Gospel of Mark Series: Section 3 Part 12: Jesus visits his hometown of Nazareth (6:1-6).

Welcome to my Gospel of Mark Series. During 2012-13, each week, I will write a 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 of Year B.  In today's post, we explore chapter 6:1-6 which is Jesus visits Nazareth.

For a fifth and final miracle, let us travel with Jesus and His disciples from the lakeside up to the Galilean hills to His native town of Nazareth.  Jesus goes to the synagogue on the Sabbath.  His return home is more than a private visit, rather He is offering His own people the gospel of the kingdom of God.  There is a depth in what He says which the people sense and they are confused.  They question:

1. What is the source of His teaching, for they saw Him grow up in the own town and

2. What is the nature of His wisdom for it comes with a divine power to heal and re-create.

This questioning and wonder of the people turns quickly to resistance.  They reject this invitation to believe in the new gospel He brings.  They take offence that He should challenge them so deeply.  They are scandalised by the ordinariness of one who has recently lived among them, it seems as a carpenter.

They know His mother Mary and his cousins-brothers and sisters.  It is important to remember that in the catholic tradition, Jesus is the only child.  This text often confuses people and some use it as example that Joseph and Mary had other children. This is misunderstanding the word brothers and sisters in that time.  It meant what we would call cousins-relatives.

The point of the story came at the end.  Jesus appears surprised that He can do no real work of power in His hometown, because it seems, they were lacking faith.  The human disappointment in Jesus must have been real, but the proverb quoted by Him about the prophet underlines the need for faith around a prophet, if He is to do the great works of a prophet.

Jesus can do no real work of power there that brings conversion and freedom of heart.  He lays His hands upon a few sick people who come to Him and heals them.

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?
• Reflect on the keywords in this passage for they contain the substance and purpose of all the things Jesus said and did-
• Consider my relationship with Jesus  in the light of this Gospel passage.
• Try to enter into the atmosphere among the people of Nazareth when Jesus returns to be with them. Reflect on why they become hostile.
• Compare my attitude to Jesus when He offers me the gospel of the Kingdom of God? Am I like the townsfolk of Nazareth or am I like those who are sick who come to Him?
• Ponder on the effect of lack of faith in those around Jesus upon the the power of the gospel which He brings to the world?  
• Reflect on how or if I reject the teaching of Jesus preached through His Church at times.  What were these experiences and teachings and how did it impact on my relationship with Jesus in my life?
• How do I relate to this story of Jesus offering me the gospel of the Kingdom of God.  Make a list of areas in my life that need a change of heart and develop an action plan on how this change of heart might occur. (eg name an area and name one/two changes that you will implement with God's help.
• How do I relate to the sick people who came to Jesus for healing?
• What impact does Jesus’ teaching have on you (6:1-6).
• How has this passage spoken to you- what does it say to you personally?

Gospel of Mark Series: Overview & Jesus introduced- Part 1-The Title.

Welcome to my Gospel of Mark Series. During 2012-13, each week, I will write a 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 of Year B.

During the previous introductory posts to this series, I set the scene and talked about the Gospels in general and defined and discussed the meaning and implication of the Gospel in our lives.  Then I explored the Gospel of Mark examining the purpose of Mark's writing and its style and structure.

So how will we explore Mark's Gospel?

Using the format below  which I have found effective, can take as little as 10-15 minutes or as long as you wish and is suitable for an individual,family or group of parishioners.

 SUGGESTED FORMAT

1.  Collect your journal (if you choose to use one) and pen.  I find that if I do not use a journal, then I have a notepad ready since as I gradually still my mind, distractions such as what should be on the shopping list occur. Pen and paper help to keep these distractions to a minimum. 
2. Light a candle, then sit quietly letting go of the éxcess chatter of the brain. Move onto step 3 when your heart and mind are stilled enough to focus.
3. Open your heart to the Holy Spirit in prayer and ask Him to guide you in your study of the designated scripture passage.
4. Read designated Scripture passage for the week.
5. Pause for reflection on relevant scripture questions.
6. Have family members/parishioners share. If you are embarking on this journey alone, then share your findings with the Holy Spirit.
7. Ask The Holy Spirit to enlighten your heart and mind and listen to what He wants to share with you.
8. Close with a prayer or hymn.

