Gospel: Mark 7: 31-37
Time and again in the Gospels Jesus tells people not to tell anyone about the miracle he has provided them in their lives. In today's reading the injunction is even more pronounced: he strictly ordered them to tell no one. But we always know better than Jesus. Look at all the people following us! And look at all the money coming in! Look all we can do with it all, and look at all the influence we can have with such a large following!
That's exactly why Jesus told us not to tell anyone. Jesus is utterly indifferent to the crowds, and quite often he is leery of them. They - we - want to make him a king, but that is not what he is about. And how often did Jesus condemn the love of money and reprimand the rich! Money was also not something Jesus trusted. And we are more likely to spend that money on episcopal palaces and private jets for the pastor than we would on care for the poor.
If we are not willing to obey Jesus in this particular matter, in what other areas will we find ourselves in opposition to him? If we put in our lot with the crowds and moneyed interests, we will find ourselves demeaning the poor and the marginalized; scapegoating immigrants, refugees, and migrants; justifying violence of every kind. And we will create a twisted theology to justify all these things so that we might still call ourselves Christians...
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