Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?

 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

- Mark 4:35-41

Yesterday, we followed Jesus' preaching of the Parable of the Sower with yet more parables.   Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."   And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."  Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."    And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"  Of today's reading, my study bible says to us, "The same Greek word (phimoœ) by which Jesus commands the storm to be still is used for His telling the demon to 'be quiet' in 1.25.  As Lord of all, He commands all.  In obedience, the storm subsides instantly and fully."  This word  that is here translated as "be still" and in Mark's first chapter as "be quiet" is a verb whose root means "to muzzle."  So, in each of these instances, Jesus is demonstrating His superior power as the "stronger man" to muzzle forces that are chaotic, out of control, threatening, and dangerous to human beings.

It's interesting to consider Jesus' power as that which consists in the action of "muzzling" something else.  This is at work here in the midst of the great and threatening storm in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, and also in the presence of the demon in chapter 1.  If we look at both of these images, we see some similarities.  The storm is in some sense disturbing the work of God, and particularly among the men whom Jesus has chosen as apostles and disciples, as they cross the Sea of Galilee.  We remember these are experienced fishermen, and this is their home territory -- they've grown up and lived their lives on this sea and as men fishing these waters.  But it's now the night, and the waters are so fierce that even these very experienced men are frightened that they are about to die (while He's asleep on a pillow).  We have to think of what it means to them to disturb the Master while He's asleep.  It's a scene of great chaos and panic, danger, and mortal threat.  In the midst of the congregation, in the synagogue in chapter 1, on the Sabbath, while Jesus is preaching, a demon disturbs the gathering in the midst of the people, shouting, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!"  Jesus "muzzles" the demon as well, into silence, and commands it to come out of the person.  In each of these circumstances we experience the presence of the "fallenness" of the world, or the presence of evil forces in some sense, as chaos, that which is threatening and destructive to human beings -- something that diminishes the overall quality of human life.  The wilderness can be thought of in the same way in biblical terms.  When Jesus is thrown by the Spirit, after His baptism, into the wilderness, to be tempted by Satan for forty days, with wild beasts, we're also in an arena of a world that is -- although basically and essentially good as created by Creator -- somehow also corrupted by particular elements, made dangerous and wild and chaotic for human beings, threatening.  One should add that the word for "wild beasts" in the Greek is also used for "monster."  In that scenario, Jesus is also ministered to by the angels.  So, we get a picture of the world in which all kinds of things are happening, a world that is basically good, but yet with profound difficulties and threats to human beings.  And this is the world into which Jesus enters, as a friend, a helper, one who is redeemer, who saves.  He's the stronger man who can bind the "strong man" of this world -- and all the effects of "fallenness."  He's a Redeemer who has come not just to unbind us, but to bind up and muzzle that which somehow keeps us caught, trapped, threatened, limited, bound, and endangered.  We can take the picture of the wildness of this world and think about things that threaten us and are out of control in our own lives, and think about how we invite Christ into that place.  We can think about the Companion we've been sent, the Paraclete (the one we call to be by our side), the Holy Spirit, the Comforter who comes to assist.  As we walk in the world and go about the business of being the disciples we can be, we may feel all kinds of afflictions, from the physical to the emotional, to the spiritual, that will act like roadblocks, those things that hamper our journey, maybe threaten us, that are essentially uncontrollable for us.  There may be people in our lives who make us miserable or afraid, and we simply do not contain the strength or ability of ourselves to do anything about it.  Whatever the chaos is, whatever the threat, the message that comes in the Gospel is that we have a Savior who has come to help, to assist us with His power.  He will share and voluntarily be victim to the same forces that may catch us, which are profoundly unjust.  But we are called to be with Him in faith, to walk through this world and to endure, to be the reflection of the light of His Kingdom that takes root in us.  So, let us remember, in that context, His words to His disciples, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"   Let us remember that we are not called by Him to live in fear, but to walk and to endure, in faith.

There is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear

Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." 

And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade." 

