Mark 7:24-37 He left that place and set out for the territory of Tyre. There he went into a house and did not want anyone to know he was there; but he could not pass unrecognised. At once a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him and came and fell at his feet. Now this woman was a gentile, by birth a Syro–Phoenician, and she begged him to drive the devil out of her daughter. And he said to her, ‘The children should be fed first, because it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to little dogs.’ But she spoke up, ‘Ah yes, sir,’ she replied, ‘but little dogs under the table eat the scraps from the children.’ And he said to her, ‘For saying this you may go home happy; the devil has gone out of your daughter.’ So she went off home and found the child lying on the bed and the devil gone. Returning from the territory of Tyre, he went by way of Sidon towards the Lake of Galilee, right through the Decapolis territory. And they brought him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they asked him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside to be by themselves, away from the crowd, put his fingers into the man’s ears and touched his tongue with spittle. Then looking up to heaven he sighed; and he said to him, ‘Ephphatha,’ that is, ‘Be opened.’ And his ears were opened, and at once the impediment of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly. And Jesus ordered them to tell no one about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they proclaimed it. Their admiration was unbounded, and they said, ‘Everything he does is good, he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.’
A Reflection How uncharacteristic of Jesus! We have instances in the Hebrew Bible of God changing His mind, as in the negotiations for any righteous men in Sodom. And here, we have Jesus changing His mind, as well. Says Mark, copied by Matthew, ignored by Luke and John.
Why the Jahwist author of the Hebrew Bible and the author of Mark need to anthropomorphize God, we don't know. Jesus came precisely because we cannot bargain with God. One sin, hamartia, missing the mark -- and you're done. Kaput. Gone forever.
Jesus took our sins and cleansed us of them, forever. That's the only way we will ever be righteous.
The Gospel for the Fourth Sunday in Lent (March 21, 2004)
Luke 15:11-32 Then he said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, “Father, let me have the share of the estate that will come to me.” So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery. ‘When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch; so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled himself with the husks the pigs were eating but no one would let him have them. Then he came to his senses and said, “How many of my father’s hired men have all the food they want and more, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired men.” So he left the place and went back to his father. ‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him. Then his son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we will celebrate by having a feast, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” And they began to celebrate. ‘Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. The servant told him, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the calf we had been fattening because he has got him back safe and sound.” He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out and began to urge him to come in; but he retorted to his father, “All these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed any orders of yours, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property—he and his loose women—you kill the calf we had been fattening.” ‘The father said, “My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.” ’
A Study Luke's gospel uses a parable that may have been spoken by Jesus (or not), and surely represents how Jesus felt (and feels) about those who stray from the path. There are similar stories in both Buddhism and in the Rabbinic tradition. The story uses the younger son as those who have strayed, as the toll-collectors, the father as God, and the older brother as a model for the Pharisees he is addressing.
There are two main points here: the Father is always waiting for each of his children to return to his bosom; and those who are righteous and in good relation with God should rejoice at the return, along with God, for neither has their share been diminished in the Kingdom of God nor has their relationship with God been diminished by the acceptance of the returned sinner.
A Reflection Where else do we observe the human emotions that support the elder brother's reaction to his father's welcoming response? Let me count the ways....
"Daddy, it's not fair! He got a bigger piece!"
"You always let him do more than me!"
"You let him stay out later because he's a boy."
And so on. We begin as children to keep score between ourselves and the rest of creation. That beginning seems to lie at the foundation of the "us-them" psychology that many speakers use to build support for themselves. Sexual orientation has taken the forefront today, but holier-than-thou polemicists have always found a cause. Evolution, civil rights, slavery, women's rights, witchcraft: they are all rallying cries that have been used by people who feel the need to take up sides.
Jesus call us to be on His side, opposing only the Opponent. And against that one, we need all the Help we can muster.
I have an idea. After we've won the battle with the evil one, let's resume our taking sides with each other, if we still feel like it. Good idea?
