Jesus Sits Down

Proper20BPentecost17, Sullivan Park Care Center, September 20, 2015 by Annette Fricke

            In this particular passage in the Gospel according to Mark, Jesus is with his disciples, alone and away from the crowds.  The location stated is only that they had passed through Galilee.  Here comes the second prediction of Jesus’ death.  The response is simply that they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.  His disciples have been with Jesus long enough to understand that what they do hear and what they do understand about this is that it scares them.  It scares them to the point that they are surely wondering to themselves, “What is Jesus up to now?”  Yes, they have certainly noticed that Jesus seems to be teaching his own take of the previous prophecies and teachings of Judaism.  But at some point, won’t our way of thinking be vindicated?  Won’t Jesus’ kingdom come here on earth?  Just how will this all pan out? Doesn’t that prayer he taught us imply the coming of God’s reign here on earth?  A part of us really wants to know what Jesus is all about and the other part doesn’t.  Where will Jesus teachings really lead us if we follow his core teaching, you know, that stuff about love and grace and being a servant of others and all?

            Everything is fine with us when we are on top of it all, when we are in control or in charge.  We watch with anticipation as people, who are a part of this nation, participate in the preliminary debates to see who will be chosen to represent the best candidate for president.  The two major political parties of Democrat and Republican will choose who they think would make the best president and carry on the ideals of each ones party.  It’s a gross oversimplification, but basically the Republicans would like to advance free enterprise and Democrats want to see government run programs.  The country is always divided as seen in the fact that we have historically had presidents from both parties.  The process of debate over the current issues will keep going for several months, because even after a candidate and running mate are chosen, the actual election won’t happen till next year and inauguration the January after that.  But as I said last Sunday, the process is not as important as the context.

            The disciples lived in a world of religious divisions and political conflict.  The disciples really thought that they would be in places of power in Jesus’ kingdom and they would be the stronghold that would overturn the oppressive Roman government. In the context of Jesus’ telling them that he would suffer and die and be betrayed, the disciples were discussing who was the greatest among them. Unlike last Sunday’s text, this one uses the word, ‘betrayal.’  The disciples clearly do not understand what Jesus is saying to them.  They likely thought that Jesus meant that he would be betrayed by someone other than the disciples.  After all, they were the faithful followers.  They would never follow him with the attitude of “what’s in it for me”, --or would they?  And when the going got too rough, surely they would not betray their master.  However, Jesus does not address the betrayal aspect of the disciples just yet.  He picks up on the “what’s in it for me” of their natural and cultural leanings.

            Those who have studied courses beyond the bachelor’s level of Psychology know about behavioral therapy.  The basic premise if behavioral therapy is this: a person is motivated to certain behaviors dependent upon reward.  If the reward for an addiction is greater than to be without that addiction, that addiction will continue unabated.  It is a simple theory, but one that has held for a very long time.  In a substitution method, there has to be an adequate substitute for the addiction in order for the addiction to become extinct.  In other words, the cultural power and status usually wins out in our society because it is tied to security.  If I am in charge, my needs will always be met.  On the other hand, it is a denial that we are always living in a secure world.  One of my teachers used to always tell us in high school that there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes.  The problem is that the disciples thought that they had security in following Jesus, but found out in fact, that following Jesus was actually following a path of insecurity.  The waters of life will never be clear except for brief moments when it really does seem, by God’s grace that we are following Jesus and where Jesus would want us to be.  Our lives are like that of the first disciples.  They are full of passion, fear, conflict, and misunderstanding.  Most of the time, we travel through life as though we’re deaf, blind, and mute.  The “seeing through a glass darkly” that St. Paul mentions is a very accurate picture of what life on earth is like.  We partake in the sacrament of the bread and wine, the Lord’s Supper, because we believe that is probably as close as we will get to being able to see or touch Jesus. Again, if we look as through a magnifying glass, we see the sacrament in the words placed before us in the passion predictions as well as our response that we make almost on a daily basis.  Just like the disciples of Jesus day, we stumble in the dark, looking desperately for illumination and guidance.  Where Jesus, do you want me to be? And please assure me that I am headed down the best path towards you.

            Jesus asks the disciples, “What are you arguing about?”  They are embarrassed and are silent.  They know that if they are honest and tell Jesus what’s really on their minds that Jesus will be disappointed in them.  Jesus sits down.  This is significant, when a rabbi sits down, the purpose is to teach.  This is a teaching moment for the disciples.  What is Jesus talking about when he says that whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all?  In Jesus’ day, children were the property of their parents until that day when they married or were given in marriage.  A marriage was by arrangement of the parents.  Children were the lowest status of the society.  They are not in a position to earn anything, but are on the receiving end of things.  You are given what is needed by your parents.  You are like a slave and your place is to serve others. God’s children are supplied with all that is needed for life. As the children of God, we are the recipients of God’s grace and love.  We receive the word of God in the scriptures.  We receive in baptism and Holy Communion.  We receive in confession the forgiveness of our sins and salvation.  The love of God is freely given without discrimination to and for all.  Ours is the task to incorporate God’s love and grace in our lives.  In the words of St Ignatius of Loyola: Take Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. Thou hast given all to me. To Thee, O Lord, I return it. All is Thine, dispose of it wholly according to Thy will. Give me Thy love and Thy grace, for this is sufficient for me. - See more at: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/prayers-by-st-ignatius-and-others/suscipe-the-radical-prayer#sthash.GH33f0BM.dpuf