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“[Jesus said] ‘But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be, then let those in Judea flee to the mountains.”
+In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. One of the ongoing themes we find in the Scriptures is the theme of the coming “Day of the Lord.” It’s an expression used for the end-times, one that refers to that great Day when the Lord comes to destroy evil, vindicate His people, and establish His Kingdom and rule “on earth as it is in heaven” as the Lord’s Prayer says. You will find it throughout the Old Testament, in the writings of the Prophets, and in the New Testament, starting with John the Baptist in the Gospels and continuing through the Book of Revelation. Today’s Gospel lesson from St. Mark reminds us that Jesus is the most prominent of all those who point to this great Day of the Lord. The 13th Chapter of St. Mark’s Gospel is noteworthy because it contains Jesus’ sayings about the future. In Mark 13 you will find five different strands of Jesus’ predictions about the future: 1) Prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem, 2) Warning of persecution to come, 3) Warnings of the dangers of the Last Days, 4) Warnings of the Second Coming, and 5) Warnings of the necessity of being on the watch. The immediate context of today’s Gospel lesson is Jesus predicting the destruction of the Temple and of Jerusalem. Jesus has been telling the disciples about the coming destruction of the Temple and the persecution that that will take place. And Jesus warns them that they will be arrested, interrogated, and imprisoned. He encourages them not to worry about what to say or do when the day comes, but to rely on the Holy Spirit to show them what to do and say. It will be a difficult time, as even family members will betray family members to the authorities, and Christ’s followers will be despised by all. Then in verse 14, Jesus says, “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” What is Jesus talking about? Jesus is borrowing the language from Daniel 12:11 which says, “The abomination that makes desolate is set up.” (Which is from today’s Old Testament lesson.) Jesus is talking about a great sacrilege, when the Temple itself is profaned in the most egregious way. Jesus’ use of Daniel’s phrase “abomination of desolation” serves as a stark reminder to His listeners of their recent history. The expression reminds them of what happened during the reign of the Seleucid King Antiochus Epiphanes, described in 1 Maccabees 1:54-56, which says, “Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding towns of Judah and offered incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. The books of the law that they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire.” History tells us that King Antiochus offered swine’s flesh on the great altar and erected a statue of Zeus in the Temple and ordered the Jews to worship it. But remember that is Jesus is talking about the future, about things which are to come. And we know from history that the Roman Emperor Caligula wanted to build a statue of himself and have it erected in the Temple around 40 AD. But this never happened, as Caligula was assassinated before his orders could be carried. We do know from history that during the Jewish revolt in 70 AD the Romans came and destroyed the Temple and the city, carrying off most of the Temple furnishings, which have been lost to history. We also know that thousands fled the city and thousands more were slaughtered by the Romans. Furthermore, the Christian historian Eusebius wrote that the Christian community in Jerusalem escaped before the war as a response to a prophecy given from the Lord, and that the destruction of both the city and Temple was seen as God’s judgement upon those who had rejected Christ. Jesus’ words can be understood both as a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, but also foretelling future events which have not yet occurred. Therefore, we must heed Jesus’ words and be on our guard. It is obvious to all of us who have been paying attention to the events of the past 50 years that there has been a dramatic rise in hostility to Christianity around the world. There are more Christians being martyred today than in any time in the Church’s history. Additionally, we also see that many of the established historical churches have become spiritually corrupt at the highest levels—the Archbishop of Canterbury has just resigned for failing to deal with a sex abuse scandal that had been going on for years. And Pope Francis has said many things that contradict Catholic teaching and has promoted people in the Church who are also hostile to that teaching. While the recent election results in our country give us hope that religious freedom will be protected in the short term, we must not be too distracted by current events and keep our spiritual discernment sharp. The worse things get, the more we as followers of Jesus Christ need to stay close to Him and be diligent in our discipleship. In verse 22, Jesus says, “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.” Jesus is warning us that there will be someone who will arise who will be an Antichrist. He will be the Abomination of Desolation. He will perform signs and wonders, and there will be those who will believe that he is Jesus who has returned. But signs and wonders alone aren’t proof of his Messiahship. Rather, the faithful proclamation of the Word of God will be the deciding factor. Therefore, Popes and Archbishops and prominent pastors who are famous and popular but are not preaching the Word of God are not to be trusted. We must remain true to the Word of God. We must trust that no matter how difficult things become, Christ is in control of history. We will be entering the season of Advent in just a couple of weeks. As we reflect on Jesus’ warnings about the future, we are not to be distracted by current events, nor allow ourselves to caught up in the commercializing of Christmas. Let us keep our eyes fixed in Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith and put our complete faith and trust in Him. +In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