And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

- Mark 4:21-34

 In yesterday's reading, we were given the Parable of the Sower.   Once again Jesus began to teach by the sea.  And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:  "Listen!  Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth, and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.  And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that  'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.'"  And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?  How then will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.  When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.  Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, an the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

 Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."   My study bible tells us that "Christ discloses truth, He does not hide it.  His truth is like light, for it reveals all mysteries and exposes all secrets.  That which is hidden is the Gospel, the presence of the Kingdom of God.  The Gospel, at first a mystery explained only to the disciples, will be revealed to all (Luke 8:16-18).  Everything done in secret will ultimately be revealed (Luke 12:1-3)."  We are used to hearing these words here (the analogy of the lamp and the lampstand) in terms of living as persons who will reflect the light of Christ.  But coming after the Parable of the Sower, they illuminate the nature of the Kingdom among us, the mystery He teaches.

 Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."   My study bible suggests here that Jesus is giving us a call to attentive listening and discriminating response; these are both required for understanding and experiencing the truth of Christ.  "We must not only hear but hear properly.  More will be given to those who respond to Jesus with open hearts;  they will grow in understanding.  'Do the good you know, and what you do not know will be revealed to you' (St. Mark the Ascetic, 6th century.'"   Here, as in the Sermon on the Mount, and in continuation of the themes in yesterday's Parable of the Sower, we are called to cultivate our own capacity for listening and truly hearing; the measurement becomes one of our true desire to "grasp" this Kingdom and live it, the mystery He reveals in parables.  As with the parable and the seeds, my study bible says that "Satan, not God, takes away the Word that was sown in hearts too hard to receive it.  But to those who are able to receive His Word, God gives even more."

And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."  A note says, "The kingdom of God is like the seed which by the power of God produces a harvest.  This is an image of the mysterious working of the Kingdom -- beyond human measure and expectations.  This parable appears only in Mark." 

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."   My study bible says, "The parable of the mustard seed contrasts humble beginnings with a bountiful crop.  Jesus begins with poor fishermen, but in a few years the Christian faith will spread throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.  The work of God may involve apparently insignificant people and circumstances, but the possibilities are limitless because of God's power.  That being said, Jesus' followers must always be prepared for the 'long haul.'  Jewish expectations in Jesus' day were for the Kingdom to appear suddenly and fully.  But God's Kingdom takes time to grow and mature through adversity, and when it is fully formed it will be even greater than expected."

And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.  We note that the parables are given as they were able to hear it.  Not everyone is receptive.  But my study bible suggests to us that people are accountable even for what they do not understand.  We play a role in turning to God in our own hearts.  Jesus taught in many ways, but Mark's Gospel suggests to us here that parables became a hallmark of ministry.  The many people that now come to Him in large crowds indicate a kind of a change; those who truly desire to hear are those who will respond to the parables.

It's interesting to think about the parables as keys to a mystery that isn't going to be just handed to us.  Rather, the very existence of the parables as Jesus' teaching tool indicates we're responsible for some of our hearing, and for how we hear.  Jesus repeatedly uses the phrase from Isaiah:  "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  In yesterday's reading, He gave yet another quotation from Isaiah that puts an even more stark interpretation on these words:  He taught in parables so that, "Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.'"  Another translation of these verses (Isaiah 6:9-10) reads, "Go, tell these people, 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand;  Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’  Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed." The revelation of this Kingdom is a healing mystery -- on many levels of who we are as human beings.  Repentance, as indicated here, has a great deal to do with this healing.  The parables, therefore, invite us in, to turn and turn again toward God, and to enter into and participate in this mystery more deeply.  We're to become a part of it and it a part of us.  In this context, Jesus' words make sense, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."   This is something that becomes a part of us.  It is in the light of all this that we have to think about my study bible's admonition that "people are accountable even for what they do not understand."  Jesus' parables give us examples of growth, mysterious and great, happening in so many different ways -- as in the mustard seed that grows to a sturdy shrub so that birds take shelter, as in the crops that grow while we sleep -- but they also call us to our part:  attentive listening, a true desire to grow, the willfulness to cultivate our lives as good ground for a harvest, doing our best to facilitate the good fruits that bear witness of the presence of this Kingdom.  Let us consider, then, what it is to cultivate good attentive listening, the ability to truly hear, to turn back, to be healed, to grow in this Kingdom, so that "more will be given to us."  This is a good time, the middle of Lent, to do that.  How do you cultivate your mindfulness of God's Kingdom, God's presence?  What does it take to bear the harvest of His seeds?   How do you listen and hear?