In the following posts, I will not repeat the format. You may be comfortable with a different format or you may adapt this format for your situation. The important thing is that we come to know and love Jesus more through our study of St Mark's Gospel.

The overall structure of St Mark's Gospel can be divided as follows:

1. Jesus is introduced-           1:1-13.
2. Jesus calls His discples-    1:14-3:6.
3. Jesus with His people.-     3:7-6:6.
4. Jesus in His mission-         6:6-8:30.
5. Jesus forms His disciples   8:31-10:52.
6. Jesus comes to Jerusalem: 11:1-13:37.
7. Jesus dies on the Cross      14:1-16:8.
8. Appearances of the Risen Christ 16:9-20.

Within each section above, there are key stories upon which to reflect. Each week I will discuss these.

SECTION 1: JESUS IS INTRODUCED:

1.  St Mark introduces us to Jesus by using His title.(1:1)
2. The preaching of John the Baptist. (1:2-8)
3. The Baptism of Jesus. (1:9-11)
4. Jesus in the desert. (1:12-13).

This week, let us explore  Section 1.1- The title of Jesus.

Although we are looking at the very first verse and only one verse, it is significant. It reads:

"The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God". 

Straightaway, Mark gives Jesus His title as Christ and Son of God. Christ means Messiah. In ancient times, it meant king, a priest,  or prophet anointed to God with oil for a task, but especially an anointed one yet to come. 

Christians confess Jesus to be the Christ and the Son of God because He:

• fulfilled Old Testament prophesies.
• was raised to life by God, not by oil but with the Holy Spirit.
• shared equally with the Father and the Holy Spirit in His life on earth.
• breathed the Holy Spirit into the world by His resurrection in God's power.

These two title terms become a centrepiece of Mark's Gospel in Chapter 8:29- Peter's confession of Jesus as "Messiah", and in chapter 15:39, the roman centurion's confession of Jesus as " Son of God".

When Mark wrote " the beginning of the Gospel", he wanted us to understand along with the audience of his own time that eveything he wrote about Jesus is the beginning and foundation of the Gospel which the church was sent to announce. Mark is the only evangelist who used the word  "gospel"or the"  good news".

It is interesting to note that the word " Christ" occurs seven times throughout his gospel, whereas Jesus is named the "'Son of God" twice by God Himself and on five other occassions. As we explore Mark's gospel, we may wish to keep this in mind and perhaps make a note of it in our journal, since we may wish to find these examples and understand the title in context of the texts.

On reflecting on this short verse, we may wish to appreciate the difference between the evangelists.  Each week at Mass, we hear ' the gospel according to...

As a family/parishioner or small study group, why not explore the following:Each member tell a story/event that all members are familiar. 

1. Allow a certain time for each member to share.
   b)Have one member of the group write each member's contribution.
   (c)When each member has finished, allow the recorder to reflect back what he/she wrote.(d)Observe and discuss the similarities and differences in the same story/event by each member.
   NB: It is important however to remember that the evangelists were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Listen to Jesus as He introduces Himself to you.
2. What does it mean to know Jesus as Messiah- the one who saves  in my life? What areas of my life need Jesus as Messiah to save?
3. How might you tell the Gospel- spread the good news to others ( family, work colleagues, parishioners, those we meet each day).
4. Share with the group your own reflection thoughts on how this verse has introduced you to Jesus in a new or different way.

 In the next post, we will further explore being introduced to Jesus by the preaching of John the Baptist.

Often we say no news is good news. In some instances, this is indeed true.  However, when it comes to introducing others to Christ, it is indeed good news to hear the Gospel, appreciate more fully terms such as Gospel, Christ, Messiah and Son of God mean at a deeper level and introduce Our Messiah  to others.  

                                                         

Moments With The Gospel: The Man with the Withered Hand.

 Moments With The Gospel

Moments with the Gospel  Series Icon.