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“And [Jesus] called His disciples to Him and said to them, ‘Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in more that all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’”
+In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Did you notice that one of the main characters in our Old Testament and Gospel readings this morning was a widow? Back in Bible times, widows were among the most vulnerable groups in society, along with orphans. Why? Because widows, like orphans, did not, in many cases, have anyone to care for them. In that society, a woman was not allowed to own property. A woman was first under the care of her father, and when she got married, she was then supported by her husband. When her husband died, it was the responsibility of her sons to care for her. But there were some widows who had no one to care for them when their husbands died, and there was no social safety net back in those days. So, to be a widow was to be someone in a very difficult place, enduring not only the loss of a husband, but also the protection and provision of family. Our Scripture lessons today demonstrate that God pays special attention to the weak and vulnerable, especially widows, and that He goes out of His way to extend His love and grace to them. In our Old Testament lesson from 1 Kings 17, the prophet Elijah encounters Zerephath, a widow from Sidon, who is poor and has nothing. Elijah goes there by the Lord’s command and asks her for a drink of water and some food to eat. At first, Zerephath is incredulous, as she has only a little food left, barely enough for one last meal for herself and her son. But Elijah encourages her to extend this hospitality to her, assuring her that the Lord will provide for her and for her son. And the Lord does for Zerephath was Elijah says He will do, miraculously enabling the flour and the oil last until the famine ends. He is an example of the Lord generously providing for a poor widow who gives the last of her food to feed the man of God. Then fast forward to today’s Gospel lesson, and we read about the widow at the offering box in the Temple. St. Mark tells us that she puts two small copper coins into the offering box. It was a tiny amount, only a fraction of a cent. Yet Mark tells us that Jesus singles out her gift for special praise, even though it was by far the smallest. Jesus praises her gift because she gave all that she had. Others gave out of their abundance. Both stories illustrate the spiritual nature of giving. That is, true giving comes from a heart that is filled with faith. It’s a response to what God has already done and confidence in what He will do. Zerephath didn’t know what God would do, but she trusted God enough to give Elijah the last of what she had. And God came through for her in a big way. On the other hand, we don’t know the story of the widow in the Temple who gave the two small copper coins. But we do know that she also trusted God enough to give away the last of what she had as a sign of her love and gratitude to God. There was a recklessness in the generosity of these two widows. Common sense dictated that if you don’t know where your next meal is coming from you don’t give away what little resources you have left. Common sense dictated that if you’re a poor widow, you’re in no position to be giving out charity. But these widows did just that. The heart of this kind of reckless generosity is the response of a grateful heart to God’s grace and mercy. Do you remember the story of how Lazarus’s sister Mary poured a very expensive bottle of ointment on Jesus’ feet and then wiped His feet with her hair? Judas Iscariot was offended, as he thought it was a waste. The ointment could have been sold for a lot of money. But Jesus praises Mary, because she did it with a heart of such love and gratitude for what God had done for her that she wanted to demonstrate her love and gratitude in a reckless way. In the same way, Zaccheus, the tax collector, was so honored to host Jesus in his home that he repented of his past corruption and gave back four-fold to all those whom he had defrauded. Reckless generosity! St. Luke’s version of the story of Mary’s gift of expensive perfume does not mention her by name but informs us that she had a notorious reputation as a sinner. Her gift to Jesus was in response to the love and forgiveness that Jesus had shown to her. Jesus explains “her sins which are many are forgiven, for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” All of us here today are the recipients of God’s grace, love and mercy. What is our response to that great gift? Is our response one of overflowing love, gratitude, and joy? A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is so beloved by all of us because it is such a powerful and wonderful story about a man who is confronted with his own wretchedness and transformed by God’s love and grace. Ebenezer Scrooge turns from the epitome of an ungrateful and harsh miser to a loving and recklessly generous man. That reckless generosity is not only a response to the love and grace that he received, but also a source of great joy and satisfaction too. +In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. “And Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ And the blind man said to Him, ‘Rabbi, let me recover my sight.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your faith has made you well.’”
