will reign forever and provide for all material needs of his people.  Instead, He is the divine Son incarnate as human being, calling all of us, as did the prophets sent before Him, to Himself as Second Person of the Trinity, to the will of Our Father, to the work of the Holy Spirit in the world -- to all beings who enter into that work, the angels together with human beings.  In His light, the suffering of all who witness to this reality becomes transfigured as well, and we enter into the love of God with Him.  Let us understand the contempt of those who don't see, and the love of those formerly blind, who respond to His love and light and willingly endure that contempt.

Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men

 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

Yesterday we read that the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Jesus, 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 loves 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."

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.   My study bible comments that Jesus' question, Who do you say that I am?  is the greatest question that a person can ever face.  It is the question that defines Christianity.  The answer defines our faith.  Peter's correct answer to this question prevents the Christian faith from being seen as just another system of philosophy or spiritual path.  As the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16), Jesus the Incarnate Son is the center of human spiritual history and the fullness of humanity for all of us.  Peter's understanding, my study bible adds, can't be achieved through human reason, but only via revelation through faith (1 Corinthians 12:3).  Christ means "Anointed One," and is equivalent to the Hebrew title of "Messiah."  A further note draws our attention to the fact that Jesus first solicits the erroneous opinions about Himself, so that He identifies incorrect ideas.  In this way we are better prepared to avoid false teachings, as they are clearly identified.   Once again, as has been the case throughout recent readings in Mark's Gospel, we note Jesus urging toward secrecy at this point in His ministry.

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."   After the revelation that He is the Christ, or Messiah, Jesus reveals what kind of Messiah He is -- that He will suffer many things, be rejected, be killed, and after three days rise again.  This message is "to the Jews, a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness" (1 Corinthians 1:23).  Peter responds to this unthinkable outcome with a rebuke to Christ.  But Christ responds with a stronger rebuke, Get behind Me, Satan!  Popular expectations of the Jews were that the Messiah would reign forever.  Peter, scandalized, unwittingly speaks for Satan, as the devil did not want Christ to fulfill His mission of saving mankind through suffering and death.

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."   Here Jesus begins to speak of the cross as something we must all take up in our lives, cementing the idea that His mission as Messiah isn't one of self-exaltation or as mere figure-head like a king, but one that delves deep into the experience of each one of us who will follow Him.  He goes first where He asks us to go.  Each one of our crosses may be different, but nevertheless it is a symbol of exchange, of one way of life for another, and the difficulties of repentance and change in the struggle for faith.  My study bible calls the cross a dreaded instrument of Roman punishment that becomes a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  It says, "We practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  Accepting this suffering is not a punishment, nor is it an end in itself, but a means to overcome the fallen world for the sake of the Kingdom and to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24).  Through the life of the cross, God offers us a better way -- even when, like Peter above, we can't see how that could possibly be so.  The question, as Jesus puts it, remains the value we place on our own soul.  The final verse here, the beginning of Mark's chapter 9, is considered to be a statement by Jesus referring to the events of the Transfiguration, which come in tomorrow's lectionary reading.

