Mark 9:30-37 The Last Shall Be First

What does Jesus mean by “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”   I know some good people who sit at the back of the churches because of this reading, but they've often shortened the phrase to: the last shall be first and the first last, omitting the part about being a servant to all.

I was recently speaking with a friend who openly admitted that the was the jealous type.  So am I.  I think it is common to jealously guard our friends, families, our positions, what we've done, etc.   Our natures tend to be like that.  It is what we see from the Apostles in today's readings, they each believe that they have put in the time and effort and deserve to be considered the 'greatest' one of the group. How many times have we been like that?  Haven't we all done a good job at something and desired someone to say, "Hey, you did a great job." 

Jesus indicates that we should let it go and not let our personal jealousy that leads to pride get in the way of doing our work.  It is echoes in the first reading from the letter of St. James: 
Adulterers!
Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God?
Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover of the world
makes himself an enemy of God.
Or do you suppose that the Scripture speaks without meaning when it says,
The spirit that he has made to dwell in us tends toward jealousy?
But he bestows a greater grace; therefore, it says:
God resists the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.

James is talking not necessarily about the physical relationship between people who are not married, but more metaphorically about our "marriage covenant" as it is between us and God, as his people for whom he sent his only son for our salvation.  Should we turn away from him for the pleasures of the earth, for our innate jealousies and pride instead of accepting the grace that he gives us so that we can be united with him, then we become his enemies.  Therefore, Jesus reminds us today, that we need to be humbled, that we need to serve others to preserve those graces, continue that abundant love of God, and letting it flow.  Hard to do?  Maybe.  However, it is readily seen in caregivers, and families who are at hospitals with loved ones.  This is merely one example.  There are so many more.  We need merely open our eyes to it. 

Mark 6:53-56 Crossing the Waters

Marriage is a reflection of the relationship that we have with God, and the Church's relationship with Christ.  For those reasons it is very sacred. Two of the sets of relationships that we are given in today's Gospel are the intimate relationship between Jesus and the Apostles after they have been called, and that between Christ and the people whom he loves and has great compassion for. 

A Jesuit taught me once that for better understanding of the Gospel sometimes it is helpful to put yourself into the story.  I imagined myself as one of the Apostles.  It was almost overwhelming until I realized that it is how we are called to service even now in our personal lives.  Then I imagined myself as one of the people waiting for the Lord, and recognizing him.  How I realized that this was my true Spouse, the one from the Song of Songs, whom I would recognize as a lover and want to be with always: the one whose gentle touch could free me from everything around me, pulling me out of troubled thoughts, and make me forget everything around me as we joined thoughts and are healed in that communion. It reminded me of the prayer of St. Ignatius: "Lord receive my liberty, my memory, my understanding and my will...give me only your love and grace, and that is enough for me." 

But there is another entity entirely missed within the story: the Sea of Gennesaret.  The beautiful sea created by God himself and animated with the movement of the Spirit.  Upon its surface the light is reflected.  The sea is molded and shaped by the Master continuously. From within it comes forth life.  Yet when others and perhaps even the sea itself seems barren, the Lord commands the nets be lowered into its deepest parts, which brings forth abundant life, like the Lord himself living within the deepest parts of us just waiting for us to need him enough to be seen and heard from those quiet recesses within.  We are more than that too.  We are the sea which becomes that vessel carrying Christ and his teaching to others; we are the living water bringing a quenching drink to the thirsty and food to the hungry through His generosity when we share his Way, his Truth, and his Life.  The people we read about today are healed by the mere touching of the Lord's tassel.  Are we that that vessel of his love too? 

Every day I pray this prayer, and today it finds new meaning. I share it here with you.

 "Lord, temper my heart with the fire of your mercy

so that I may be a worthy vessel for your love. Amen. "

~ H. Hurley

John 3:22-30 The Bridegroom

John the Baptist gives the description of Jesus as the Bridegroom in today's Gospel.  John said, "No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.  You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ, but that I was sent before him.  The one that has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice.  So this joy of mine has been made complete.  He must increase; I must decrease."  John knew that Jesus was the anointed Christ.  It was merely his job as prophet to prepare the way.  He is witness to God made manifest. 

The Bridegroom has deep meaning in Jewish culture.  Marriage, as indicated by the Song of Solomon, shows the deep yearning and union of the bride and bridegroom.  It is also a sign of God's love to his people.  Christ Jesus is the Bridegroom.  Who is the bride?  Who did Christ come to save?  The people, we, are the bride.  As one people of faith, we are the Church, and so the Church is also the Bride.  May we keep ourselves ever present to our Bridegroom and the Kingdom of God which is at hand.