+In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C. S. Lewis once observed, “It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by an offer of a holiday at the sea.” Lewis’ observation reminds me of that old 1970s show “Fantasy Island.” It was a very popular show about a special place where people of means could pay to have their fantasy made reality. Mr. Rourke was the very suave host on the island, assisted by his faithful lieutenant, Tatoo. Each week would feature guests who would come to Fantasy Island to have their fantasy come true. What made the show popular and compelling was that famous actors would appear on the show each week. And the fantasies would be very familiar—what if you got to be with a lover from your past, what if you became rich and famous, a star athlete, or something else? Many times, the fantasies were wonderful and a lot of fun. Sometimes the fantasies helped the characters recognize things about themselves that they didn’t know before, an occasion for personal growth and maturity. And other times the fantasies would involve painful personal lessons. As intriguing as the possibilities presented by the show Fantasy Island were, the opportunity presented to Bartimaeus in today’s Gospel is more compelling. Here we have an occasion where Jesus comes face to face with a man in need, and what happens when a desperate man responds with courage and faith. Jesus and his disciples are passing through Jericho on their way to Jerusalem. And as it is usually the case, Jesus’ presence draws a crowd. St. Mark tells us that a blind man, Bartimaeus, is also present. What is noteworthy is that Mark not only tells us the name of the blind man, which is unusual, but also the name of his father, Timaeus. St. Matthew says there are two men, but gives no names, while St. Luke gives a similar account to Mark’s but leaves out the name. St. Augustine suggests that the reason Mark does this is because Bartimaeus comes from a prominent family, and his blindness has caused a dramatic drop in his fortunes. Bartimaeus is now a blind street beggar. When Bartimaeus hears that it is Jesus passing by, he cries out at the top of his lungs, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” The title “Son of David” is a messianic one, revealing that Bartimaeus believes that Jesus is no mere rabbi or holy man, but the Messiah. And it is that faith that causes him to cry out even louder when the townspeople rebuke him for making a nuisance of himself. Bartimaeus, like the woman with the issue of blood, like the Syrophoenician mother, like the Roman centurion, is persistent and determined to get what he needs from Jesus, despite opposition, despite his fears. And Jesus, who always sees those that others do not see, who has compassion on the lowly and needy, sees and hears the cry of the blind beggar, Bartimaeus. Jesus tells some bystanders, “Call him.” And some of the bystanders, who just a few moments ago were telling Bartimaeus to go away, now tell him, “Take heart. Get up, He is calling you.” So Bartimaeus gets up and goes to Jesus. Jesus then asks him a simple, yet profound question: “What do you want me to do for you?” Even though Jesus is the one in control of the situation, even though Jesus knows the Bartimaeus’ heart and need even better than Bartimaeus does, He invites Bartimaeus to ask for what he wants. It is a reminder that Jesus wants a relationship with us. He wants us not to simply be passive recipients or bystanders with Him, but active participants. Jesus invites us to ask, and He wants us to exercise our wills. He wants us to hear Him and respond to Him. Remember what Jesus said to the crippled man at the Pool of Siloam? “Do you want to be healed?” Bartimaeus’ request is straightforward and from the heart: “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” Certainly, it was a request for a restoration of his physical sight, but it was also a plea for spiritual sight too. Bartimaeus the blind man, because of the crucible of his lowly condition, now understood something he did not know in his earlier life. He understood his need for God. He understood that he was spiritually blind and wanted to see clearly, as he had the faith to believe that Jesus the Messiah could give that to him too. Back in the Old Testament, when Solomon became king, the Lord came to him and invited him to ask of the Lord whatever he wanted. And Solomon asked not for riches or power, or the defeat of his enemies, but for wisdom, that he might rule God’s people well. God was very pleased by Solomon’s request, so he not only granted Solomon wisdom, but all those other things he didn’t ask for, but wanted. In the same way, Jesus was pleased with Bartimaeus’ request, and so he gave him not only his eyesight, but spiritual sight as well. He rewards Bartimaeus’ faith in Him, which contrasts with the lack of faith from Jesus’ own disciples. If Jesus was standing in right in front of you, and He asked you, “What do you want Me to do for you?” What would you ask for? The answer we would give would reveal a great deal about the state of our hearts. Jesus’ encounter with Bartimaeus shows us three things about our relationship with God: First, we need to be persistent. Second, we need to respond immediately when Jesus calls us. Third, our requests to Him need to be specific and concrete, the result of self-examination. We need to be desperately definite in our asking. Finally, we need to have faith in who Jesus is and what He can and will do. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the poem, “Blind Bartimaeus” and the final verses say this: “Ye that have eyes, yet cannot see, in darkness and in misery, recall those mighty voices three, (In Greek) “Jesus have mercy on me” “Take heart, get up, He is calling you” and “Your faith has made you well.” +In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. “[Jesus said], But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
+In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. In the movie, “A Man for All Seasons” John Hurt plays Richard Rich, an ambitious young man who comes to Sir Thomas More seeking a political appointment. More refuses him, instead offering him a job as a teacher. Later, when Thomas More gets in political trouble with King Henry, the King’s associate, Thomas Cromwell, offers Richard Rich the political appointment he covets if he provides any damaging information about More. Soon after, Richard Rich betrays More to King Henry’s men and is eventually named Attorney General for Wales. Ultimately, Thomas More is executed for refusing to endorse both Parliament’s declaration making King Henry the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the King’s marriage to Anne Boleyn. At the epilogue of the film, the narrator mentions the untimely deaths of the major figures of this episode, apart of Richard Rich, who he says, “Became Chancellor of England, and died in his bed.” One of the reasons why we are so disgusted with our politics and so mistrustful of politicians is because we see so few Thomas Mores, who are ready to sacrifice all for the sake of principle, and are instead governed by thousands of Richard Richs, who have no principle at all, except for a desire for position and power, and the prestige and honor that go with it. This desire for position and prestige, to be a part of the “Inner Ring” as C. S. Lewis called it, was a temptation even faced by Jesus’ disciples. In today’s Gospel lesson from St. Mark, we see this ambition among the disciples break out into the open. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, or as Jesus called them, “the sons of thunder” approach Jesus and ask him on the spot if He will place them on His right hand and on His left. It was a bold request. Essentially, what James and John were asking Jesus for was to be promoted from the Twelve to be the top two. After all, it was well understood in those days that if you sat on the right hand or the left hand of the ruler, that meant you were one of the ruler’s closest advisors, and your power was great, second only to the ruler himself. Jesus’ replay to this audacious request is to say, “You don’t know what you’re asking.” Here again, as we have seen so many times in the Gospels, Jesus rejects the premise of the question. James and John are asking the question based on a false understanding of who the Messiah is. James and John believe, like many of the disciples, that the Messiah is to be a King like King David—a great military and political ruler who will drive out the Romans and reestablish the Kingdom of Israel. And when Jesus establishes His Kingdom, they want to be senior members of His new government. They want to be a part of the new ruling elite. Like Richard Rich, they want an appointment at the royal court. Those of us who have been watching the current season of The Chosen on Wednesday evenings have noticed that the series speculates that James and John decided to make this request to Jesus as a result of Jesus’ declaration to Simon that, because of Simon’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah, Simon is now called “Peter” the Rock upon which Jesus will build His Church. And James and John are put off by what appears to be Jesus’ elevation of Simon to a special status. Meanwhile, when James and John’s mother hears about what happened, she admonishes them for not standing up and asking Jesus for what they want. This draws upon Matthew’s treatment of this incident, where his account states that it is James and John’s mother who makes the request of Jesus, thus suggesting that it is her ambition for them, not that of James and John. Nevertheless, James and John’s request is very misguided and reveals that the ambition and rivalry among the disciples is rooted in a profound misunderstanding of Jesus’ ministry and their place as followers of Jesus. Jesus explains this when He asks them, “Are you prepared to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” What Jesus is pointing out to them is that if they are going to reign with Him, then they must be prepared to endure and do the things that Jesus does. To “drink the cup” is an expression of enduring suffering and pain. To “be baptized” means to be fully immersed in something. Jesus is saying in effect, “If you want to stand with me, you must be prepared to suffer and die with Me.” James and John bravely respond that they can drink the cup and be baptized in this. Yet, Jesus then tells them that He has no authority to grant their request, that only the Father can and will determine such positions of honor. James and John’s request sparks anger and resentment among the other disciples, who perceive it to be an effort to gain status, and they are jealous of it. All this is clear evidence that they do not understand yet Jesus’ call to discipleship. Jesus then explains it to them. He tells them that the call to follow Him is not a call to lordship, but a call to humble service. Jesus says, “But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Once again, Jesus redefines the ministry of the Messiah and the meaning of true leadership and discipleship. It’s not about status. It’s about serving. Jesus is a King who has come to liberate and to rule. But He will not do it through armies and conquest. He will do it as the Servant King, who rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, not a great horse or chariot. Although He is Lord, He will wash His disciples’ feet. And He will conquer by going to the Cross and dying a painful and shameful death for the salvation of the world. As Jesus laid down His life for us, He bids us to follow Him by laying down our life and taking up our Cross. +In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. “And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’”
+In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. “Follow the money” is a famous line from the movie “All the President’s Men” about the Watergate scandal from the early 1970s. It was by following the money that the Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein were able to discover who was involved in the Watergate scandal and why. In politics, the expression means that if you want to know who is corrupt, look and see who is getting money and from whom. The expression “follow the money” is also very helpful when reflecting the state of our personal life. If you want to understand what your priorities are, look at your monthly expenses. In today’s Gospel lesson from St. Mark, we read about Jesus’ famous encounter with the rich young man. It’s a lesson in not simply the seductive effect of wealth on our soul and spirit, it is really a lesson on how idolatry can prevent us from growing in our life in God. The encounter begins when the rich young man approaches Jesus and asks Him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” It’s a big and important question! And Jesus takes it seriously. But Jesus’ response to the man’s question is to go deeper. Jesus doesn’t settle for the standard answer to the man’s question. Throughout the encounter, Jesus is examining the man’s heart and mind, inviting him to go deeper in his understanding and commitment. Initially, Jesus seems to be put off by the man’s question. He refuses to accept being addressed “Good teacher” as if he was rejecting any attempt at flattery. Jesus emphasizes that all earthly teachers a flawed and sinful, and that only God Himself is the truly good and holy teacher. Nevertheless, as the readers we know that since Jesus is the Son of God, then He is, in fact, good, and worthy to instruct the man on this subject or anything else pertaining to the spiritual life. Then Jesus takes the man through the Commandments. It’s a set up by Jesus. He knows that this is what the young man is expecting. And the young man eagerly replies that he has kept all of these from his youth. He’s proud of himself, as if to say, “look how good I’m doing!” Then Jesus takes the man where Jesus wants him to go. “And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Once again, we see that Jesus is not interested in mere external obedience. The young man had become very diligent in keeping the set of rules and commandments that God had laid out. Yet, something is still missing. The rich young man has not given all of himself to God. Rather, he prides himself on the progress he has made so far. And he has come to Jesus looking for affirmation and support. But Jesus tells him that while he’s doing pretty good, if he’s serious about going all the way with God he must take the next step. For the rich young man, that means selling all of his possessions. You see, he’s rich. And his wealth is a source of security and pride. He doesn’t need to depend on anyone. Not even God. And if the man has his wealth and possessions, he’s still in control. Or at least the illusion of it. He’s not ready to give that up. But if he’s serious about following God, he needs to. What is idolatry? Is it simply worshipping a man-made object? Or is it something deeper? What Jesus is telling us this morning is that idolatry is anything that we put in place of God. It is anything that we depend on for our safety