In today's reading, we are given a "peak" experience, and then a devastating letdown in the revelation of the the way of the cross.   That is, speaking from the point of view expressed by Peter, this is certainly the case.  Jesus is revealed to be the Christ, the Messiah, the "Anointed One," long awaited by the Jews and hoped for in a time of longstanding turmoil.  The Christ was expected to reign as king forever, liberating Israel from all her foes and captors, from the succession of struggles, warfare, and occupation that had come before.   But this is simply not to be.  This Messiah is a spiritual liberator, and One who invites us into His own struggle, His way of the cross.  His purpose is not merely to save a nation, but to be Savior to all the souls who long for Him:  past, present, and future.  The way of His cross is a way of absolute transformation and transfiguration (as we'll read about in tomorrow's lectionary reading).  It will take Christ to the depths of human suffering and humiliation, to death itself, even bringing His message of Resurrection to the souls of the dead in the tradition of the Church, and to Resurrection, life itself.  Rather than being the king of Israel, we know Him as Lord of the universe, the Son, Second Person of the Trinity, and the One who has defeated the evil one of this world.  But there is even more to this story, and that is that Christ invites us into this struggle, this way of the cross, with Him.  He is not merely our Liberator, but also calls us friends.  In John 15:15, Jesus says, "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you."  It is just this kind of revelation and sharing that teaches us that Jesus calls us into participation in this way of the cross, with Him.  We enter, not merely as pupils (disciples) or servants of our Lord, but as His friends, the ones who will do as He says, and take up our own crosses in life.  In fact, He assures us that this is the one way to follow Him.  To take up the cross is to enter a life in which we exchange one way of being in the world for another; it is to exchange the things we know and think for His way, a better way, so that our very souls may be expanded, refined, made to shine in His light.  This is a long journey, and one that is life-long.  We are not "saved" with a one-time declaration, but rather put on a path, a way of life, the way of the cross.  Jesus will Himself lose His life for the sake of the gospel, and He invites us into that struggle.  How we "lose our lives" will be different for each one of us, but like Peter, it may mean a great disappointment with the things of this world, even the things we cherish, but we find ourselves in Him and in His blessed way of life.  To sacrifice what stands in the way of that life is to accept that His love has a better way for us, and that, in fact, in the end we lose nothing that truly belongs to us -- and nothing that He does not replace a hundredfold.

Take heed, 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 loves 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 that at this time in Jesus' ministry, 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.

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."   My study bible explains that a sign from heaven means a spectacular display of power.  The Pharisees want Him to "prove" that He is the Christ (the Messiah) by such a sign.  The time of the Messiah was expected to be accompanied by miraculous signs, but these men fail to recognize the signs which are in fact happening through Christ's ministry and its expression of God's love.   Jesus will not give proofs upon demand; His ministry must unfold according to the will of the Father. 

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 loves 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 says that the leaven of the Pharisees is their doctrine and their hypocrisy (Matthew 16:12, Luke 12:1).  My study bible adds that in various places in Scripture, leaven is used both positively (as in Jesus' parable given at Matthew 13:33), and also negatively, as Jesus uses it here.  In both cases, leaven represents a force which is both powerful and subtle -- so that it permeates and affects everything around it (see 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 in which St. Paul uses the term both ways).   Jesus also expresses clearly that the two feedings in the wilderness are separate events.  It is essential for us to be aware that the disciples also misunderstand Christ and seemingly fail to "take in" the facts of His ministry.

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."  My study bible comments that the people of Bethsaida were unbelieving (Matthew 11:21), and therefore Jesus leads the blind man out of the town in order to heal him.  It is yet another occasion in which He avoids the scoffing of the crowd (see also the healing of Jairus' daughter, in this reading).  But my study bible adds another important reason for this, and that is because those who would scoff would bring upon themselves greater condemnation.  Note clearly that the Gospel presents this blind man's healing as progressing in stages.  My study bible says that this shows he had only a small amount of faith, as happens according to one's faith (6:5-6).  Nevertheless, this little faith was enough, and it increased with Christ's touch and presence.  His command not to return to the town can be seen symbolically as the idea that we mustn't return to our sins -- this environment in which there is scorn for the things of faith -- after we've been forgiven.

