2/1
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| the snow came |
One month of the new year is gone.
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| sledding in Morningside Park |
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| a snowman guards the pond |
Today the snow came. Two-three feet maybe. Enough to cover everything with that blanket of white. That cover that seems to muffle all sounds, quieting, slowing everything down. In years past, this would have been a snow day. Kids anxiously waiting for the word then celebrating when it’s officially announced the school is cancelled. A random gift of grace and freedom sending everyone outside with sleds and saucers. Heading for the parks and every incline to be found. But after months of living in coronavirusworld they just announce it’d a remote learning day. An let it go at that. Can’t help but think somethings bene lost. Yet another victim of Covid.
In Morningside Park, no birds or ducks or geese. Just children and their sleds. And a lone snowman.
Tonight’s Bible study brings us to Mark 1: 29-39, Jesus begins his healing ministry. He has come to the home of Simon, now known as Peter, the Rock. His mother in law is sick. And so we learn Peter was married. Jesus takes her by the hand, lifts her up. And she feels better. And begins to serve. People keep coming so the next day, they are off and on their way.
* A couple weeks ago when I preached for my friend Rabbi Steve’s Shabbat service, later when we had prayers, I “lifted up” my mom. He told me this was a particularly Christian way of talking. A nice image and he liked that. All goes back to Jesus “lifting up.”
* They wait until sundown to start receiving visits which mean they took Sabbath restrictions seriously.
* He forbids the demons to speak because they “know him.” Possibly having learned a lesson in his last demon encounter (1: 21-28). He like Spiderman or Superman, wants to keep his identity secret. Something he does 10 times in Mark.
* After a full day of demanding work, he goes off to a “deserted place.” To pray. To recharge.
* The word used when they tell him that everyone is “searching” for him is a word that usually indicates hostility. It is used 10 tines in Mark.
This story sets the frame work for Jesus ’ministry: casting out demons, healing and teaching and preaching. It’s a bit problematic that the healed woman has to immediately get up and start serving. Though the word for serving, diakanos, is so much bigger than cooking cleaning, etc. She is the first deacon. It is radical that Jesus’ first healing is of a woman, one of the marginalized of society, one of the least of these. Nevertheless, Jesus is still bound by his culture. In the end however, we see her restored to her place. Those Jesus heals are reincorporated back into society.
Mark speaks with hyperbole, eg, “…all who were sick or possessed…” and “..the whole city was gathered…” yet he narrows it in the outcomes to “…cured many…” not all. An he avoids the temptation of popularity. (This part of the story will be expanded in the temptation in the wilderness narrative..(Matthew 4: 1-11) Perhaps those said ti be possessed were actuallu those who had been demonized bu the community.
In our conversation, a number of thoughts emerge. Peter’s mother in law was not deathly ill, she had a fever. Not blind, nor with constant menstrual flow or leprosy. Just a fever. Her “healing” is not a major miracle. But note, sometimes presence is enough. Along with the comforting power of touch.
Jesus does not heal all. Just many. And he moves on because his responsibility is to the Good News, not being a human healing vending machine. (Though Russ points out that in contemporary popular Christianity, society he has bene turned into precisley that.)
Michael is concerned that If Jesus ‘ mission is universal, why does he focus on the poor and not those who have proven capable who could be so helpful to hm? It’s very clear that in the time of increased conflict with Rome, heading towards the final conflict, the regular economy would be affected. People whose lives were difficult to begin with would be cut off even more from basic essential resources, Most of those who come to him would clearly be poor people. Jesus starts his mission at the bottom and not the top. And it’s not about individual success, it’s about community.
Marsha shares a paint from the Vida Americana: Mexican Muralists….exhibit at the Whitney.
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| Jesus destroys his cross |
In the end, there are four ideas here with noting:
1. Avoid the trap of popularity
2. Accept our limitations (many healed, not all…)
3. We all ned our own deserted place to pray and refocus
4. We give without need or expectation of repayment
As we watch Jesus go about the beginning of his own ministry, his job description starts to become clear and ours begins to come into clear focus as well.
And the snow is especially beautiful at night…
Gospel Mark 1:29-39
29As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. 33And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
35In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. 36And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” 38He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” 39And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