and security outside of God. In an affluent society such as ours, money and possession are an idol for many. We put our security in that. We say, if I have my resources, then I’m okay, I can make it. On the other hand, it may not be money. It may be our looks, or our reputation. It may be our health. Or it may be our professional talents. And Jesus’ invitation to the rich young man is simply, “let go of that which you put your security and well-being. And live completely dependent upon Me.” That was the point where the rich young man needed to let go and really put his faith and trust in God. For you and me, it may be something else. Whatever you find to be the most difficult thing to let go of and give to God, it is on that point which you must yield, if you are going to reach that place of Christian maturity and joy that God wants you to have. Otherwise, you are trying to follow God in your own strength. For many of us, we know that there are certain parts of our life that we’re not ready to yield over to God. So we try to bargain with God: “I will do this and this for you, God, if you will just let me do this or keep this.” But He keeps bringing us back to that one place. And He says to us, “if you’re serious about following Me, you need to let go.” C.S. Lewis once wrote, “Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew those jobs needed doing and so you’re not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of—throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.” God isn’t interested in turning us into good people. Rather, He is looking to kill the old self, and resurrect us into new people who are like Him, so that we may share in His work and in His life. +In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. “[Jesus said], Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to one wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So, they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together let no man separate.”
+In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Marriage and family life are in a state of crisis in this country and throughout the developed world. Today, in the United States, more than 50% of all marriages end in divorce. 40% of all children are born outside of marriage. 60% of men ages 18 to 30 are unmarried. And the birthrate in the United States in 2021 was 1.66, with 2.00 being the replacement rate. We now live in a society where only a minority of households are married couples with children. Furthermore, there is an increasing unwillingness on the part of young people to get married or to even date. Many men are arguing that marriage, as it exists in the developed world today, is no longer a good investment for men, as no-fault divorce laws make it easy for couples to get divorced, with men bearing most of the financial costs while losing custody of their children. The bottom line is that marriage today is not seen as a holy sacrament established by God for the development of the family and the protection of children, it is seen as a vehicle for personal fulfillment only. Sadly, ungodly and selfish views about marriage are not a modern problem. As today’s Gospel lesson from St. Mark illustrates, ungodly views about marriage and relationships were common back in Jesus’ day. Today’s Gospel reading begins with yet another confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees, this time over the issue of divorce. And, as usual, the Pharisees set up the confrontation in the hopes of getting Jesus to say something heretical, so that they would have a basis for making the charge against Him. It begins with a seemingly innocuous question, “It is lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” In response, Jesus refers them back to the Law of Moses, asking, “What did Moses command you?” They reply that Moses allowed a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce. Jesus then tells the Pharisees that Moses’ commandment regarding divorce was not a strict provision making divorce a positive good and a right, but rather a concession to sinners who had put themselves in a bad situation. In those days, men had most of the rights in society. Only men had the right to divorce their wives. In Jesus’ time, there was a debate between the Shammai school, which argued that a man could only divorce his wife on the grounds of sexual immorality, while the Hillel school argued that a man could divorce his wife on any grounds. Rather than get caught up in this debate, Jesus tells them that God’s plan for marriage is much deeper and permanent than what they were asserting. God’s plan for marriage is rooted in creation, when God created humanity male and female in the Garden. Jesus tells them, “But from the beginning, of creation, God made them male and female. Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So, they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” Jesus is telling his hearers is that marriage is a holy covenant established by God in creation. God created us male and female to complement and care for one another, and to provide companionship. God established marriage as the fundamental building block of society, the vehicle by which men and women could love each other and raise children together. While marriage can be and ought to be personally fulfilling, it is better understood as a school for discipleship, the place where we as individuals learn to love and care for others and serve God and give glory to Him. Thus, Jesus declares that, in God’s eyes, there is no theology of divorce. Marriage is a permanent union between one man and one woman for life. That’s why Jesus says that those who divorce and remarry are guilty of the sin of adultery. It is a radical claim, even offensive to us in this era of divorce and remarriage. But it reflects Biblical teaching which declares that marriage is a solemn union made by God for a man and woman for life. The fact that that Moses established regulations concerning divorce in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 does not alter this basic understanding. Again, Moses established the regulations in recognition of human sinfulness. Sadly, we have lost this understanding of marriage as a holy, lifelong union between a man and a woman. We have lost the idea of marriage as a covenant, thinking of it today as a vehicle for personal fulfillment. As a result, we have serial marriage and divorce. Children bear the brunt of this chaos, and it is reflected in lower academic achievement in school, increased depression and anxiety, and in sometimes violent behavior. And adults pay the price too, with significant increases in loneliness and addiction. So what must we do? Let us recommit ourselves to the Biblical understanding of marriage as a lifelong covenant. Let us repent of our selfishness and our superficiality. We must make our marriages our number one priority and dedicate ourselves to making them strong. Divorce must be a last resort, rather than a first resort. And we must always keep God at the center of our marriages. Married couples need to make it a priority to worship together, pray together, and serve God together. Since we all live in the wake of the sexual revolution, none of us can claim any moral standing in the eyes of God. Rather, we must repent of our past sexual sins and turn to God. As it says in Ecclesiastes 4:12, “a threefold cord is not easily broken.” +In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. “And [Jesus]sat down and called the twelve. And He said to them, ‘If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.’”