Today is Wednesday of Second Week of Ordinary Time.  The Church offers us this Gospel.

I was meditating on the Gospel of the man with the withered hand this morning and the phrase "the withered hands" caught my attention.  I pondered what this might have meant for the man concerned and what the modern day equivalent might . Let us explore further.

The Man with the Withered Hand.

What was a withered hand in the time of Jesus?

In the time of Jesus, a withered hand likely referred to a hand that was paralyzed, deformed, shrivelled, or had lost function due to disease, injury, or congenital disability. It could have been caused by conditions such as nerve damage, polio, muscular atrophy, arthritis, or a birth defect. In biblical times, having such a condition would have been socially and economically challenging, especially in a society where most labour was manual.

Modern-Day Equivalent

Today, the equivalent of a "withered hand" would be a hand affected by paralysis, stroke, cerebral palsy, severe arthritis, muscular dystrophy, or an injury leading to permanent nerve damage or muscle atrophy. Conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome or Dupuytren’s contracture could also lead to a loss of function in the hand, though they are often treatable with modern medicine.

If Jesus healed a person with a withered hand today, it might be similar to restoring full function to someone with a paralyzed or deformed limb due to neurological damage, accident, or illness—a miraculous and life-changing event.

 

Why does Jesus not engage with the man like other healing parables?

 In the healing of the man with the withered hand (Mark 3:1-6, Matthew 12:9-14, Luke 6:6-11), Jesus does not engage in a personal conversation with the man like He does in other healing accounts (such as the blind man in John 9 or the paralytic in Mark 2). Instead, He simply tells the man:

“Stretch out your hand.”

And as the man obeys, his hand is restored.

Why Doesn’t Jesus Engage More?

Here are some key reasons:

1. The Healing is Not About the Man, But About the Pharisees

Unlike other healings where Jesus engages with the person’s faith or suffering, this healing is more about the hardness of the Pharisees’ hearts than the man’s condition. The main conflict in this passage is not the man’s ailment, but the Pharisees’ legalism—their belief that healing on the Sabbath was a violation of the Law.

Jesus deliberately performs the miracle in public and on the Sabbath, knowing that the Pharisees are watching and waiting to accuse Him. By not engaging in a conversation, He avoids any distraction from His main point: “Is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath?” (Mark 3:4). His focus is on exposing the hypocrisy of those who prioritize rigid laws over human suffering.

2. The Man’s Faith is Demonstrated Through Action, Not Words

In many other healing stories, people cry out for Jesus’ help (e.g., Bartimaeus the blind man in Mark 10:46-52) or express their faith in words (e.g., the woman with the haemorrhage in Mark 5:25-34). But here, the man doesn’t ask for healing, and Jesus doesn’t ask about his faith. Instead, Jesus simply commands him to stretch out his hand.

This mirrors other moments in Scripture where faith is demonstrated through obedience rather than words—such as when Peter steps out of the boat to walk on water (Matthew 14:29). The man’s silent trust and obedience are enough, and his healing follows his action.

3. A Silent but Powerful Challenge

By not speaking much to the man, Jesus shifts the attention to the Pharisees' response. This healing is a challenge—will they recognize that God’s mercy surpasses their rigid interpretations of the Sabbath? The silence of the man contrasts with the hardened hearts of the Pharisees, who immediately conspire to destroy Jesus (Mark 3:6).

This healing is unique because it is a confrontation rather than a private moment of compassion. It forces a choice: Will we prioritize love and mercy, or will we cling to legalism and hardness of heart? The man stretches out his hand in obedience, but the Pharisees close their hearts in defiance.

It’s a powerful lesson—sometimes, Jesus’ greatest work in our lives doesn’t come through lengthy conversations but through simple acts of faith and obedience.

 

The Pharisees had withered hearts, and in a spiritual sense, their hands were withered too because they refused to do good. While the man in the synagogue had a physically withered hand, the Pharisees’ spiritual condition was far worse.