Parable of the Sower

 And again He began to teach by the sea.  And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:  "Listen!  Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth, and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.  And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that

'Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.'"

And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?  How then will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.  When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.  Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, an the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

- Mark 4:1-20

Yesterday, we read that after Jesus has chosen the twelve apostles, they went into a house.  Then the crowds gathered again and came to the house, so that they could not so much as eat bread.  But when Jesus' own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind."  And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebub," and, "By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons."  So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables:  "How can Satan cast out Satan?  If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.  And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.  No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man.  And then he will plunder his house.  Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation" -- because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."  Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him.  And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You."  But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?"  And He looked about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother."

 And again He began to teach by the sea.  And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:  "Listen!  Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth, and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Something important has happened; it's another turning point here in Jesus' ministry.  The crowds have grown so great around Him that His family thinks He is out of His mind, and notice has come to the central religious authorities in Jerusalem -- so that they accuse Him of working by the power of demons.  He has chosen the Twelve, who will be sent out on a mission to preach the gospel of the Kingdom, graced with His power also to heal and to cast out demons.  And here we begin to receive parables.  The message is not direct, but given in a form that invites thinking, for those in the crowd who will come that far, who really want what He's offering.  Parables were common in Jesus' time, well-known in Jewish culture long before.  A parable can also mean "allegory," "riddle," or "proverb" in the words used in Hebrew and Aramaic.  But Jesus becomes the parable-teacher of all time.  My study bible says that "the Scriptures, especially the Gospels, are filled with parables -- images drawn from daily life in the world to represent and communicate the deep things of God.  Parables give us glimpses of Him whose thoughts are not our thoughts and whose ways are not our ways (Is. 55:8-9)."   Jesus also quotes Isaiah here (He who has ears, let him hear!) to hint for our understanding of what He is doing by preaching in this way.  My study bible says that the truth of Jesus' parables isn't apparent to everyone; "one must have spiritual eyes to see and spiritual ears to hear, and even then there are degrees of understanding of the parables."

But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.  And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables . . ."   The mystery, says my study bible, is the reality of the presence of the Kingdom itself, "revealed in Jesus and perceived by faith."    It adds that Jesus' teaching here, to those who are outside, all things come in parables, could also be translated "to those who are outside, all things come in riddles."  It gives everyone a challenge, and teaches us that in some sense, we're responsible for our own spiritual eyes and ears.  It calls us to at least desire this place of personal receptivity.

" . . . so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.'"  Jesus quotes again from Isaiah here (6:9-10).  The fulfillment of these verses from Isaiah, my study bible says to us, refers to hardness of heart as the cause of lack of understanding.  "Jesus is not disclosing truth to some while hiding it from others.  He proclaims the Good News of the Kingdom openly to all, but only those who repent and believe can perceive the power of the Kingdom in Him and in their lives."

And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?  How then will you understand all the parables?"  A note tells us:  "Discipleship requires both that we have a personal relationship with Christ and that we understand what He teaches."

"The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.  When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.  Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, an the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  Again, the emphasis in my study bible is on our receptiveness to His teachings, including the parables, or riddles, that teach us something about the Kingdom.  It says, "The gospel of God's Kingdom is powerful; but our heart response determines its fruitfulness in our lives."

