Day 157: Following Jesus

Today's readings: Mark 7-8 and Psalm 23.

I. Mark 7 Jesus confronts the Pharisees for criticizing His Apostles for eating without performing the traditional ritual washing of hands. While this is generally a good idea for hygiene reasons, He was really calling them on exalting human traditions & customs over what God had commanded. His corban example really shows what He meant by this. Jesus is not condemning all religious tradition. He is condemning human traditions that contradict God's commandments. We then see Jesus in Mark 7:14–23 emphasizing interior conversion rather than merely external religious observance, and essentially declaring all foods clean, meaning that the ritual dietary distinctions of the Mosaic Law are not binding on Christians.

Jesus next heals the daughter of a Gentile woman, and then heals a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. All in all, in this chapter Jesus shows that authentic holiness requires interior conversion, obedience to God's commandments, humble faith, and openness to His healing grace. It's not just about reforming outward behavior, but a true transformation of the human heart.

In the next chapter, we find another anticipation of the Eucharist in the feeding of the four thousand. The Pharisees demand a sign from Him, but He refuses, for a hardened heart can reject even extraordinary evidence. Jesus then warns the Apostles to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, by which He meant that false attitudes and unbelief can corrupt spiritual understanding. He heals a blind man next, and after this, Peter confesses the truth about Who Jesus Is. However, his understanding is still incomplete, for he has not yet accepted that the Messiah must suffer as Jesus predicts He will. In response to his objection, Jesus rebukes Him and corrects Peter's misunderstanding. Finally, Jesus turns to not just His Apostles, but the crowd and tells them to take up their crosses and follow Him. This requires more than intellectual belief in Jesus. It requires a life of conversion, obedience, sacrifice, and perseverance.

II. Psalm 23 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A psalm of trust. The Lord is the Shepherd and banquet Host whose blessings include peace, refreshment, comfort, and guidance. The conviction that God cares for each individual and not simply for the people of Israel as a community is central to the psalm. The reference to table and cup in 23:5 may indicate that the psalm was part of a thanksgiving liturgy in the sanctuary with its accompanying banquet. (p. 849)

That's it for today!

Day 156: Jesus Casts Out Demons

Today's readings: Mark 5-6 and Psalm 21.

I. Mark 5 Jesus heals a man possessed by demons, heals a woman who touched his garment, and raises a girl from the dead. These miracles foreshadow Christ's ultimate victory over death through His Resurrection, for He is Lord over demons, disease, and even death. Faith in Him brings healing, restoration, and life.

I like how the BIY Companion, Vol II, comments on the freeing of the demoniac:

In the exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac, Jesus sends the demons into a herd of two thousand pigs. For Jesus, one person is worth infinitely more than even two thousand pigs, though the pigs are valuable. This shows us how much the Lord cares for each of us. (p. 76)

In the next chapter, Jesus is rejected in His own hometown of Nazareth because they knew Him only as a simple carpenter. This shows that familiarity with Jesus doesn't necessarily produce faith. He next sends out the Twelve Apostles with authority to preach the Gospel. Then news of St. John the Baptist's martyrdom at the hands of King Herod becomes known, and it also foreshadows the suffering and death of Christ. Five thousand are miraculously fed from five loaves and two fish, anticipating the Eucharist and revealing Jesus as the divine provider who nourishes His people. Jesus astonishes the Twelve by walking on the Sea of Galilee, telling them to "take heart" and "do not be afraid" (Mark 6:50). Finally, He heals the sick at Gennesaret. Christ's healing power works through His humanity, which demonstrates that God can communicate grace through material signs.

II. Psalm 21 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A royal psalm. It praises God for blessing the king in the past and promises his assistance in the future. The opening and closing verses stress that the Lord is the real power behind the throne. It is only by divine help that the king has become great. Some read the psalm as a liturgy of thanksgiving, perhaps conducted on the anniversary of the king's coronation. (p. 846)

I've been away for a while and am now finally returning to this. That's all for today!