There are elements which tie all of today's Scripture together in each event recorded.  There is the element of hard-heartedness, which Jesus mentions in the context of the disciples' lack of comprehension that by speaking about leaven, He wasn't referring to bread.  He asks them how they could make that particular mistake in the light of the two separate occasions upon which the miracle of the multiplication of loaves of bread occurred.  In this case, He asks them if their hearts are hardened as symbolizing the inability of the inner self to grasp the things of God, to "take them in."  Hard-heartedness also applies to the Pharisees who demand a sign, at the beginning of our reading today.  But such hard-heartedness as they present is a deeper problem than that of the disciples, as it is not only more ingrained but present in these men who are experts in Scripture and the work of the Holy Spirit throughout the spiritual history of the Jewish people.  The disciples do not have the kind of education and knowledge that the Pharisees do.  The Pharisees' hard-heartedness is complicated by envy (15:10), a jealousy for their places of authority over religious life in Israel.  Jesus also mentions Herod, another who is fearful of losing his place of power and authority to the holy.   Hard-heartedness is linked to spiritual blindness or deafness (4:10-12), and also the hypocrisy against which Jesus teaches here (7:6).  Then we come to the healing of the blind man.  He must be taken out of the town, away from those whose faith is non-existent.  These townspeople, in effect, function in the same way that the demand for proof by the Pharisees functions, to cast doubt on the action and presence of the Spirit at work in Christ's ministry, to deny the presence of the holy.  Moreover, this blind man's healing is gradual, teaching us that no matter where we are, there is capacity and potential for growth in our faith and our spiritual understanding:  the perfect example for the disciples' own lack of understanding of Christ's words about the Pharisees and Herod.  In the Pharisees and Herod, Christ gives us a picture of the potential to cast scorn and doubt upon anything, to deny the presence of God at work where holiness is manifest.  In effect, this kind of "leaven" creates an impermeable hard-heartedness, a barrier to spiritual perception.  But the disciples are in a different place; their lack of comprehension will change with growth in faith, a receptiveness to the things of God which Christ brings into the world, and a response through repentance (metanoia in the Greek, meaning "change of mind") that will enable them to grow and cast off the thinking that makes them blind.  In the blind man, we see the stages of growth in faith, the work of ongoing repentance and enlightenment, the change that is possible in us through time.  Let us understand that each one of us possesses this potential, but the further along we go down a road of denial, the more there is to overcome, to reverse and change in our minds and hearts.  It is in this context that my study bible comments, above, that by taking the blind man out of town for healing, Jesus prevents the townspeople from incurring a deeper condemnation.  We begin with Christ Himself at the center of all of this, and His clear frustration even with His closest disciples.  It cannot have been easy for Him, and yet His patience and love for us is infinite.  He walks with us, inviting us always to the journey on which He will take us, if we but let ourselves hear and see what He's showing us, and where He would have us go.   He illuminates the sight of the blind man, and His light illuminates the way, if we accept in trust to take it.  It's easy and simple to cast doubt and aspersion on anything.  What is more difficult is accepting, cherishing, and growing the precious treasure that is offered to us.  That takes faith, and our struggle for our faith is real and true.

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

Yesterdays we read that after a dispute with some scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem, Jesus left Galilee and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden.  For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet.  The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.  But Jesus said to her, "Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."  And she answered and said to Him, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs."  Then He said to her, "For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter."  And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.  Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee.  Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him.  And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue.  Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."  Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.  Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it.  And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well.  He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

 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.  We might confuse this feeding in the wilderness with the one that we read about last week, in Thursday's reading.  But the Gospels clearly set these two events as separate occasions, and there are particular differences.  First of all, Jesus has recently had an open clash with the authorities from Jerusalem (Saturday's reading), after which He went to Tyre and Sidon where a Gentile woman's daughter was healed from a demon, and then He went into the Decapolis, a mixed region of both Gentiles and Jews (see yesterday's reading, above).  So our context at this juncture in Mark's Gospel is a little different from that previous setting.  Moreover, there are other particular differences.  In the previous event, there were five loaves on hand.  This time there are seven.  The number of baskets of leftover fragments in the previous occasion were twelve; now there are seven large baskets.   Previously, Jesus fed five thousand in the wilderness; but this time, the number is four thousand.   Each of these differences is quite important, because each has symbolic meaning that linked to the evolution of Jesus' ministry, and where it is ultimately headed.   In the earlier episode, the five loaves symbolized the Law (the first five books of the Bible), but here there are seven, a number which symbolizes completeness, indicating spiritual perfection.  In the earlier incident, Jesus reveals Himself as fulfilling the Law, but here we may begin to discern that it is He who grants spiritual perfection.  The seven large baskets give us another figure of completion or fullness, the readying of the Gospel to go out to all the world.  The four thousand is also a number that symbolizes all the world who will be included in the Gospel message:  four directions, four corners of the Cross, Christ as Incarnate and also the Holy Trinity:  man and God.   Another important number here is that these crowds have specifically been with Him for three days, the number of days He will spend in the tomb, linked to the Resurrection that will "feed" all people in the world, Jew and Gentile.