The mystery of the parables is emphasized as a hidden kind of nugget in the midst of the story.  But mystery, or something secret or hidden, isn't just about a one-time truth.  A parable is a kind of mystery or riddle that can keep giving us new truths every time we hear it.  It opens a door.  Maybe more importantly, it invites us into relationship by seeking to cultivate our own capacity for receiving, for hearing.  And that is another great mystery of the Kingdom.  Jesus' power is a mystery; it's something beyond us, that comes from places we're not a part of.  However, when Jesus speaks to Nicodemus, in John's Gospel, about baptism or being reborn in Spirit, Jesus calls this a "worldly thing" in contrast to "heavenly things."  In today's reading, Jesus explains the parable of the Sower to His disciples, and so we get the benefit of His teachings, but that doesn't mean that each of us doesn't find meaning in our own lives from hearing this parable again.  I find that at some stage in my life, I fit into each of these categories of the seeds falling here and there.  There are times His word may seem to be lost on me, times when I fight it, or the cares of the world truly choke out everything else that is of value and truth.  One element I find I greatly need in this journey of becoming a good "hearer" or developing "ears to hear" is patience.  We're on this journey for a lifetime, and so these parables or riddles that continually give us new glimpses of the Kingdom, new facets of our own journey on His "road" (another meaning of the Greek word in the Gospels for "way"), is just that:  we may want all the truth right now, mysteries solved and revealed, the fullness of our own spiritual capabilities, but that's not the nature of the Kingdom either.  Rather, we're invited in.  And each moment becomes a new capacity for hearing, for learning (being disciples), for holding our own particular perspective in His light, and finding the glimpses He offers us just now, the Way through our own particular place in life.  Really, the entirety of the Kingdom is a mystery in itself, but it's one that asks us to participate in it, as best we can.  And that's also the nature of the parables:  there are new truths to encounter, new parts of ourselves to uncover and discover in His truth about who we are and how we change or repent in His care.  Each of those seeds are things planted in us, and they don't just take root but they must also produce, crops and fruit, be cared for in each season so that they continue to produce.  We are a part of the project of this Kingdom, and His parable teaches us about where the seeds land and what we do with them, and how wholeheartedly we grow more deeply in this embrace of His love, and the "rootedness" He wishes of us.  So, today is a good day to consider where we are on the journey of the Sower:  Where's our stony ground?  What are the thorns that choke us and choke out His word?  When do the cares of the world crowd out the things of the Kingdom?  How do we make sure we're good soil for the Kingdom, and take care to maintain that richness and future promise?  All of these things are ongoing within us, and ask us to participate and even to understand.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear.  Every day, we're called again, every moment.

Who is My mother, or My brothers?

. . . and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.   And they went into a house.

Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.  But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind."  And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebub," and, "By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons."  So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables:  "How can Satan cast out Satan?  If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.  And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.  No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man.  And then he will plunder his house.

"Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation" -- because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."

Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him.  And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You."  But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?"  And He looked about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother."

- Mark 3:19b-35

 Yesterday, we read that Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea.  And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.  So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.  For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.  And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the Son of God."  But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.  And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted.  And they came to Him.  Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:  Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, "Sons of Thunder"; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

. . . and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.   And they went into a house.  Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.  But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind."  And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebub," and, "By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons."  So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables:  "How can Satan cast out Satan?  If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.  And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.  No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man.  And then he will plunder his house.  My study bible explains, "Beelzebub, or Baal, was the prince of  'the dung heap' or lord of 'the flies' -- a god worshiped by the Philistines (4 Kings 1:2-16).  Here, he is called ruler of the demons.  The impossibility of demons fighting against themselves illustrates the irrational pride and envy of the Pharisees in their opposition to Jesus."

"Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation" -- because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."  A note tells us:  "Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is blasphemy against the divine activity of the Spirit, blasphemy against pure goodness."   It goes on to suggest these men, experts in the Jewish Scriptures, know the activity of the Holy Spirit; this is something of which they are intensely aware as part of the history of their faith.  Therefore, it suggests that they are behaving from a willful hardness of heart, a refusal to accept God's mercy in the form of Jesus' ministry.  The Fathers of the Church taught that the sin of blasphemy against the Spirit isn't unforgivable, nor does Jesus ever call it so.  St. John Chrysostom taught that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was forgivable if a person were to repent.  My study bible says, "Jesus makes this declaration knowing that those who blaspheme the Spirit are calling pure, divine goodness 'evil,' and are beyond repentance by their own choice."

Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him.  And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You."  But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?"  And He looked about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother."  My study bible says that Jesus' family hasn't yet understood His identity and mission -- but He points to a spiritual family based on obedience to "the will of My Father."  This doesn't exclude His blood relatives, it is just an expansion of the concept of family via the work of faith in each person.  In the Middle East today, it is still common to call extended family relations "brothers."  By tradition in the Church, these brothers are considered to be either stepbrothers (children of Joseph by an earlier marriage), or cousins.  Historically, Jesus' commitment of His mother to the care of the disciple John at the Cross indicates He had no siblings; this would have been unthinkable if Mary had other children to care for her.

Let us consider "family" as expressed by Jesus as those who seek to do the will of God.  Clearly, this would include all that which is embraced by the Holy Spirit, and the works of the Holy Spirit.  The idea that the will of God is that which unites us in faith as family tells us a great deal about Jesus' mission.  It speaks to us about, and invites us to consider, the nature of love.  Where does it go?  How does it work in the world?  And we must consider the work of the Spirit, that which is so linked to our faith, our desire to find the path God wants of us.  This speaks to us also of a rootedness in love itself, an openness that isn't limited by any material consideration, but is available through the heart, through our awareness of a love for the things that are of God in the spirit of God.  "Family," as we think of it in material terms, or worldly terms, is limited by blood or genetics or perhaps by law.  But there are no such limits on family in Jesus' estimation; this is something we do by election, by choice.  We either desire to do the will of God or not.  It is up to us.  Therefore the dividing lines between "family" and "not family" become drawn in a way that is utterly different from our usual way of thinking.  If God is love, then there is a power at work here when we choose to truly serve love -- perhaps the best definition of a real "family value" that we can come up with.  Jesus' power, as the stronger man who is capable of "binding the strong man" (casting out demons) is therefore this power to serve the Father, to bring a true Kingdom, and to defeat that which serves something else.  Redemption is in the power to serve the God who is love, who calls us all to real "family relations" and out of the abuse that is not a "family value" at all.  But that starts with our faith, with where we choose what we love.

Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons

  But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea.  And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.  So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.  For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.  And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the Son of God."  But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.

And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted.  And they came to Him.  Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:  Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, "Sons of Thunder"; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. 

- Mark 3:7-19a

On Saturday, we read that Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain.  And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"  But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him:  how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?"  And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."  And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand.  So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.  And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward."  Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent.  And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."  And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.  Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

   But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea.  And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.  So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.  For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.  And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the Son of God."  But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.  Jesus withdrew, my study bible says, "both because the Pharisees were planning to destroy Him (though it was not time for Him to die) and in order to preach in other places.  Here we're given a sense of all those other places:  He's not just in Galilee anymore, but also in the "heart" of Israel and the places central to religious institutions.  He's also in Gentile territory (Tyre and Sidon).  Great multitudes come to Him.  He must preach by the sea, standing in a boat to avoid being crushed by the crowds.  His healing draws them.  But we also learn about His power, and of that there is no doubt.  He even commands the "unclean spirits" and they know who He is.  What even the unruly members of this spiritual realm recognize is for now kept secret from human society, and will go unrecognized by the religious leadership.  A note in my study bible refers us to Isaiah 42:1-4 and suggests there are three reasons for this secrecy at this stage:  (1)  the growing hostility of the Jewish leaders; (2) the people's misunderstanding of the Messiah as an earthly, political leader; and (3) our Lord's desire to evoke genuine faith not based solely on marvelous signs."

And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted.  And they came to Him.  Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:  Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, "Sons of Thunder"; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.  Jesus appoints the Twelve; the time has come in His ministry for this step, given its great expanse.  (We note that it has even gone into Gentile territory.)  My study bible tells us that "disciple" and "apostle" are used interchangeably for the twelve.  From the Greek, disciple means "learner" and apostle means "one sent out."  It says, "Jesus gave them power to perform miracles, while He performed them by His own power.  The names of the Twelve are not the same in all lists, as many people had more than one name."