The Pharisees’ Withered Hearts

• The man’s withered hand prevented him from working, but the Pharisees’ withered hearts prevented them from loving and showing mercy.
• Instead of rejoicing in the man’s healing, they hardened their hearts and plotted against Jesus (Mark 3:6).
• Jesus' question—"Is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath?" (Mark 3:4)—exposes their spiritual paralysis. They had the power to do good but refused.

Their Hands Were Also Withered

• A healthy hand is meant to serve, bless, and help.
• The Pharisees had the power to reach out in mercy, but instead, they withdrew their hands in bitterness and accusation.
• They sought to restrain the hand of Jesus.
• They wanted to stop Jesus from healing and halt the work of God, making their own hands as useless as the man's had been before Jesus healed him.
• Ironically, their hands were active only in destruction.
• After witnessing the healing, they immediately stretched out their hands to conspire against Jesus (Mark 3:6). Instead of using their hands for good, they used them for evil.

The Hand of Jesus

• In contrast, Jesus' hands bring life, healing, and restoration.
• His hands would later be pierced on the cross, becoming the ultimate symbol of love and sacrifice.
• After the Resurrection, Thomas sees the wounds in Jesus' hands, which proves that Jesus’ mission was to restore, not to destroy.

This moment in the synagogue reveals who is truly withered—not just the man with the physical disability, but those who resist the work of God. Jesus restores what is broken, but the Pharisees, blinded by their own pride, wither away in their rejection of Him.

The contrast between withered hands, withered hearts, and the hands of Jesus invites us to examine our own lives:

• Are our hands open to do good, or are they closed in resistance?
• Are our hearts softened by love, or hardened by pride and judgment?
• Do we trust in the healing touch of Jesus, or do we try to control and limit His work?

These questions challenge us, just as Jesus’ actions challenged the Pharisees. But the hope is this: Jesus can restore what is withered—whether it’s our hands, our hearts, or our faith.

Gospel of Mark's Series: Section 4 Part 1: The disciples sent into mission ( 6:6-13)

Welcome to my Gospel of Mark Series. During 2012-13, each week, I will write a 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 of Year B.  

In today's post, we commence a new section which relates to Jesus in His mission ( 6: 6-8:30)  and we explore chapter 6:6-13 which is the disciples sent into mission.

With the brief sentence “Then He went about among the villages teaching”, Mark  commences the stories of missionary journeys of Jesus and his disciples beyond the familiar synagogues and towns of the lakeside.

After the ‘failure’  in the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus no longer teaches in the synagogues and towns, but continues his teaching moving among the villages of the countryside.  He calls the twelve, whom He chose earlier (3:14), and sends them two by two on a mission, asking of them the same mobility and flexibility.  In Jewish law two are necessary for a valid witness.

The are sent to share in the mission of Jesus to reveal the kingdom of God in the world.  The authority to do this, which Jesus has from God, He gives to them.  It is an authority that goes beyond teaching in words and shows itself in a new power over evils spirits which oppress people, to free people from sickness and to turn human hearts towards God.

Like John the Baptiser, the disciples do not explicitly proclaim the kingdom in words.  In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus alone does this.

They are to be mobile, symbolised the travelling staff, and they are to be flexible, living in simplicity without provision from food, money or extra clothing, trusting in the providence of God.  Like Jesus they are to remain in a place as long as they are made welcome.  The gesture of wiping the feet before leaving was a sign among the Jews of separating oneself from a people who lacked true faith in God.

The six pairs of disciples leave Jesus and go off to witness to the coming of the kingdom of God into the world.  They call for a radical turning to God, they drive out demons and they anoint the sick with oil.

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?
• Reflect on the keywords in this passage for they contain the substance and purpose of all the things Jesus said and did-
• Consider my relationship with Jesus  in the light of this Gospel passage.
• Reflect on the simplicity of lifestyle Jesus asks and consider how much I seek this as a way to experience God’s power in my life.
• Consider what power Jesus shares with the twelve.  Try to enter into something of their feelings as they set out?
• Ponder on the effect for the disciples their of lack of worldly goods for the journey Jesus asks of them at the beginning of the journey and their faith in Jesus?  
• Reflect on how the disciples needs were taken care of by those whom they visited and how they must have felt as they realized the providence of God?
• How do I relate to this story of Jesus offering me the mission to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God.  Make a list of areas in my life that need a change of heart and develop an action plan on how this change of heart might occur. (eg name an area and name one/two changes that you will implement with God's help.
• What impact does Jesus’ teaching have on you (6:6-13).
• How has this passage spoken to you- what does it say to you personally?

