Reflections on the Gospel

 For a third week we are facing and being challenged by Mark’s Gospel and Peter’s memories of his time with Jesus and again the Gospel offers a challenge to preachers: exorcisms, hard sayings, incoherence, even outrageousness in the text.

 This week we are challenged to disable ourselves to be sure of entering the kingdom, hands, feet, eyes all become disposable if we are to enter the kingdom rather than hell. If one suffering gangrene, whether of body or of soul, pretends to be healthy, the outcome is hell, Gehenna. 

 

Gehenna was a ravine south of Jerusalem notorious for pagan infanticide envisioned by later Jews as the place of the wicked’s final judgment 

 

In the first of the three phases of the gospel along with the disciples we are challenged to accept that anyone whose actions conform to Jesus’ character should be welcomed and encouraged. For us the biggest challenge is the rise of humanism in our society but which is often more evidently christian than some of what we find ministered by the churches.

 

Jesus continues to prepare his disciples to understand the complexity of what it means to follow him. Two powerful images of cups of water and Millstones.

 

At my house in the Cathedral Close in Bradford there was often a knock at the door. Usually at an inconvenient moment sometimes an older woman would be there. I came to recognise her, and think of this passage in Mark’s Gospel, because she would ask for a cup of water and a blessing. Both of which I was only too glad to offer.

 

 In the second phase of the gospel Jesus challenges his disciples about attitudes of power and status and warns them, “if any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea” 

 

Last week Jesus produced a child and I referred to the Diocesan safeguarding officer. Here in this passage is the beginning of a theology of safeguarding. There is a huge level of responsibility here; the revelations of child sexual abuse have made clear how welcoming children can become something much more sinister. 

Yet we have to avoid marginalisation of children.  Marginalisation is itself a form of abuse. A community that closes its heart against children is closing its heart against Christ.

A theology of safe guarding says children in our midst are not the danger; they are a litmus test for the quality of our communities.  When children are safe our communities are healthy. A community with children at the centre is one that reflects the fruit of the spirit.

The final phase of today’s Gospel tells us to be salty. Saltiness is good, to much salt less so.

Jesus speaks in parables and the parable of salt speaks of cross-bearing discipleship, the yoke of the week before last, a sacrificial preservative prevents the church from becoming insipid. Salt, self-sacrifice for the gospel, promotes communal peace and quells self-centredness and one-upmanship.

 

Clay, salted with fire, becomes glazed and our glazing reflects the light of our deep love of Christ and our christian fellowship, we are clay no more, we can shine as in a Graham Kendrick hymn.