GOSPEL OF MARK CHAPTERS 3-4

SCRIPTURE

 MARK 3:23-30

the unpardonable sin

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,”^* and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons

 Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.  Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit^* will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin. ”For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

WHOEVER BLASPHEMES AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

WILL NEVER RECEIVE FORGIVENESS

REFLECTION

This Scripture reading begins with Jesus being falsely accused then he summons them which means for me he told these misguided leaders to pay attention.  Jesus teaches with authority, remember, and sometimes like with students it is hard for a Teacher to get across to students what they need to know. Jesus points out in parable it makes no sense if I was the devil casting out devils.

This makes me think of division in our Church and in our Country.  A tool of the devil is division, generate fear of other, separate us from each other, and separate us from God.  When we have “fear” and “doubt” be wary of the devil.  God is a God of Peace.  Be Not Afraid.  God is a God of unity.  That all may be one.

Because these scribes accused Jesus of having an unclean spirit they have committed the unpardonable sin.  They have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit.  These scribes rejected the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to acknowledge Jesus as God.

Jesus stood right before them and they accused Him of being the devil instead of the Son of God. “Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin” Mark 3:29

The only unpardonable sin for us too, today is that of continued unbelief. There is no pardon for a person who dies in his rejection of Christ. The Holy Spirit is at work in the world, convicting the unsaved of sin, righteousness, and judgment John 16:8

 SCRIPTURE

 MARK 3:31-34

who are my brothers and sisters?

His mother and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to him and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers^* and your sisters are outside asking for you.” But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

HERE ARE MY MOTHER AND BROTHERS

REFLECTION

We don’t know for sure why his mother and other relatives) came to see him.  Jesus had no brothers or sisters, a common term for any relative.  Maybe they missed him.  Maybe they were worried about him.  Maybe they just liked to hear him preach.  At any rate the crowd wanted to call attention to his Mother and relatives that were seeking him, acceptable hospitality on the part of the crowd, but Jesus had a response no one anticipated.

Jesus said to those seated around Him that they were His mother and brothers!  Why because they were doing the will of God in choosing Jesus, the Word of God.  Nothing is more important than the will of God including family members. Yes we must choose God over family members, if necessary, and that may complicate things but is a family member worth separating from God.

Reminds me of the Martha and Mary story.  Jesus was not criticizing Martha when she asked him to tell her sister to help with preparations for the meal.  The Lord said in gentle manner, Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” So many things we obsess about but only one necessary thing, How are we and God doing?

 SCRIPTURE

MARK 4:26-34

Jesus describes kingdom of heaven in a parable

He said, “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed^j on the land

and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how

Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.”

THE SPIRIT BLOWS WHERE IT WILLS

REFLECTION

We don’t have to wait for the next life to share in the kingdom of heaven.  The kingdom grows here on earth by the seeds that are sown by the Holy Spirit and the faith we share with others. It grows and grows into a great Mystical Body of Christ.  Christ is the head and we are the body.  Heaven is a sharing in the divine life of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.  Why wait!  Begin now to share in the Divine Life through faith in Jesus.

The Sower that sows the seed knows not how it grows and comes to harvest. Just like we don’t know how our prayers and good deeds affect others. So let’s get busy and flinging those good seeds about and where they land nobody knows but God knows.  The Spirit moves where it wills. “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8

SCRIPTURE

 MARK 4:35-41

 be still and know I am God

 On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up.

 Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”^* The wind ceased and there was great calm.

 Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

BE STILL AND KNOW I AM GOD

REFLECTION

Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Did Jesus care, of course He did but he knew they weren’t going to perish.  Isn’t it something how God knows more than we do.  Jesus spent a good amount of time with his disciples, telling them not to be afraid.  Why was that?  Because the only thing to fear is separation from God. To demonstrate that, Jesus performed another miracle hoping they would get it this time. Jesus stood His ground, ““Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm.

Just to check out whether his apostles got it yet, He asked, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith? I put emphasis on the word yet.  How long is it going to take?  How long is it going to take for us?

How is going on our own,  depending just on yourself?  We know we are going to suffer.  Is it better to complain and shake our fists at the world or to welcome Jesus into our every experience?  God never gives us more than we can handle if we are united to Him.  Go it alone?  Go with God?

They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”Do we know the answer?  Are we still filled with awe like children when God intercedes in our experiences!

I deliberately chose a modern version of a picture of Jesus calming the sea to remind us that same Jesus, that same God today, will calm our turbulence if we only ask as we make our way to the safe harbor of heaven.