It's interesting to consider the notion of power, here in the context of the spiritual life, and specifically in Christian life.  Jesus doesn't use power in the same ways that we think of earthly power.  He is first of all a king from a different realm, as He has said to Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world."  We also understand this to mean that His power isn't used in "worldly" ways.  Contained in today's lectionary reading is also a section from 1 Corinthians 4.  St. Paul writes, "I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.  We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ!  We are weak, but you are strong!  You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!  To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.  And we labor; working with our own hands.  Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat.  We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now"  (vv. 9-13).  And yet, a few verses later on, St. Paul tells them, "I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.  For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power"  (vv. 19-20).  So there is indeed a power at work here.  It is the power of Christ; He uses it Himself, and He also confers it upon or shares it with others.  When we pray, when we seek to intercede for others, it is this power to which we appeal.  When we pray for others, it is this power, via relationship, we request.  It is His power that commands the spirits to "be quiet" or to "come out of him" or her -- even those spirits which do not want to follow.  And yet, despite this power and what it does that we can see, the apostles are "last" of all, fools for Christ's sake, dishonored and not distinguished, poor by all the world's standards, beaten and homeless.  Their power is perhaps displayed in endurance, in entreating, in blessing:  but they are "made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now," says St. Paul.  So, how are we to think about this power? How are we to understand it?  There's a great hint to it in the lists of the Twelve who were first chosen:  they all end with Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.  This is a power that may be betrayed by our free will.  It's not a power that compels, but one that works in a different way, and this is perhaps the great secret of the "not-worldly" way of this power.  Ultimately, it is a power that is rooted in love.  Its commands are for love, just as the Law was given for love (as we read in Saturday's reading), even if it is poorly used by human beings for different purposes.  Does love concern itself with justice?  Most assuredly, it must.  But it also concerns itself with mercy.  It goes to the limit for the beloved, enduring all things:  as He did on the Cross, as St. Paul writes of himself and his fellow apostles who are "last" of all.  It endures.  It blesses.  It entreats.  But, it is also power.  And this we may not forget.  It wants us voluntarily, and it is our hearts that are involved here.  There is a great phrase that the Orthodox use about a particular type of contemplative prayer (also called the Jesus Prayer, or Prayer of the Heart).  We are to pray with "the mind in the heart."  How we relate to Christ tells us all about this power rooted in love, this strength to endure, to be last, and to triumph, His way.  But, as St. Paul says, it is all about power.  Let us think about his words, and think about the power conveyed on the Twelve.

Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or do evil, to save life or to kill?

Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain.  And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"  But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him:  how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?"  And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."

And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand.  So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.  And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward."  Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or do evil, to save life or to kill?"  But they kept silent.  And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."  And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.  Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

- Mark 2:23-3:6

Yesterday, we read that Jesus went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them.  As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office.  And He said to him, "Follow Me."  So he arose and followed Him.  Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi's house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.  And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, "How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"  When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."  The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting.  Then they came and said to Him, "Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"  And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?  As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.  But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.  No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse.  And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined.  But new wine must be put into new wineskins."

Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain.  And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"  This isn't lawful because it was considered to be a form of work, a violation of the Sabbath-rest.  My study bible says that "'Pharisaism' is a very real danger for all.  Ruler for religious practice are not bad in themselves, but when adherence to those rules triumphs over mercy and human need, the practice leads people away from God, not toward Him."

But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him:  how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?"   My study bible explains that "Abiathar was appointed high priest during David's reign (1 Sam. 23:6-11).  His father, Ahimelech, provided David and his men, who were starving, with holy bread intended for priests only (1 Sam. 21:1-6)."

And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."  There is a similar saying in rabbinical literature:  "The Sabbath has been given unto you; you have not been given unto the Sabbath."  Jesus, however, says my study bible, "puts what He teaches into practice, interpreting the Law with authority.  Only God can say He is Lord of the Sabbath."

And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand.  So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.  And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward."  Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or do evil, to save life or to kill?"  But they kept silent.   A note tells us, "Jesus is motivated by compassion.  He does not deny Sabbath traditions, but teaches that it is more important to do good on the Sabbath than to maintain the strict observance of Sabbath rest.  The religious leaders are motivated by zeal for the rigid performance of rabbinic tradition; for them outward performance is more important than doing good.  The two perspectives are incompatible."

And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."  And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.  Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.  My study bible tells us, "In their anger and self-deception, the Pharisees believe that in order to serve God, they must collaborate with their enemies, the Herodians, to murder the One who is the true Servant of God."   The Herodians were members and supporters of the royal court of Herod Antipas, allied with and serving as part of the Roman government.