Section 2 Part 9: Jesus heals a paralysed hand. (3:1-6).

Welcome to my Gospel of Mark Series. During 2012-13, each week, I will write a 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 of Year B.  In today's post, we explore chapter 3:1-6 which is Jesus heals a paralysed hand.

The last of the five conflicts, like the first, is caused by a healing done by Jesus.  Again He deliberately confronts His opponents.  These are presumably the Pharisess mentioned at the end of the story.  They look, waiting to see if Jesus will heal the man with  a paralysed and shrunken hand.

Ignoring the opposition, Jesus tells the paralysed man to come and stand in front of everyone.  The Jews did interpret the Sabbath law to allow actions to heal the sick only when there was danger to life.  Jesus is more radical ‘is it allowed on the Sabbath to do good or do harm?” As he puts to them this simple question, He looked around upon His silent opponents with strong feeling of anger, because He sees hardiness of heart and a refusal to understand.  Mark has mentioned the emotions of Jesus once before (I:41).

Dramatically, in full view of the Pharisees, Jesus heals the man’s paralysed limb.  again He acts with power and authority.

This story may also reflect a more liberal attitude of early Jewish Christians in Mark’s day towards the Sabbath as a practice that was based on the behaviour and a clear teaching of Jesus.  For Christians Sunday became the special day of the week.

The final result of this new teaching of Jesus and the dramatic healing He performed is not wonder among the people but rejection by His oppponents.  The Pharisees, religious leaders join together with the Herodians, political leaders, and go off to plot His death.  Such radically new teachings of Jesu endanger both the tradtional teaching of the Jewish religion as well as the established structures of Jewish politics under Roman domination.  This malice and ill will towards Jesus will be there through the rest of His time in Galilee and reach its terrible climax later in Jerusalem.

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?
• Reflect on the keywords in this passage for they contain the substance and purpose of all the things Jesus said and did-
• Ponder what Jesus teaches here:
• Contrast the positive toward life of Jesus with the naroow attitudes of religious and political leaders opposing him.
• Consider ways that I keep the sacred law of the Sabbath “‘keep holy the Sabbath Day”’
• Consider what changes we will make to keep holy the Sabbath Day
• Consider my relationship with Jesus  in the light of this Gospel passage.
• Reflect on how the Scribes and Pharisees may have felt hearing this teaching from Jesus. Is there a scribe or Pharisee in me?
• Try to feel something of what Jesus felt when He saw the attitudes of the Pharisees and the Herodians.  Make a list of areas in my life that need a change of heart and develop an action plan on how this change of heart might occur. (eg name an area and name one/two changes that you will implement with God's help.
• What impact does Jesus’ teaching have on you (3:1-6).
• How has this passage spoken to you- what does it say to you personally?

It is important to remember that St Mark wishes us to know the person of Jesus.

What does this passage of scripture tell you about the person of Jesus?

Moments With the Gospel series: Jesus walking on Water Mk 6

MOMENTS WITH THE GOSPEL.

Moments with the Gospel Icon.

Welcome to my series Moments with the Gospel.  In this series, I will share with you some of my moments I have had with the gospel- questions, thoughts, ideas. Although I have moments with the Gospel every day, I will share  weekly for this series.

Jesus  walking on water and the Miracle of the 5000.

 There were 2 questions which emerged as I was meditating on Mk 6:45-52.  

1. Why did Jesus as he was walking on the water pass them by when earlier in the gospel it says that Jesus could see that they were weary and that they were batting the elements.
2. What is the connection between Jesus walking on the water and the miracle of the 5000?

Meditating on Mark 6:45-52 invites deep reflection on Jesus' intentions and the connection between His miracles.

