A way of the Cross: Mark Series Chapter 8:34:9:1

GOSPEL OF MARK SERIES 

 

The Bible: Gospel of Mark Icon

 

During the remainder of 2018, each week, I will write a weekly post about the Gospel of Mark, as I review and explore each of the 16 chapters and how it may be applied in our daily lives. My goal is to understand and pray the Gospel of Mark. I hope you will join me on this journey as we travel through the liturgical season.  In today's post we explore chapter 8:34-9:1 which is called the way of the Cross.

A WAY OF THE CROSS.8:34:9:1

Jesus calls both the crowd and His disciples, an indication that something important is to be said.  He has spoken openly of His eventual failure and final vindication, and Peter (and the other disciples) failed to grasp His meaning.  Would we have grasped it if Jesus had said to us?  Do we grasp His meaning now in our lives?

Jesus however corrects Peter's misunderstanding and gives a new teaching.  His way is a way of the cross, that means losing one's life to find it again in a new way (8:34-35). It is thought by scripture scholars that other teachings of Jesus have been included by Mark in this episode as well.

The of Jesus to deny oneself is much more than a call to do penance. It is a call to a radical turning from self-centredness to God-centredness, which is possible only through the Gospel power of God Himself. It is the ''metanoia'' of personal conversion of heart which Jesus can affect in us though the His gospel.

To carry one's cross is more than accepting patiently suffering. The cross was an instrument of terrible torture bringing death. It meant the total rejection of society-social unacceptability especially in the person's values, way of living and a warning to others who may hold the same values/way of living. You too will be unacceptable to society.

To be a disciple of Jesus means putting other things, one's comfort, reputation, business or social interests in God's perspective where power, prestige, pleasure (whilst good in themselves) are not the purpose of the Kingdom. Jesus invites us in this teaching to strip away and kill our false self and become all He wants us to be- to find our real person in Him.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

In our journal and/or our discussion group we may wish to reflect on this passage as follows:

·                     Name the key points that you have learnt about the person of Jesus in this
           passage of scripture?

·                     Imagine that you are one of the disciples.  What do you see and hear and feel? 
           What can I learn from this?

·                     What is reading the Gospel passage with the eyes and ears of disciple mean
           to me?

·                     What are the areas in my life I need to lose/kill to be a true disciple?

·                     Am I willing to be a true disciple of Jesus in the light of this teaching and face
           loss, social rejection for the sake of the Gospel? 

·                     How will I kill these areas in my life? What will I say/do? 

·                     In the light of this passage, how will you respond to Jesus as a true disciple?

·                     How do you carry the cross in your life? Examine a time in your life when you
          carried the cross for Jesus? What impact did it have on yourself/others and how
          did you ''gain your life'' from it?

·                     What way has this passage spoken to you personally?

·                     If you were to meet a fellow parishioner who was interested in reading gospel
           of Mark, what would you say to him/her about this passage?

·                     If a fellow parishioner had read this passage, what might he/she say about this
           passage?

·                     In the light of this Gospel passage what positive change will you adopt in your life and in your spiritual life.  How will you implement these changes?

To conclude this reflection, you may wish to listen to these hymns/music which complements this gospel teaching.

1. Jesus Remember Me. 

2. How great Thou Art (especially 3rd verse).

3. Take up Your Cross