A way of little ones Mk 9:35-41 Gospel of Mark Series

GOSPEL OF MARK SERIES

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During 2019, 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. If you are following this series for the first time, you will find this series under Scripture- New Testament- Gospel of Mark. 

Click here to read the first post in the series. I have written this series in different years (2012, 2015, 2018) with some irregularity, but am determined to complete this series this year since I am more than half way through this Gospel.
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 9:35--41 which is called A way of Little Ones.

A WAY OF LITTLE ONES.

After the first passion prophecy when Peter failed to understand what He said, Jesus called His disciples to give them teaching about His way.  Then it was a teaching about a way of the cross (8:34-35). Here it is a teaching of a way of the little ones.

This means find a new position for oneself a leader in a community- the last place! Two incidents recall ed from the life of Jesus are added to illustrated this teaching.

The first is a story of the little child whom Jesus stand in the midst of His disciples and tenderly hold in His arms (:36-37). Whoever receives, that is, listens, to the little ones among the disciples of Jesus receives Jesus as the Messiah, and whoever receives the Messiah receives God, the one who sends the Messiah.

The second story is of a person who drives out demons in the name of the Messiah, but is not a member of their own group of disciples (9:38-41).  The outsider is doing a work of divine power in the name of Jesus which freeing human lives form evil always is.

Such a one cannot be acting against the mission of the Messiah and God's plan for the world.  The disciples of Jesus will not always be the ones to initiate the good that God seeks to accomplish in the world.

The last place is not a popular place.  It is the position of one at the call of others.  The last is one whose life is largely controlled by others.  A little one relies on the care of others to survive.  A little one is vulnerable to all.

REFLECTIONS 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?
• Imagine being Jesus telling the disciples and knowing that they did not understand- what would you have felt?  
• What is reading the Gospel passage with the eyes and ears of disciple mean to me?
• How does Jesus show Himself as the ‘’the way’’ to me?
• What are the areas in my life I need to bring to Jesus? What questions do I want to ask Him?
• Am I willing to look into myself with honesty and ask how much do I grasp what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus in the light of this teaching? 
• Is my faith in the divine power of Christ, whom we follow, large enough to make us ready to walking faithfully as a little one?
• In the light of this passage, how will you respond to Jesus as a true disciple?
• If a fellow parishioner had read this passage, what might he/she say about this passage?
• How tolerant and welcoming am I to children and outside groups (those not in my group). Am I open to them or is my attitude similar to the disciples in 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?