Life-Changing Encounters

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 8 (Year B)

Mark 5.21-43

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 24:25)

 

When I saw what the Gospel for today was, my first thought was, “Great! We are having our first baptism in over a year and a half, and this is the Gospel I have to work with: the story of a hemorrhaging woman sandwiched between the story of a young girl who dies. What am I going to do with that?” And then it hit me.

 

On the last full day I was in Israel in 2019, our group visited, among other places, the ancient village of Magdala. Home of Mary Magdalene. The original village, now ruins, has been extensively excavated, revealing some exquisite finds. Near the fantastic ruins that have been unearthed, there is also a starkly modern building, Duc in Altum. In addition to an altar shaped like a boat in front of a wall of glass looking out over the Sea of Galilee, Duc in Altum has what’s called the Women’s Atrium, containing seven pillars dedicated to women in the Bible who followed Jesus, and an eighth pillar dedicated to women of all faiths across time. But for me, the most outstanding feature of Duc in Altum is a chapel on the lower level called the Encounter Chapel.

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We’re All in the Same Boat . . . with Jesus

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 7 (Year B)

Mark 4.35-41

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 18:45)

 

The event in today’s Gospel reading is often described as a nature miracle, in which Jesus demonstrates an ability to control such natural elements as the weather. Clearly an indication that he is not just any mere mortal, but highlighting his divinity as the Son of God. And to reveal these attributes to the disciples, as evidenced by their awe and exclamation, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mk 4.41).

 

The context of the story is that Jesus has had a very long and busy day teaching the crowds along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. At the end of the day, he and the disciples decide to set out in a boat for the other side of the lake. Jesus is wiped out, so immediately falls asleep in the back of the boat. Then a violent storm whips up threatening to capsize the boat and endangering the lives of all on board. And Jesus manages to sleep through it. Until the disciples, naturally panicked, awaken Jesus, who, seemingly a little irritated, rebukes the wind and the sea, resulting in the storm abating.

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We are the Mustard Seed Plant

Third Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 6 (Year B)

Mark 4.26-34

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 18:30)

 

Our Gospel reading for today ends with Mark commenting that “with many such parables [Jesus] spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables” (Mk 4.33-34). Why parables? Why not just come out with the message, plain and simple? This is a bit of a mystery. Particularly when you consider what Jesus himself has to say to the Twelve about parables: “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that they may indeed look, but not perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgiven” (Mk 4.11-12). There is so much debate among scholars as to what Jesus meant by this statement. Why would Jesus try to intentionally keep the secrets of the kingdom of God from people? His whole mission was about revealing God to humanity, not keeping God hidden. It just doesn’t make sense. And to be honest, I have never come across a particularly satisfying explanation. Not that I’ve really looked all that hard, truth be told.

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Invitation to Deeper Relationship

 Second Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 5 (Year B)

Genesis 3.8-15; Mark 3.20-35

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 17:05)

 

It’s early in Jesus’ public ministry and he’s already going 90 miles a minute. It is obvious from scriptural accounts that he was keeping a fast-paced schedule just to keep up with the demands on his time. He’s barely started and has already outwitted Satan in the wilderness, cast out a couple of demons, healed Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, gone on a preaching and teaching tour throughout Galilee, cleansed a leper, healed a paralytic and a man with a withered hand, and healed countless others with all sorts of diseases and infirmities. And he even found time for administrative details like appointing the Twelve as his inner circle and righthand men. And all this activity has not gone unnoticed. In the short time he has been at it, Jesus has attracted quite a bit of attention. Wherever Jesus went, people flocked to see him. Some coming from great distances. The crowds were such that “he could no longer go into a town openly” (Mk 1.45). Not only had he attracted the attention of the people of Galilee, but also from the temple authorities in Jerusalem, who come to Galilee to check out for themselves what this Jesus is all about.

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