It is so tempting for us to assume that somehow the Gospel writers got confused, that there must have been only one spectacular feeding miracle in Christ's ministry, and to invent all kinds of rational reasons why this could not have happened twice.  But the writers of the Gospel -- including the Holy Spirit, of course -- are far more brilliant than it seems we assume.  Moreover, Scripture is not historical writing nor is it a science textbook.  It is, in fact, something far more than that, and works on seemingly infinite levels to "feed" us what we need.  We could read these same passages every day of our lives, and they would convey to us some possible insight that we need that particular day and moment.  A science or history textbook cannot do that.  With Scripture and the work of the holy in the world, there are dimensions of meaning that we can't yet grasp, but which will always be waiting for us.  The significant details of each feeding miracle in the wilderness are marked out; each has meaning.  And this gives us something important to face in our own lives.  We are not meant to be stagnant creatures.  Our lives are marked out by time, by separate incidents, and hopefully by growth.  Christ's ministry grows and evolves.  It meets obstacles; He clashes with the leadership from Jerusalem.  But each new juncture brings a kind of growth, a new branch or offshoot, a new direction, each a new creative response through the Holy Trinity:  Father, Son, and Spirit at work in the world.  Christ's ministry is evolving and, through the apostles, will eventually go out to both Jew and Gentile, the whole world -- even though He is sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24).  Christ's evolving ministry and response to experience gives us a message about our own lives.  It would be wonderful to retain the company we've known all our lives, our friends and what is familiar.  But life does not work like that, and in particular, spiritual life does not necessarily work like that.  We are time-bound creatures and we are meant to grow.  In fact, we are always going in one direction or another -- we never stand still.  We are headed toward a deeper communion with our God, or not.  We face obstacles within ourselves we either meet with Christ, or we don't and we become more deeply enmeshed in struggles we need to face differently.  This is the struggle of the internal spiritual life, and the growth and change within Christ's ministry at every new step is a mirror of our own internal lives as a mirror of our faith.  We meet all the changes we need to make with prayer, and with faith.  It is there we find the direction that we need, the grace to accept the things we can't change and the courage to change the things we can -- to echo the words of a popular prayer widely used in a movement to help with personal struggle (The Serenity Prayer, by theologian and pastor Reinhold Niebuhr; adopted by Alchoholics Anonymous).   It really doesn't matter where we come from, faith as set out in Christ's ministry, is a journey.  It is a path, a way, as He tells us ("I am the way, the truth, and the life" - John 14:6).  That word used in the Gospel, translated as "way," means "road" in Greek.  Let us remember that we are not infinite beings outside of time, who live in an eternal fixed point.  We are created as finite beings, with a purpose for growth and evolution, experiencing time so that we may choose to meet life and experience with Christ, His way.   This path or road is not mean to be simple and effortless.  Faith is a struggle, but one which we are specifically created equipped to make, so that faith itself will test and expand who we are, take us into new foreign territory, and ask us to make hard decisions to do so.  His is the food we need, and His supply is endless.  Let us remember to turn to Him in all our choices. no matter what they are.  His is the constant bread for all of our own times in the wilderness -- no matter how frequently we may find ourselves there.

For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter

 From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden.  For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet.  The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.  But Jesus said to her, "Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."  And she answered and said to Him, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs."  Then He said to her, "For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter."  And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.

Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee.  Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him.  And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue.  Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."  Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.  Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it.  And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well.  He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

- Mark 7:24-37

On Saturday we read that the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Jesus, having come from Jerusalem.  Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.  For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.  When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.  And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.  Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"  He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:  'This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'  For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men -- the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."  He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.  For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban" -- ' (that is, a gift to God), "then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.  And many such things you do."   When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand:  There is nothing that enters a man from the outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"  When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.  So he said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also?  Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?"  And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden.  For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet.  The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.  But Jesus said to her, "Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."  And she answered and said to Him, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs."  Then He said to her, "For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter."  And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.  Jesus has gone to the north of Galilee, to a Gentile region.  It seems that He wishes to withdraw from public attention after His encounter with the Pharisees and scribes who came from Jerusalem and criticized His disciples (see Saturday's reading, above).  On that occasion, Jesus responded to them, as He frequently will in His clashes with the religious rulers, with a good offense, challenging the emphasis on the traditions of the elders that were held by the scribes and Pharisees, which could obscure the true intent of the Law given by God.  But this hostile scrutiny on His ministry is something that for now He apparently wishes to avoid, and so He goes to Gentile territory, far away from Jerusalem, and wants no one to know He is in a house there.  But it is simply impossible to hide Him.  Mark tells us, He could not be hidden.  This gives us the flavor of what His ministry is like at this time.  Not only does He not want to be known, but His ministry before His Passion is first to the Jews (Matthew 15:24).  Hence, His ministry is first to the "children who must be fed" -- and at this point, we should add, He seems to be rather exhausted and so has withdrawn for a time.  The dogs He refers to mean little dogs in the language of the text, house dogs or puppies, which would be under the table.  But this woman's faith and persistence is drawn out only further by His putting her off.  It is her persistence that shows real faith, and for her very response, struggling with Christ, in some sense, as Jacob struggled with the angel (Genesis 32:22-32), she is positively rewarded by Him.  She also shows a remarkable humility by her response, but she is not put off.  She still desires a share in God's grace, and replies not by responding in anger, but with a further plea that shows her intelligence, wit, and trust in Christ --- also revealing her love for her daughter.

Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee.  Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him.  And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue.  Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."  Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.  Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it.  And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well.  He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."   Leaving the northern region of Tyre and Sidon, Jesus remains by going through what is essentially Gentile territory.  In the Decapolis, however, there are mixed populations, with Jews living among the Greek-speakers of this Greek and Roman region of ten cities.  My study bible comments on the fact that, looking up to heaven, Jesus sighed.  It notes that this is a sigh of divine compassion for the sufferings of our fallen human nature.  Once again, Jesus makes some attempts for His ministry to remain without great publicity:  although He "opens" the ears of this man, and loosens his tongue so that he is able to speak plainly, he commands that they should tell no one about this miraculous healing.  But nothing about Him can be hidden, everything He does is astonishing beyond measure -- and the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 