1. Why did Jesus want to pass them by?

The phrase "He intended to pass them by" (Mk 6:48) can be puzzling. Here are some theological interpretations:

• Divine Revelation: In the Old Testament, God often "passed by" individuals as a way of revealing His glory and presence (e.g., Exodus 33:19-22 with Moses; 1 Kings 19:11-13 with Elijah). Jesus walking on the water may have been intended as a theophany—a moment where His divine identity is revealed.
• Testing Faith: Jesus saw the disciples' weariness and struggle, but He may have "passed by" to test their faith and their recognition of Him. Just as He tested their faith with the loaves, this moment challenges their understanding of who He is.
• Symbol of Divine Nearness: Though it seemed He was passing by, He was always near, demonstrating that God's presence is constant, even when we do not immediately recognize it. The disciples' fear and confusion mirror how we often fail to see God in challenging moments.

 

2. Connection to the Miracle of the Loaves

The feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus walking on water are closely linked, both in context and meaning:

• Hardness of Heart: Mark explicitly states that the disciples "had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened" (Mk 6:52). The miracle of the loaves revealed Jesus' power as the provider, yet they struggled to grasp its spiritual significance. Similarly, they failed to recognize Him walking on water, despite His divine actions.
  
  
• Trust in Provision: The miracle of the loaves demonstrated Jesus' ability to meet the needs of the people. On the lake, the disciples' weariness and fear echoed the crowd's hunger—Jesus was showing them that He is the source of provision and strength in all circumstances, whether physical or spiritual.
  
  
• Revelation of Identity: Both miracles reveal Jesus' divine nature. In feeding the multitude, He showed Himself as the Bread of Life, echoing God's provision of manna in the wilderness. Walking on water echoed God's mastery over creation, recalling passages like Psalm 77:19: "Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters."

 

Reflection for Meditation:

• Divine Presence in Struggle: How often do we fail to recognize Jesus when we are weary or afraid? How can we grow in trust, knowing that He is always near, even when it feels like He is "passing by"?
• Understanding the Loaves: What does the miracle of the loaves teach you about God's abundance and His care for your needs? How does this connect to your faith in His provision during life's storms?

These moments invite us to recognize Jesus not just as a teacher or miracle worker but as the Son of God, always near, always providing, and always calling us to deeper faith.

What moments do you have with this Gospel?

 

Gospel of Mark Series chapter 4 Section 6: Danger from false interpretations (7:13)

Welcome to my Gospel of Mark Series. During 2012-13, each week, I will write a 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 of Year B.  In today's post, we explore chapter 7: 1-13 which is called danger from false interpretations.

One of the great obstacles to mobility and flexibility in the mission of the church during the first decades of Christianity were the interpretations of the Jewish law which resulted in long lists of community practices and ritual observances which many of the first Christians, as Jews, brought with them.  It is probably why St Mark introduces this passage and the next into this fourth part of his Gospel (6:6-8:30), which describes missionary journeys of Jesus with His disciples.  Both passages describe the attitude of Jesus towards certain Jewish religious practices.

When the local Pharisees with learned scribes from Jerusalem some of of His disciples eating without first ritually purifying themselves, they confront Jesus.  They had many rules for ritual washings of the body before eating  and for the washing of pots, cups and dishes.  All these things were to be done according to the ‘Halakah’ or Jewish oral law, considered by the Pharisees to bind as the “Torah” or God’s law itself.  

In reply Jesus first quotes the prophet Isaiah, who warns: “your worship is worthless, your doctrines are only human rules ( Is 29:13).  Jesus tells the Pharisees they have put aside God’s law and clung to human rules ( 6-8).

The second reply of Jesus picks out the Jewish practice of Corban, or consecrating things to God.  Human relationships are abused by declaring things consecrated to God.  Jesus shows how this become a way of putting aside God’s law by denying one’s natural duties and relations to others. Even the special relation of Children to parents was left aside in the name of God.  Such rules and practices empty the true meaning of God’s law through Moses (9-13).