+In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. This is an election year, and our election season has been full of controversy and conflict. At the heart of this conflict is a profound distrust of our government and of our institutions, including schools, businesses, and churches. And the heart of this mistrust is the increasing belief that these institutions are no longer serving the people they were created to serve but have become self-serving and unaccountable entities whose policies seem to benefit only those running the institution. Let me cite some examples: First, the Covid pandemic led to widespread lockdowns and mandates, including mask and vaccine mandates. There was a notable lack of transparency about the scientific data supporting these policies. Now, four years later, it has been revealed that there was little or no scientific data supporting lockdowns, mask mandates, or social distancing. Furthermore, the Covid vaccine that was given to millions of people was proven to be ineffective in many cases and led to harmful side effects in many others. None of these events has resulted in greater humility or transparency on the part of public health officials. Second, the American Big Three automakers are facing dealership revolts over the fact that the automakers embraced government mandates regarding EV’s and spent billions to make EVs that the public won’t buy. The dealers are stuck with inventory they cannot sell, while prices for internal combustion engine cars are driven higher by inflation and scarcity. While the leadership of these companies are starting to retreat on their commitment to EVs, executives continue to make huge salaries even as their companies lose money. Third, the leaders of many churches meekly submitted to government mandates to close their churches during the Covid pandemic. Only a few church leaders ever spoke out against government dictates to close churches. Many leaders, particularly in the Episcopal Church, imposed strict bans on church services, thus depriving their own people access to the Sacraments and to public worship. When you look at human history, you will discover that self-serving bad leadership is not unusual, it is commonplace. It was the norm during the time of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah after David and Solomon, with a few notable exceptions. And it was certainly true in Jesus’ time. And it is with this backdrop in mind that we discover that Jesus’ commandments regarding true leadership are both startling and inspiring. We discover that Jesus’ teaching about leadership is rooted in His way of exercising His ministry as the Messiah. Today’s passage from St. Mark’s Gospel begins with Jesus’ foretelling of His coming death and resurrection. Jesus tells them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him.” This statement is both painful and controversial to the disciples, because they expect Jesus to be a King David style Messiah, who will drive out the Romans and re-establish the Davidic monarchy. They expect that they will be a part of this new ruling elite. But Jesus’ statements underscore the fact that His Kingdom will be established not by war and conquest, but through the Cross. Jesus intends to be the suffering servant described in Isaiah 53. This truth is underscored later, when Jesus overhears the disciples arguing about who is the greatest among them. Many of us who have been watching The Chosen video series have noted that when Jesus responds to Simon’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus declares that Simon is now Peter the rock, and that Peter will be the leader of the disciples with the authority to act in Jesus’ name. This stirs up feelings of jealousy and rivalry among the disciples, who want to make a case for their own contributions to “the cause.” Jesus intervenes and gathers the disciples together to redirect them. He tells them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” This statement is a radical departure from what was the traditional method of leadership. In those days, as well as today, to be the leader was to be “large and in charge.” The leader was the boss, and you had to do what the leader said. The leader got special privileges, and he could act arbitrarily if he wanted to. The disciples witness this firsthand with the behavior of their Roman overlords and their local puppet rulers like King Herod. They even see it in the behavior of local tax collectors and the Jewish religious establishment. But Jesus turns their understanding and experience of leadership on its head. According to Jesus, being the leader does not make you “large and in charge.” Rather, the leader is the one who is “last of all and servant of all.” Jesus says that true leaders are the ones who serve others and put their needs first. True leaders are ones who put the needs of the institution, the customer and the public first, even children, who were usually overlooked in ancient times. Jesus demonstrates His own commitment by His life and ministry. He is constantly at work: healing, teaching, and serving. He washes the disciples’ feet. Then Jesus goes to the Cross and dies a painful and shameful death for the salvation of humanity. Jesus is the true Servant-King. His Kingship and His commandments are all rooted in obedience to His Father’s will and His love for all of us. Jesus is more than simply “large and in-charge.” For Jesus is, as it says in Luke 6:35, “kind to the ungrateful and evil.” In this way, then, Jesus defines leadership as discipleship. To lead means to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and to learn His ways. To lead means to embrace humility and accept responsibility. When I think about those who have been great leaders, they have all embraced these aspects of Jesus’ teaching: They put the needs of the organization and those around them first. They will do what they expect others to do. They are “the last of all and the servant of all.” +In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. “And when [Jesus] had entered the house, His disciples asked Him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ And He said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.’"