There is a very interesting, and subtle, correlation here among these two stories about the spoken word, about language and communication.  Of course, we know that Jesus Himself is the Word (John 1:1).  He is the personification of the divine capacity for creation, the Word by which things were spoken into existence, "by whom all things were made" (Creed; John 1:3, Colossians 1:16).  As the Word, Jesus responds also to our communications with Him, as evidenced in the story of the Syro-Phoenician woman, who wants a healing for her daughter.  She lives to the north of Galilee, and she's a Greek speaker.  I think it's reasonable to make the connection in today's reading also that Greek is the language of our text, the original language in which Christianity came to the world outside of Israel.  In Jesus' time, this was the international language, the language both of commerce and literature of all kinds.  It was the language of the academy, of education -- of science, literature, history, philosophy.  So it's not an accident that He's here in this territory with this "Greek" woman.  But language plays a great role here.  Jesus, who is the Word, retorts sharply to this woman:  "Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."    What are we to make of this?  Jesus is referring to the children of the house of Israel, to whom He has come first in His ministry; they must be filled first.  To call her a dog, or "little dog" is hardly a nice thing, particularly in the context and association of the time (but to be fair, He's referring to the puppies which are part of the home).  But the real notice here is the character of this woman.  She takes what it is He gives her, doesn't argue with Him or repudiate what He says, but rather turns it into her reasonable plea:  "Even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs."  It might seem strange to our modern sensibilities, but this is the stuff of the faith He's looking for.  She's persistent, she's intelligent, she's humble enough to be entirely flexible and unflappable in her response to Him, and without being offended or giving offense; she remains respectful of who He is and does not challenge His authority, but also appeals to His humanity and compassion.  That is quite a remarkable woman, and she remains a model for all of us and our own communication in life.  Then there is the story of the man who is both deaf and unable to speak.  Jesus opens his ears and loosens his tongue, but He doesn't want these people to tell others what He has done.  He has had enough publicity; but the world is too astonished by the things He does for them to do anything but further proclaim His works.  In the communication of both the Syro-Phoenician woman and the newly-acquired capacity for speech and hearing that is given by Christ to this young man, we find a depth of emphasis on language and its use that runs like a thread beneath the text.   How are the good things of God communicated to the world?  How does our language reflect who we are, and what we are?  Can we be like this Syro-Phoenician woman, and think on our feet, conveying both a plea and respect at the same time when we're first put off?  Do we use our intelligence to skillfully communicate?  Through the the healing of the deaf and mute man, Jesus gives us a sense of the God-given gift (looking up to heaven, He sighed) of reciprocal communication, of language and speech.  In the verbal exchange of language we find not only our humanity, but the higher capacity we have as human beings to express our faith, to convey the good, the true, and the beautiful.  We may use our God-given intelligence, our compassion, our love.  We may be God-like, putting the good things within us into action in the world through speaking them, expressing them.  We also participate in the life of God through communication, receiving and speaking in the language of prayer -- which can even include the potential fullness of silence in such a context.  For today, let us be truly grateful for the skills of communication given to us by God, and consider how we may use them.   Such a gift confers "God-likeness" (Genesis 1:26), but so much depends upon how we choose to use it -- and make the best (or worst) of it.

What comes out of a man, that defiles a man

 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.  Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.  For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.  When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.  And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.  Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"  He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

'This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'  

"For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men -- the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."  He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.  For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban" -- ' (that is, a gift to God), "then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.  And many such things you do." 

When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand:  There is nothing that enters a man from the outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"  When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.  So he said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also?  Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?"  And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

- Mark 7:1-23

Yesterday, we read that when evening came, after the feeding of five thousand in the wilderness, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land.  Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them.  Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.  And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled.  But immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."  Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased.  And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.  For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.  When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.  And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was.  Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched Him were made well.

 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.  Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.  For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.  When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.  And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.  Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"  He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:  'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'  For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men -- the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."  He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.  For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban" -- ' (that is, a gift to God), "then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.  And many such things you do."   My study bible suggests that the issue here is not the observation of Jewish customs or traditions, which Jesus most certainly doesn't prohibit (Matthew 5:17-19, 23:23).  The real issue here is setting human tradition which is contrary in practice to the tradition of God.  The tradition of the elders is a body of interpretations of the Law.  For the Pharisees and the scribes this tradition of the elders was as authoritative as the Law, and often superseded it.  It was their tradition.  In accordance with it, offerings (called Corban) could be promised to God in such a way so that property or earnings could still be used for oneself during one's lifetime -- and were excluded for anyone else's use, including parents, as in Christ's example.  My study bible comments that secondary traditions like these obscured the primary tradition of the Law, contained in God's commandments.  Jesus quotes from Isaiah 29:13. 

When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand:  There is nothing that enters a man from the outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"  When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.  So he said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also?  Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?"  And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man."   My study bible comments here that food does not defile a person, because it is created by God, and is therefore pure.  Evil things are not from God, and these are what defile a person.

