Gospel

Mark 9:41-50

Jesus said to his disciples:

""Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink

because you belong to Christ,

amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

""Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,  

it would be better for him if a great millstone

were put around his neck

and he were thrown into the sea.

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.

It is better for you to enter into life maimed  

than with two hands to go into Gehenna,

into the unquenchable fire.

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.

It is better for you to enter into life crippled  

than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.

Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye

than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,

where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

""Everyone will be salted with fire.

Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,

with what will you restore its flavor?

Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.""

Reflection

Jesus continues his desire to make sure his disciples understand the heart of ministry. It's not about being great, it's about being humble. Being a servant. So he uses these three images of amputation, which is a very strong point, but what he's really saying is your hand, it's about doing things, so if you ever think that you have to do things perfectly and better than anyone else, you're in trouble.

It'd be better to be limited. If your foot is your problem, it's about where you are supposed to be. Do you want to be at the top of the heap? Is that the whole issue? Better to be unable to get to the top and amputate your foot. And if your eye is your problem, do you think you need to see everything, understand everything, and be the wisest person in the room?

No. Better to be unable to see fully. All of it is about being transformed by accepting our weaknesses. Our weaknesses is often what makes us the greatest. You put salt on a wound, it burns. Fire is an image of a burning, a purification. It's interesting that Jesus is telling his disciples that when you experience an inability to do things, that can be a blessing and you can have peace, knowing greatness is not about doing, it's about being.

Closing Prayer

Father, those of us who are ministers. Those of us who are in charge of people's spiritual journey, we are often looked upon as being the ones who know everything, or who achieved everything, and nothing is further from the truth. We’re as human and is frail as anyone in our communities, and when we accept that, and when we are honest about that, then there is the gift of being a true minister. Someone who brings hope, someone who brings peace. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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