+In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The evangelical Bible teacher Joyce Meyer once said, “When trouble comes, do you go to the phone or to the throne?” To put it another way, if you believe that God loves you and that He answers prayer, does your prayer life reflect that belief? Today’s Gospel lesson from St. Mark addresses a fundamental question that we all must address for ourselves: How much faith do I have in God? Our passage today involves an encounter between Jesus and His disciples and a man whose son is possessed by an evil spirit. Now we all remember that Jesus gave His disciples the authority to go out in His name and preach the Kingdom of God and heal the sick and cast out demons. Here we have an instance where a man whose son is afflicted by an evil spirit goes to the disciples, but they are not able to cast the demon out. When Jesus is presented with this, His response is one of frustration and anger. He says, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?” We’re used to seeing Jesus being patient and kind in most situations, but this time, Jesus’ frustration comes out. We see this with Jesus during His encounters with the members of the Jewish religious establishment (the Pharisees and the scribes), and with His own disciples. Despite Jesus’ many miracles, despite His teaching, and despite the miracles that the disciples themselves perform, their faith is lacking. On so many occasions, people do not respond in faith, but in unbelief. Jesus then asks that the boy (and his father) be brought to Him. The boy immediately bursts into convulsions, and Jesus begins to question the father about what is going on with his son. And after explaining to Jesus the situation, the father then says, “If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus is dismayed by the father’s words “if you can,” indicating the father’s lack of faith. Jesus says, “If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” Sadly, for most of us, we’re like the father of that demon possessed boy. We wonder if God can or will do anything. We don’t really believe that prayer works. So, we fret, we complain, and do pretty much anything except prayer. Nothing really improves, and our mood gets worse. We find ourselves either slipping into despair or resentment. Fortunately, the father’s response to Jesus’ exhortation is helpful here. He says, “Lord I believe; help my unbelief!” It is this honesty and transparency that God can use. The father confesses that while he does believe, he knows that his faith is weak and that he needs help, not just with the problem, but with his own unbelief! Do we have the courage to show that kind of honesty with God? Are we willing to humble ourselves and ask for more faith? Jesus responds to the father’s heartfelt plea and heals the man’s son. And when the episode is over, Jesus’ disciples approach Him privately and ask Him point blank, “Why could we not cast it out?” And Jesus replies to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” Have you ever wondered why God seems to be at work in the lives of others, but appears to be doing nothing with yours? Do you feel like God is not listening to your prayers? The problem is not with God. The problem is with you. It is your faithlessness reflected in your lack of prayer. Jesus is telling His disciples that because their faith is weak, that their prayer life (or lack thereof) reflects that level of faith. We say that we need something from God, but we offer up halfhearted prayers. We say that something is very important to us, but we spend very little time in the throne room with God talking to Him about it. There’s a scene from the movie “The Untouchables” where lawman Elliot Ness (played by Kevin Costner) is talking to his friend, the Chicago beat cop, Jim Malone (Played by Sean Connery). Elliot Ness is frustrated at his lack of progress in bringing down Al Capone. The police and the courts cannot be trusted, as they are bought by Capone. And Malone says, to Ness, “What are you prepared to do?” Malone tells Ness that if he is going to beat Capone, he’s going to have to go much farther and harder than ever before. What are you prepared to do to get your answer from God? Jacob wrestled with an angel. Hannah went to the temple every day for years to pray. Throughout the Bible we read about people praying for years, often with tears, and fasting too. You see, the point of prayer is not to let God know our need. The point of prayer is two-fold; to give us time with God and then to be changed by our encounters with Him. It’s pretty straightforward: more time with God in prayer leads to closer fellowship with God, which in turn leads to greater faith in God. +In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. “And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.’” +In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C. S. Lewis once wrote, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” Just as the light of the sun makes us able to see our world around us, so in the same way, Jesus, who is the Light of the world, gives us the ability to see and understand God and ourselves more clearly. Today’s account from St. Mark’s Gospel gives us not simply yet another example of Jesus’ power to heal, it is an example of how Christ has the power to set us free from our prison of sin and death—that is, before we were saved by Christ we were lost in our ignorance, and we could not hear or understand the truth. You remember that in the scriptures, one of the marks of God’s power and presence was the healing and deliverance of people oppressed by deafness, blindness, and the inability to speak. The Old Testament prophets wrote about how at the great Day of the Lord, the deaf would hear, the blind would see, the lame walk and the mute speak. In Matthew 11, the imprisoned John the Baptist sends some of his disciples to Jesus to ask Him if He is truly the Messiah. Jesus responds to John’s question by replying, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.” All this was to remind John that these were the signs of the Messiah, that God is at work through Him. In our Gospel lesson this morning, we have St. Mark’s account of Jesus healing a deaf man with a speech impediment. What is noteworthy in this encounter is that Jesus doesn’t simply heal the man by the power of His Words. Jesus uses physical actions to bring healing to the man: He puts His fingers into the man’s ears, and He spits on the man’s tongue. This is a reminder of what I said to you last week; that God can use physical things to effect spiritual results. By using placing His fingers into the man’s ears and spitting on the man’s tongue, Jesus is demonstrating His power and desire to heal or spiritual deafness and blindness. “And