Jesus goes to human needs when He teaches what God’s law means.  Religious practices are not meant to destroy genuine freedom and a true concern for others.

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?
• Reflect on the keywords in this passage for they contain the substance and purpose of all the things Jesus said and did-
• Reflect  on the attitude of Jesus that is manifested in His teaching on the practices of the Pharisees and scribes.
• Reflect on my relationship with Jesus and this teaching in the light of this gospel passage.What are my experiences when I crowd out  Jesus for my own rules and consecrations?
• What does Jesus teach about the relation of some religious practices to the word of God?  
• Ponder on the times that my personal religious practices have destroyed my genuine freedom and a true concern for others.Describe the experience and what was the trigger for change?
• Reflect on my personal religious practices which do give genuine personal freedom and a true concern for others. Reflect on how these practices bring me closer to the true meaning of God’s law.
• Reflect on what hinders me from having a genuine personal freedom and a true concern for others?
• How do I relate to this story of Jesus pointing out danger from false interpretations.  Make a list of areas in my life that need a change of heart and develop an action plan on how this change of heart might occur. (eg name an area and name one/two changes that you will implement with God's help.
• What impact does Jesus’ teaching have on you (7:1-13).
• How has this passage spoken to you- what does it say to you personally?

Section 2 Part 5: Jesus heals a paralytic (Mk 2:1-12)

Welcome to my Gospel of Mark Series. During 2012-13, each week, I will write a 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 of Year B.  In today's post, we explore chapter 2:1-12 which is Jesus heals a paralytic.
Chapter 2 ushers in a series of 5 conflicts (2:1:3:6).  Mark is at pains to show how opposition of Jesus began early and grew steadily.  These stories emphasise the surprising newness and unique authority of the teaching of Jesus.  The also show the widening gap between Jesus and the scribes and the pharisees, the recognised teachers and authorities in the Jewish religion of the day.

Jesus has returned to Capernaum on the northern shore of Lake Galilee, where apparently He has made His home in the house of Simon ( 1:29).  People crowd to hear him.  Four friends bring a paralysed man on simple bed, but they cannot reach Jesus.  The friends are determined and adventurous.  They dig a hole in the mud rood and left down the stretcher, right in front of Jesus.

When He sees their faith, Jesus shocks everyone, especially the teachers of the law, when He speaks with affection and forgives the man's sins.  For the Jews only God forgives sins.  the outraged questioning of the scribes is highlighted, or framed according to the Hebrew literary fashion by the forgiveness of the man's sins before and the cure of his paralysis after.

The Christians of Mark’s time believed, as we do, that Christ, as the risen Lord continues to forgive sins in and through the present actions of the Christ.  The Jews understood forgiveness of sins more as a future good from God for which to hope.  Jesus shows this future good has already come into the world in Himself.

Jesus makes the cure of the man’s paralysis the sign of a more radical freeing from dehumanising evil and bondage, his sinfulness.  He acts with God’s own power.  The man, walking away with the stretcher under his arm, dramatically contracts with the start of the story when the same man lay helpless on the stretcher carried by his four other friends.

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?
• Reflect on the keywords in this passage for they contain the substance and purpose of all the things Jesus said and did-
• Consider who might be the paralytics  in society and in what way Jesus can come to them in our times.
• Share the interior feeling of Jesus when he saw the faith of the paralytic man and his four friends.
• Consider if we were paralysed, have we got four friends that would do what it takes to get healing for us.
• Consider what changes we will make to be filled with faith in Jesus and to assist others to receive healing from Jesus in their lives.
• Reflect on a time in our lives where we have felt paralysed from our church, work, family or parish.
• What is my attitude to the gift of Reconciliation?
• Imagine you are the paralyticr. Make a list of areas in my life that need a change of heart and develop an action plan on how this change of heart might occur. (eg name an area and name one/two changes that you will implement with God's help.
• What impact does Jesus healing a paralytic have on you (2:1-12). .
• How has this passage spoken to you- what does it say to you personally?

It is important to remember that St Mark wishes us to know the person of Jesus.

What does this passage of scripture tell you about the person of Jesus?