Jesus will accept us – with our faults – and love us
Many people confront the reality of their own death quite prematurely. It may be a car accident, or a diagnosis of a serious medical condition; however it comes, the confrontation with death is life changing.
Jesus again foretells his death and Resurrection
In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus confronting this reality and trying to explain this to his obtuse disciples. Jesus did not need a crystal ball to realise that if he travelled to Jerusalem and continued to teach about God’s reign as he had been doing, then his teaching would put him in conflict with the authorities. He had the examples of prophets in the Old Testament who were persecuted and killed because their message was unacceptable. In our own time, the leader for democracy in Burma, Ang San Suu Kyi, would surely have known that her decision to return to Burma and enter into its political struggle would place her freedom and life at risk. Knowing the likely consequences, she, like Jesus, chose to be faithful to her vision. Oscar Romero, Benazir Bhutto and Martin Luther King provide further examples of men and women who faced the reality that the likely consequences of their choices would be death.
If Jesus looked to his disciples for support, he was sadly let down. While he walked towards his death, the disciples had plans of their own – who would be the greatest in the coming Kingdom! This section of Mark’s Gospel needs to be considered in its total context.
The ‘blindness’ of the disciples is framed by the two healings of blind men. Mark frequently uses this type of structure to bring narrative and theology together. The outer ‘frame’ acts as a commentary on what is happening in the narrative – in this case, it points to the deep blindness of the disciples.
From this point in Mark’s Gospel, the disciples will consistently fail in their understanding of Jesus and fear will undermine their loyalty to him. Remember that the Gospel was produced decades after the Resurrection, and it was written for a particular community. It is worth considering why the Gospel author presented the disciples in such a negative light. By the time of the Gospel, some of these disciples, such as Peter and James, have died for their faith, so it is strange that these great figures are presented so poorly. Scholars believe this is a deliberate technique of Mark to teach his community and Christians of all time, that disciples do not have to be perfect, that failure does not stop one from being a disciple. Jesus remains faithful even to failing disciples.
We see in this Gospel the ambition of the disciples, we read of their vying with one another for the best positions. Jesus’ response is clear – “If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.” We must be people of service to others – this is the heart of our Christian faith and the centre of our Ursuline Charism.
Today, we know something of the way we can project onto others our own inner demons, and then instead of grappling with our own truth, painful though it may be, we demonise the other. We can do this with individuals, and we can do this with groups. But this is the easy way out. Real truth, and the peace and freedom that come with knowing ourselves, warts and all, requires quiet contemplative time. As Christians, we need not do this alone, for in prayer we can call upon Jesus to be our friend and guide, leading us on the way to truth and life. He will accept us – with our faults – and love us.
Prayer for the week
“We need no wings to go in search of God, but have only to find a place where we can be alone and look upon Him present within us.”
These words were written by St. Teresa of Avila in her book The Way of Perfection. These words of the saint contain three essential steps for fruitful mental prayer. First, we must be searching for God; second, we must be willing to be alone with Him; and third, we need but look upon Our Lord, who is present within us.
In the name of the Father, in the name of the Son and the name of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.
St Angela Merici – pray for us
St Ursula – protect our future
In the name of the Father, in the name of the Son and the name of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