One important thing to note in today's reading is how Jesus defends His own disciples when they are criticized by others, and corrects them in private.  He really goes on the offensive, so to speak, when the Pharisees and scribes criticize the disciples because they haven't performed a ceremonial washing.  But Jesus will always remind us of the primary aims of the Law, and the true love of God.  He does not tear down the Law given to Moses by God, but rather asserts what He says of Himself in Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 5:17-19), that He has come to fulfill the Law.  He comes, as the prophets who were sent before Him, to draw people back to God, to remind us of the love of God, and what that love of God means in terms of our behavior toward one another.  The real heart of our understanding of how we are to regulate our behavior in this world in accordance with the will of God is understanding what evil is and what it does.  Foods to eat cannot in and of themselves be evil.  The good things of creation cannot be inherently evil.  But we can define evil in terms of a spiritual battle, a theme which is always, so far, either overtly or subtly behind everything we've read in Mark's Gospel.  There are "two kingdoms" seemingly at war here, although to really understand what evil is, we go to the Patristic tradition of the Church, and come to understand evil not as an equal force, but rather the absence of the good.  In other words, where we ignore God or choose to defy what we know of God's love and the teachings that stem from this love, there we find evil.  Jesus cites the things that are evil which may be found within human beings.  He says, "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness."  All these things that Christ names are the things we find where we ignore or defy what we know of God, where selfishness (in the sense of the absence of the love of God in our choices) comes first.  Moreover, a loving God asks us always to return to that love, and extends to us mercy and forgiveness.  So much, in Christ's teaching, comes down to the heart, the true inner self of a human being, because that is the place where we allow God to dwell within us, or we shut the love of God out.  Even in terms of a broader spiritual battle (such as the temptations offered to Christ by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13), Jesus' repeated response is simply to invoke the love of God as that which guides all choices.  When Jesus performs exorcisms in the Gospels, the demons are forces that defy God, yet they have no power against Christ and must obey His direct commands.  In other words, even in the direct expressions of the demonic, or of the evil one, the Gospels tell us a story about hearts and minds, about choices regarding the love of God.  This is what it all comes down to, as Jesus will teach when He's asked what are the greatest commands of the Law (see Matthew 22:36-40,Mark 12:28-34).  This is what we need always to remember for ourselves.  It is what it all boils down to.  It is why the practice of constant prayer is so important.  In order to find our way in life, we need the discipline that keeps us in the right place and on the right road.  It is why, if we are serious about our faith, we learn to "guard the heart" by coming to know ourselves better, by observing our own thoughts and impulses, coming to terms with our own internal weaknesses and temptations, and seeking a humility that asks of us dependence upon God, knowing how grace can be at work in us and helping us through all things.  This is where we start:  with the love we know of God, and in the love we may return and share, in which we can participate and commune (1 John 4:19).  Let us start with Christ who came to be one of us simply so that we may know this truth.  Let us consider His deep loyalty to His disciples, and how we share in that love.  Let us remember God.

It is I; do not be afraid

 Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land.  Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them.  Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.  And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled.  But immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."  Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased.  And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.  For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.  And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was.  Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched Him were made well.

- Mark 6:47-56

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

 Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land.  Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them.  Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.  And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled.  But immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."   This is the second time in Mark's Gospel that the disciples are allowed by Christ to be caught in a storm (see also this reading from a week ago).  At that first storm on the sea, Christ was with them, asleep in a boat.  But this time, they struggle in the boat in the middle of the sea; and He is alone on the land.  My study bible notes that in this way, Christ strengthens their faith that He will always be with them in the midst of the storms of life.  Of course, this is an example to us of a growing discipleship as Christians, that our faith will be challenged to expand.  It is I is literally "I Am" in the original Greek, which is the divine Name of God (see Exodus 3:14, John 8:58).  My study bible says that Christ reminds the fearful disciples of His absolute and divine authority over their lives.  It also gives us an understanding that whatever is happening, there is an awareness of God to our circumstances.

Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased.  And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.  For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.  My study bible comments here that knowing Christ is a matter of the heart, and not merely the intellect.  The heart is the center of who we are, uniting body, soul, and spirit.  If our hearts are illumined by faith in God, my study bible adds, we are open to receive His presence and grace.  In the ascetic writings of the Church, it notes, the heart is known as "the seat of knowledge."

When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.  And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was.  Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched Him were made well.  Once again, we witness holy power working through the things of creation.  My study bible says that Christ permits miracles through touch to show that His very body is life-giving.  See also the healing of the woman with the years-long flow of blood, in Monday's reading.

In today's reading, Jesus gives the command, "Do not be afraid."  Literally, this reads "Do not fear."  At the previous occasion of being caught in a storm on the sea, even when Jesus was with them, He asked them two questions:  "Why is it that you are so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  This time, He gives a command.   In the previous reading, He commanded the howling wind and the waves, but here His very presence seems to still the sea, and His command is for His disciples.  Let us note that it is about three o'clock in the morning (corresponding to the fourth watch of the night).  This tells us something about this ministry and their discipleship:  it is a round-the-clock effort.  At 3:00 A.M. the disciples are straining at rowing, crossing the Sea of Galilee.  It is also a time of night when we are susceptible to fears, and in the dark on the sea, in the middle of the storm, we can just imagine how frightening and startling this event might be.  It is a time of vulnerability for human beings the world over, a time when most of us sleep -- and these moreover, are in the middle of a the sea (a very large lake, really), in the middle of a storm.  It is also a time of vulnerability for dreams that disturb us, showing us our fears we may ignore throughout the day.  In such a context, this small fact about this incident, the time of its occurrence, suggests something deeper to us than meets the eye.  It teaches us about the deep things of our own hearts -- that which is necessary for the good, and also those things which trouble us, which we may also keep in our hearts.  Christ's presence as the Lord of the Old Testament, the I AM, is a comforting one.  It is reassuring.  This isn't simply the God who can command bread to come from heaven to feed the Israelites in the wilderness, nor the One who inflicts punishments on Pharoah because he won't allow God's people to go, but this is the personal God who has become a fellow human being so that He may be with us and we may know His very presence as one who is moved with compassion for us (as in yesterday's reading, above), who suffers with us.  Indeed, the Holy Spirit, sent into the world at Pentecost for all of us, is known as the Comforter, and the Counselor.  Along with the command not to fear, Christ's very presence is one that reassures us we are not alone, we are known better than we know ourselves, and those fears and disturbing reminders that may wake us at 3 A.M. are also things to face with prayer and the presence of Christ.  It is this thorough rendering of the heart to faith that He wants, for He is with us in all things, and His presence is closer to us than we  know.  At the Last Supper, Jesus will tell the disciples, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples" (John 15:7-8).  We are to abide in one another, to participate in one another.  Our faith is one of struggle and growth, and bearing fruit as Jesus says, but we don't do it alone.   He asks to be present with us at all times and through all things, and such is the message contained in today's reading.  Let us note that Jesus adds here in this quotation from the Last Supper, ". . . and My words abide in you."   His word is inseparable from His presence, for He is the very Word of God (John 1:1).   St. Paul writes, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).  If we ask how deep Christ is in us, we cannot truly answer that question, for the word of God which is living and powerful may pierce far more deeply than even we are aware of within ourselves.   And there we meet Christ at 3 o'clock in the morning, in our place of deepest fears and vulnerability, where surprising things may come out of us that we didn't know were there, and we must call on Him to meet them with us.  It doesn't matter what the struggle is, for as a disciple, we are to learn that all of life is a struggle for faith, to meet all the moments of our lives and all our experiences with Him present and helping us, and growing in that dependency.  He commands here, "Do not be afraid."  But that command is never without His presence by our side, "It is I" reassuring us that the I AM knows even each hair on our heads.