In this time of Lent and its association with fasting rules, we may well think of what it is to be healed.  One purpose of fasting is, of course, for our own healing, on many levels.  Fasting practices are designed to cut away externals, the things we think we need that we don't really need, in order to focus in on what is truly good for us, what truly feeds us.  It's to get in touch with who and what we really are, and where our heart lies, how our lives are going.  We focus in on Christ, and our relationship with God.  There is a commentary by St. John Chrysostom that, despite his setting in the 4th century, really brings home the purpose of the fast.  In a sermon, he preached that his well-heeled flock should put the servants to rest for awhile, and get out of the fuss and fire and grease spitting everywhere in the kitchen, put away the fancy utensils and all the elaborate preparations of this elegant food or that, and just basically give it a rest for awhile, to put it into our language.  Resting, in this context, is really to get in touch with God, and thereby we see what it is we really need.  This is why rest is for wholeness, and the point of a Sabbath-rest.  So, we can take all these rules as rules that are essentially for our health and well-being, on every level.  However, my study bible points out that when zealous preoccupation with the rules becomes a kind of idol, and the whole focus, then we are headed for trouble.  It really doesn't matter how good the rule is, in that case, as my study bible puts it:  "when adherence to those rules triumphs over mercy and human need, the practice leads people away from God, not toward Him."  If we remember that the purpose of every religious rule is really for our health and well-being, on so many levels -- from our basic root in spiritual reality to our psychology to our physical body -- then the goal is what becomes essential, and not the legalistic rendering of the rule itself.  Hence, Jesus' words:  "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."  As Son of Man, and fulfillment of the Law, He is Lord of the Sabbath.  His restoring a man to wholeness is the "whole" point.  So, once again, as we are in the middle of Lent, let us consider what prayer is, what our focus is now in this time, as we prepare for Easter.  Can you cut away the extraneous, and focus in on what He would want for your healing?  Let us keep in mind that so many of the things that we think we want aren't really for our healing.  We don't really need all the things we think we need because we're surrounded with expensive luxuries available in stores, or because our brother and sister have it, or because it would be socially impressive, or all the different reasons why we think we need what we need when we focus in on the outside.  What we need is what we find we need in that relationship of love to Creator.  Wholeness comes, essentially, from love, and even in our weakness we may show the perfect strength of Christ.  We may simply need to come to understand that we are loved as we are, a healing powerful as any other.  But take time to remember, the purpose is for healing.  We find it as we center in, cut away the distractions and the externals and all the things we chase after, drop the things that give us so much anxiety for a moment if we can, and come to Him.  He is the Lord of the Sabbath, the place of all restoration and healing, the One who gives us the right perspective we need.

New wine

 Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them.  As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office.  And He said to him, "Follow Me."  So he arose and followed Him.  Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi's house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.

And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, "How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"  When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting.  Then they came and said to Him, "Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"  And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?  As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.  But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.  No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse.  And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined.  But new wine must be put into new wineskins."

- Mark 2:13-22

Yesterday, we read that Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days of preaching in other Galilean towns, and it was heard that He was in the house.  Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door.  And He preached the word to them.  Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who as carried by four men.  And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was.  So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.  When Jesus was their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."  And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, "Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to the, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'?  Bu that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- He said to the paralytic, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

 Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them.  As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office.  And He said to him, "Follow Me."  So he arose and followed Him.    Matthew, as tax collector, is the only one of the disciples who has a powerful position in the society, and presumably (my study bible says) an education.  He has probably already heard of Jesus.  Follow Me, according to my study bible, is "a divine call, a command, not merely a suggestion.  Of course, Matthew, like anyone receiving a call, must respond by his own free will." 

Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi's house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.  A note says, "In dining with sinners, Jesus shows the Kingdom's openness to the outcast, and its destruction of the barrier between sinful men and God.  Jesus recognizes these people as a definable group.  It is possible to follow Jesus and remain in one's social class; however, friends no longer come first."

