Ignoring the Message

Gospel: Luke 9: 46-50

Jesus has repeatedly told the disciples that he will be arrested and executed by the religious leaders and worldly powers.  He states quite clearly that to be the Messiah of God is to serve others and to suffer.  Naturally the disciples respond by arguing about who is the most important among them, who has the authority and power.  Jesus again has to rebuke them, reminding them that service to others is the criterion of importance in the kingdom of God.

No sooner does Jesus finish that lesson to the disciples that they come upon someone healing and showing mercy to others in Jesus' name, and they want to rebuke this man because he is not part of their club.  Once again Jesus has to rebuke them, for they are more interested in exercising control and power over others than they are in extending mercy to others.  Despite the repeated rebukes and the example Jesus provides, the disciples continue to ignore the message.  

It should come as no surprise when this dynamic of ignoring these lessons of Jesus continue unabated from that time to the present.  When apologetics about primacy, authority, and membership take precedent over the mission of mercy to which Jesus calls us, we repeat this Gospel scene again and again.  The Lord's rebuke echoes to this very day, inviting us back to the mission to heal others, liberate people from their demons, and nourish them at table. 

A Tale of Two Tables

Gospel: Matthew 21: 28-32

A man had two sons.  Both sinned, but one regretted it and changed his behavior, doing what was required.  The other son did not.  Jesus ate with two different sets of people: tax collectors and prostitutes at one table, and scribes and Pharisees at the other.  Both sets of people were sinners, but one group regretted their sins and worked to live otherwise, while the other group did not as they saw themselves as sinless.  They talked about being faithful, but their actions, or lack of actions, said otherwise.

Notice the conversation at each table.  At the one, the tax collectors and prostitutes are talking with Jesus and listening.  There is authentic encounter, an opportunity for transformation.  At the other table, the Pharisees and scribes are talking to Jesus and talking about the sins of others.  Here there is no real encounter, no opportunity for transformation.  At that table there is only room for oneself, everyone else being unworthy to be in our presence, even the Lord Jesus.

How similar we are to the Scribes and Pharisees!  How often do we speak of faith but do not practice it.  How often do we speak of the sins of others, excluding others from the table, but do not see our own sin.  Regardless of our theological and liturgical bent the Lord's table more often is that of the Pharisee and Scribe, that of the son who did not do his Father's will, than we care to admit.  May today be our prayer of the Publican - Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. 

What Must Happen

Gospel: Luke 9: 43-45

It is relatively early in the public ministry of Jesus.  In the eyes of the disciples everything is going very well.  Jesus and his followers have been going from town to town healing people, feeding them at table, freeing them from their demons.  Large crowds are following them wherever they go.  Surely Jesus is the Messiah.  In no time at all Israel will be restored and they will be in power in the restored kingdom.  How could it be otherwise?

But Jesus continually tells them that he will be handed over to the authorities and be executed?  How could this be true? Sure, here and there they have had disputes with Pharisees and other religious authorities, but look at all the good that is being done!  Look at the crowds and how popular Jesus is with them!  Surely the religious and political leaders see the good, see the popularity.  They would not dare execute Jesus!

Yet, Jesus will be right.  The authorities will indeed arrest him and execute him.  Jesus realized what should be obvious to us all by now: those in authority do not care about the good done for people or popularity based on this good.  They care only about their own power, privilege, and influence.  Jesus' good deeds and popularity threatened those things.  So Jesus must die.  We struggle to accept it, but this is the way of the world, the way of the cross, the way to the empty tomb.