The Wrong Answer

Gospel: Matthew 16: 21-27

In the passage prior to today's Gospel portion, Peter provided an insightful answer about Jesus, and for that Jesus praised him.  Since then, apologists have used that passage to create an entire ecclesiology, ignoring two important elements.  The first is today's portion, an event that takes place just after Peter's confession.  Here, Peter gets it very wrong about Jesus and his mission, for which Jesus calls him a Satan, rebuking him in the most severe terms.  

Peter had made true statements about Jesus, that he was Messiah and Son of God, but Peter did not understand at all what those statements meant.  For him, the idea of Jesus being arrested and put to death at the hands of the state and religious leaders made no sense.  The Messiah was supposed to drive out the occupying empire and purify the religion of Israel, returning her to some period of past glory, making Israel great again.  But Jesus is not that figure at all - not then, not now.  

The second error of the apologists is in thinking that the Gospels exist to justify our own notions of ecclesiology and theology.  The Gospels exist for us to know the Lord Jesus and to become like him in our lives.  They document our own moments of insight as well as our own misunderstandings about Jesus.  Our own lives are reflected in the figures of the disciples in our own walk with Jesus.  If we want a lot of wrong answers, follow the apologists.  If we want to know Jesus better, place yourself in the Gospel itself.

Whom do We Serve?

Gospel: Mark 6: 17-29

We ought not be surprised when those in power take vengeance on those who rebuke them for their misdeeds and injustices.  Nor should we be surprised when those same ruling powers make decisions on a whim, even those that result in the death of another person merely because of pleasure, convenience, and events wholly unrelated to the life of the person in question.  These events and decisions are endemic to the ruling class and elites of the world.

Unfortunately, we also are no longer surprised when clergy and religious leaders put their lot in with the ruling powers of the world - when the religiously clad bless such injustices or at the very least say nothing at all when people are trampled upon by the ruling elite.  We might be saddened, but we ought not be surprised, when religious leaders choose to become chaplains of the empire rather than pastors and guardians of the defenseless sheep.  

In life and in death John the Baptist was the forerunner to the Lord Jesus.  John and Jesus lived prophetic lives of love, mercy, and care for others.  Both suffered death at the hands of the powers of this world and with the blessing and silence of the religious institutions of the day.  For those who choose a life of religious dedication, a further choice lies before us: will we follow the path of the professional religious elites, or the way of John the Baptist and Jesus? 

A Test of Perseverance

Gospel:  Matthew 25: 1-13

The parable of the wise and foolish virgins begins a series of images Jesus provides on various qualities essential to the spiritual life.  The image of the lamp is representative of wisdom itself, but not for its own sake.  It is the wisdom that accompanies charity and care for others, of providing the light and warmth of mercy and loving kindness that is the essence of authentic religion.  This parable hearkens back to Jesus telling us to let our light shine that our good deeds may be seen and enlighten others.  

In the beginning of our spiritual journey we are eager and avid in providing this light for others.  But for some their light grows dim and tired.  They have run out of oil, run out of zeal for mercy.  The first instinct is to borrow from others, but this is an unwise move as it will drain others and not fully meet your needs either.  We must return to the source, but we find now that we have missed the opportunity to serve the Lord in others.  We lacked wisdom and lost the glow of our charity.  

Wisdom is the recognition that the spiritual life is a marathon, not a sprint.  It is the realization that we must always have what we need to adequately provide light and warmth, mercy and love for others throughout our entire journey of life.  Today is a day for us to check our lamps and our provisions of oil, to be adequately supplied with the wisdom we need in order to be the light of the world, to be the love and mercy of God on earth.