Extreme Measures
Here are a few thoughts on this coming Sunday's gospel. The text is Mark 9:38-50. I cannot tell you how many times I looked at this passage from Mark before I could make some sense of it. The second paragraph is hyperbole on steroids! But what really made me read and pray and wrestle with the text is the last few words, "...and be at peace with one another." That seems to summarize everything that precedes it. Just before this passage, the disciples were out ministering to people, but they were unable to exorcise a demon. Then, here comes some outsider who successfully exorcises a demon. Look at these words in verse 38, "because he was not following us." There's something wrong with the pronoun us. It says nothing about this man believing in and following Jesus, but the problem was he did not follow the disciples. He was not part of their group! They were jealous! This unknown person did what they could not. Jesus then continues the dialogue, ...