27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's Gospel reading features Jesus' teaching on marriage which was difficult for the disciples then and remains even harder for the New Zealand society of today. Jesus rebuffs the Pharisees and: "Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter." (Mk 10: 10) Clearly, the uncompromising attitude of Jesus towards marriage has never been popular. In addition, Jesus told them and therefore us, that: "But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female'." (Mk 10: 6) The reason why the teaching is difficult is because it focuses not on human weakness and fallibility but on God's will. His desire was that human beings be true, united and committed existed from the beginning. We can see from the evidence of our own family and friends, let alone wider society, that this is hard to do. What is the answer? Do we simply forget about God and do away with marriage and the laws pertaining to it? St Paul would surely answer: "What then should we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I would have not known sin." (Rm 7: 7) We need to recognize that: "... the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good" (Rm 7: 12) because our heavenly Father, also, is holy, just and good. The law on marriage and other matters calls us to holiness and helps us to recognize our faults: "but sin is not reckoned when there is no law." (Rm 5: 13) We need, however, not to stop at that. In the Gospel reading we continue on to hear about Jesus welcoming the children. This gives us our answer. We cannot abide by the law alone. We need to have trust and hope in Christ Jesus so that we may be healed and forgiven. In doing so we will be able to advance in holiness and see that the law is indeed good as the Father willed it from the beginning. Again, with St Paul, we can say: "So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!". (Rm 7: 21-25)

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The sequence of sayings we are given today seems a little like those we encounter in the Sermon on the Mount. On this occasion they are prompted by a query from the disciples of John the Baptist so the teaching is indicative of what distinguishes disciples who follow The Way from the followers of John. Each of these tilt against negativity: "Do not stop him," "If any of you put a stumbling block" and "If your hand causes you to stumble." The focus is on the attitude of the disciple and not the worthiness or righteousness of the other who is to be received with graciousness and gratitude. John preached a judgement of fire; Jesus preaches a vindication of grace. It is incumbent on Jesus' disciples to get be an obstacle to the working out of grace which is the inbreaking of God's Kingdom through Jesus' person and preaching. This gives me pause for thought. In what ways have I been an obstacle to grace in my life? What can I do to better cooperate with grace in the moments of the everyday and my personal relationships? In order to do this we need to have a strong commitment to be disciples of the Lord who are positive and committed to acting in accordance with his purposes and not our own. Often this requires turning the other cheek, going the extra mile and forgiving others who sin against us from the heart. None of this is easier which is why we must be constantly attentive to the Word and pruned by it for: "... it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where the worm never dies and the fire is never quenched." (Mk 9: 47-48)

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today we hear of the disciples arguing among one another about "who was the greatest." (Mk 9: 34) We could also insert in there a number of other options such as who was the "most Catholic," the "most pious" or the "most liturgically correct." There are all sorts of ways in which Catholic can strive to compete with one another or vaunt themselves over others. It is interested that when challenged by Jesus the disciples are silent. This silence indicates that they are already aware or realize, in Christ's presence, that their behaviour is unworthy of disciples of the Lord. Whether it is in the parish or on the internet how many people are mindful, when they write or say something in the particular forum, that what they have to do or say is worthy of their vocation as Christians? Such challenges existed in the Church from the beginning as the early Christians had to learn not to project their interior conflicts onto one another: "Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you?" (Jm 4: 1) The advice for them remains valid for us: "We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love." (Eph 4: 14-16) The key to this growth in discipleship is to be found in our willingness to serve  for: "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." (Mk 9: 35)

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The episode given us in the Gospel for today comes immediately after the cure of the blind man at Bethsaida (Mk 8: 22-26). In that healing the man has his sight restored gradually. Applying this to the disciples and to Peter, in particular, their understanding of Jesus' identity and ministry was incomplete. This is illustrated most clearly in Peter having the temerity to rebuke Jesus when he foretells his Passion and resurrection. He is still attached to a worldly concept to messiahship. Other misunderstandings, about Jesus and what it means to be a disciple, follow in subsequent chapters. These include quarrels as to who is the greatest (Mk 9: 33-37), the importance of riches (Mk 10: 23-31) and the desire for status (Mk 10: 35-45). It is Bartimaeus who cries out: "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!" (Mk 10: 47) who comes to kneel before Jesus, naked and trembling and says: "My teacher, let me see again." (Mk 10: 51) He has a limited understanding about Jesus yet he knows what he wants. He desires not to be the greatest or to be rich or to have status but only to see. Jesus responds: "Go; your faith has made you well." (Mk 10: 52) It is in this way that we can understand why Peter is lacking when he remonstrates with Jesus. Jesus replies to him: "Get behind me Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." (Mk 8: 32) 

The only way that we can see Jesus for who he is and bear the scandal of the cross is by faith. This means that we must approach God not from a position of strength but of weakness. When we understand this we will have the sight to see the truth and to follow Jesus as a true disciple just as Bartimaeus did: "Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way." (Mk 10: 52) Saint Paul understood this when he said: "So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor 12: 9-10)