Mark weaves two stories of fear, faith and healing together into a beautiful tapestry revealing both the love of God for individuals and the larger mission of Jesus the Messiah. Either of these stories provide the substance of a powerful devotional exercise. Pick out a character in one of the stories, or perhaps just someone in the crowd and then read the story as you put yourself in their place. Meditate on what you sense, feel, think and experience as you encounter the story from their perspective.
At the end of chapter four Jesus challenged his disciples to reach for greater faith. Here in chapter five Mark reveals the core of the faith Jesus is longing for his followers to embrace. I find it interesting that this faith is modeled by two people who were not disciples. (The early church wanted the woman with the bleeding problem to be remembered always. They gave her the name of Veronica and in the devotional exercise, The Stations of the Cross; she is the woman who wipes Jesus’ face at station six.)
Jairus risks his standing in the community and humbles himself at the feet of Jesus. His faith tells him that Jesus is his only option. There is no other hope for his daughter. Veronica’s faith calls her to take huge risks: a woman reaching out to touch a man in a public place; an unclean person (because of her condition) touching The Teacher. But, she reaches out and touches Jesus because he is her only hope. Perhaps it was these two stories that inspired Mother Teresa to live by the axiom; you will never know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.
Jesus tells Veronica that it was her faith that made her well. Her faith did not make the healing happen; her faith allowed her healing to come to her. Her faith had no power other than providing a channel for Jesus’ healing power to flow into her.
After receiving news of the death of his daughter, Jairus continues to act in faith (after Jesus encourages him to set aside his fear) by continuing to his home with Jesus. Jesus touches the little girl and she is alive again.
After setting the man across the lake free Jesus tells him to go home and tell everyone what the Lord has done. Jesus only tells Veronica to go in peace. Jesus tells Jairus and his family to tell no one what has happened. What do you think Mark want us to see in these differences?
What word or phrase in these verses
attracts your attention?
Reflect on that word or phrase.
What insights come to you?
How does this passage touch your life today?
29-Oct-11 Mark 6:1-29
No comments:
Post a Comment