Reflection for March 11 – Danielle Webber

Today’s Passage from The Bible – Mark 9:30-50

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, ‘The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.’ But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.

Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the way?’ But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’ Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’

John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.

‘If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell., And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.

‘For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.’

Reflection: Danielle Webber

Jesus, Peter, James and John come down from the mountain to see the remaining disciples arguing with the scribes. Despite their experiences dispelling demons earlier, the disciples cannot rescue a possessed child.  Jesus tells them that the entire situation is marked by a lack of faith and a neglected prayer life.

I have so much in common with the disciples. I cannot begin to count the times that I have tried to handle life’s trials and tribulations on my own. But even many more times, I have seen God’s healing power at work in the world.

In these remaining twenty verses of the chapter (9:30-50), Jesus is still teaching his disciples. He tries to explain that first, he must be killed and raised again. Unable to comprehend what he is saying, the disciples cling to the belief that Jesus will rescue Israel and install a new kingdom, and they begin vying for an important position. Jesus tells them that leadership is not about power but service to those who are weaker. This point is expanded further when John tells Jesus that they tried to stop a man who was casting out demons in Jesus’ name because he was unknown to them. Jesus explains that the fact that the man had enough faith to call on His name proves that he is not an outsider, even if the disciples do not recognize him. This is great news for the Gentiles!

Because of this, I not only see Jesus in this passage, but in the world around me. I see him in our garbageman, Steve, who will get our trashcan from the top of our driveway if we forget to bring it down. I see Jesus when my students help and encourage each other in class.

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