looking up to heaven, He sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha,’ that is, be opened. And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.” With these words, Jesus not only heals the man’s physical handicaps, but He goes deeper into the man’s heart and spirit to open his understanding of God’s love and truth. Furthermore, Jesus’ words serve to open the understanding of all those present, including His disciples. Jesus is no mere man, no mere prophet, but He is the Messiah, the God-Man who has come to save us from our sins. “And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.’” The people wanted a King David style Messiah. They wanted a Messiah to drive out the Romans and reestablish the Davidic monarchy as is described in the Book of Chronicles. But Jesus is so much more. Jesus has come to liberate us from our spiritual bondage, from the prison of sin and self. Jesus wants us to finally believe in Him so that we may understand. I remember when I didn’t know Christ. I understood nothing. I didn’t know His love for Me. I didn’t know that life was supposed to be so much different and better. I didn’t know that great plans that God had for me. I didn’t know how much I needed saving, how much I needed Him. You might say that I didn’t know what I didn’t know! When Jesus revealed Himself to me, He healed me of my blindness, my deafness, and my inability to speak. I began to see, hear, and to understand. He gave me the Word of truth so that I could speak it to others. My friends, this is what we all need. We need Jesus to say to us, “Ephphatha, be opened,” so that we might truly come to know and understand who He is, so that by Him, we might truly see ourselves and everything else. +In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “Hear Me, all of you and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” +In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Law versus Grace has been perhaps the longest debate among Christians when it comes to living a live of discipleship. The argument generally boils down to two questions: Should I try to do all the right things? Or should I simply try to love God and let Him take care of the rest? And the answer is yes. Yes, I should try to keep all of God’s commandments, to do the right thing, and I should simply love God and let Him take care of my life. Both are true. The problem that we get into, and Jesus points it out in today’s Gospel lesson from St. Mark, is that we have a disturbing tendency to turn God’s laws into a human legalistic religious system. And by trying to follow a man-made religious system, we end up with mere external obedience, and unchanged hearts. Once again, we see that Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees, the members of a Jewish religious order that was highly respected by the people for their knowledge of the Law and for their diligent efforts to apply it to their lives. Here, we read them criticizing Jesus because His disciples did not strictly observe the ceremonial laws concerning cleanliness with respect to the washing of hands. Jesus’ response is to chide the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. That is, Jesus points out that the Law of Moses does not require the strict regimen of handwashing that the Pharisees are promoting. What the Pharisees are advocating for is a tradition that was established by the Jewish elders. Furthermore, Jesus is asserting that in their calling out of His disciples, the Pharisees are revealing their own hypocrisy, because their hearts are not motivated by love for God, but by the desire to appear pure in the sight of others. Jesus then cites a specific example of this. He reminds them of the commandment to “Honor your father and your mother,” and that they teach that those who do not do so are deserving of death. Yet, at the same time, Jesus reminds them that they have added a loophole: if you declare something “corban” or set aside for the Lord, you could withhold money from your parents, money that could be used to alleviate their suffering and poverty in their old age (After all, there was no Social Security back then). Thus, Jesus declares that in their effort to promote a human religious system, they are neglecting the commandment of God, pursuing worldly righteousness at the expense of godliness. But Jesus doesn’t stop there. Jesus then addresses the whole realm of dietary laws. Now, we do find strict dietary laws in the Law of Moses (the first five books of the Bible). But a proper understanding of these dietary laws was the God was teaching the people of Israel obedience. That is, there is no moral reason for the Israelites to avoid eating pork or shellfish (though one could make a case for health reasons). In effect, God was telling the Israelites to avoid eating these foods out of obedience (because God said so). Now Jesus takes up this issue and tells the Pharisees that eating the wrong kind of food does not make you impure. Why, because all the food you eat is processed through your body’s digestive system and passed out of the body. Jesus declares, ‘Hear Me, all of you and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” We are not defiled by the things that we eat, or even by the things that we see and experience around us. Rather, we are defiled by the things that come out of our hearts: in our thoughts, our words, and our actions. St. Mark writes, “Thus He declared all foods clean.” Jesus then gives specific examples, saying, “For within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these things come from within, and they defile a person.” What Jesus wants each of us to understand is that our task as disciples is to nurture and grow the life of God in our hearts and souls. We are to engage in activities that help us do that. That is the purpose of the spiritual disciplines; things like attending Mass, prayer, fasting, confession, works of mercy and service, evangelism, loving our neighbor as ourselves. All of this is meant to help us grow the life of God inside our hearts. It is meant to be the antidote to the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. So the best test of my spiritual maturity in Christ is not how many times a day that I pray, or how much I give to the poor or to the church, but it is best measured by the things that Jesus mentioned—evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. Do I have these things in my heart? Am I working to purge these from my spiritual system? Ultimately, we need to remember that we are engaging in a spiritual war for our own souls. To that end, St. Paul exhorts us, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” +In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. |
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