And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, "How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"  My study bible explains that "the teachers of the Law sought to expel evil; Christ comes to transform it.  Jesus does not become unclean by contact with the unclean.  Rather, His touch makes the unclean clean."

When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."  My study bible says, "Christ comes to save and heal, not to judge (John 1:17; 3:17).  There are righteous people who do dead works (actions which are good in themselves but are motivated by legalism rather than by love) and keep people from God.  True righteousness comes through faith and is accompanied by wholesome works.  Many Pharisees were masters of dead works; some tax collectors and many sinners would become masters of true righteousness."

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting.  Then they came and said to Him, "Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"  And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?  As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.  But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days."  As it is Lent, it's a good time to consider the practice of fasting, which was a practice among the Jews, and continued among Christians.  In the midst of the fast, we consider the understanding of Jesus that here, the Bridegroom is with them, His friends.  My study bible calls this "an expression of the messianic joy which accompanies the presence of Christ."  Some people consider this episode to be a suggestion of the Eucharist.  It adds that fasting isn't to be neglected as a spiritual practice, and notes that Jesus here clearly suggests His disciples will fast.  But we must keep in mind what the practice is for, and what spiritual blessings it is designed to help bring about.

"No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse.  And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined.  But new wine must be put into new wineskins."  My study bible tells us that this statement isn't a blanket condemnation of Old Testament traditions, which Christ has come to fulfill and not to destroy (Matt. 5:17).  Rather, it says, "this verse stresses the newness of Christ's teaching.  The old and the new cannot mix."

It's a pretty radical thing to think of Jesus calling tax collectors to be His disciples, and then eating in a home of the tax collector along with his friends in the same profession, outcasts of the society.  I think it's important to remember that these people weren't considered outcasts just because they broke some religious rules, but that there's a broader sense in which they're disliked by the society.  Tax collectors were Jews who worked for the Romans, an occupying Empire.  And they didn't just make a wage this way; they were the representatives of Empire who made sure that the people subject to the Romans (like the Jews) paid what the Roman Empire demanded of them.  Moreover, it was an easy job in which to extort monies for oneself in the process.  We're not just talking about people who were "sinners" here in our understanding of that word, but about people who were detested by the community.  Yet we're told that once Matthew became a follower of Jesus, "many tax collectors and sinners" also sat together with Jesus and His disciples, "for there were many, and they followed Him."  It seems almost as if these people were simply waiting for a community that would take them in, someone who could forgive.  Clearly, Matthew, the author of the first of the books of the New Testament, did not remain a tax collector, but became a disciple of Christ.  So we may assume that each one of these people, in becoming followers, tried their best to follow what Christ would want of them.  But Christ offers a hand, a link, to community, to redemption, to salvation.  His love is powerful enough to overcome social obstacles, every form of roadblock to communion, to community itself.  One other way in which we must see this picture is the openness to dialogue, the clear lines of communication via which He calls.  "Follow Me" becomes an invitation for clear dialogue, one that lets us in as we are, but at the same time invites us to take stock, and to truly follow the Good, who is present in the Bridegroom, the person of Christ.  A love that is big enough to include all of those things has to come from a place that is greater than we are.  This is not about following Christ in terms of assuming that we are capable of being Christ ourselves.  It is about finding that place of communion and dialogue in Him, finding our place in His community.  One can simply imagine, then, the rejoicing in the presence of this Bridegroom!  And that is surely a "new wineskin" that can expand to include all of us, cause for rejoicing indeed.  I think what we take away from this picture is a sense of ourselves in relation to Christ, and as far as I am concerned, that's the whole point of Lent.  It is a time for us to take stock, not of and by ourselves, but in dialogue and communion with Him.  We can't see ourselves in our own light; we must see in His light.  He illumines what we need to do, His call is the one that says, "Follow Me."  Prayer, let us remember, is essentially a dialogue with God.  We shape our lives through prayer, and especially in Lent with its tradition of fasting, by cutting away the extraneous, the externals, including our place in the society and the world, and we focus in on our relationship to that community that He shapes, in dialogue with Him, in the embrace of this love that is beyond what we know.  Everything else takes a back seat -- and that is the purpose of fasting.