Faith

Fear and faith- Tuesday, 4th week in ordinary time – Mark 5: 21-43

We have one story and two miracles. One miracle is in favour of a socially and religiously prominent official, the other for a ‘nobody’. One of our characters in the miracle story has a name (Jarius) the other is unnamed. One made a request in faith for a healing, while the other, in fear, ‘stole’ a healing in faith. Never have two narratives been married so beautifully to instill faith, and cast out fear.

Incidentally the two stories told as one are found in all three synoptic Gospels, Mark’s narrative being the longest. Jesus has come from Gentile territory after having worked a miracle there, and now He is on the Western shore of the Sea of Galilee working miracles among the Jews. Jesus makes no distinction between Jew and Gentile.

The miracle stories sandwiched one into the other, give us an insight into the revolutionary social mind of Jesus which knew no boundaries. By the time we are done with this passage, Jesus would have been touched by a haemorrhaging woman and He himself would have touched a dead girl; two ritually impure strike outs for Jesus as per Jewish law. Yet, He is least ‘afraid’ of external norms and looks for faith, and encourages faith in both seekers.

In the narrative of the haemorrhaging woman, she is declared faithful by Jesus, “your faith has made you well.” In the other case, Jairus is encouraged to retain his faith, even in the face of death, “Do not fear, only believe.” The first is descriptive, the second prescriptive. Mark, in his Gospel constantly brings out the themes of fear and faith, and fear in faith.

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Opinion

They were astounded at His teachings, for He taught them as one having authority- Mark 1:22

There is a difference between power and authority. Jesus held no earthly office and hence may have had ‘no power’ but what He did have was authority which those with earthly powers do not have.

The Church, reflecting Christ, must been heard as speaking with authority not flexing its muscles of power.

Fr Warner D’Souza

#marveroadmusings

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Faith

The chain breaker, the change maker- Monday, 4th week in ordinary time- Mark 5: 1-20

Today’s Gospel forms part of three (some look at it as four) miraculous actions that are performed by Jesus. These actions are contained in Mark 4:35-5:43 and reveal Jesus’ power over satan in nature (4: 35-41) possession (5:1-20) disease (5:25-34) and death (5:21-24, 35-43)

Jesus is now in the country of the Gerasenes which was thirty miles south east of the Sea of Galilee. It is here that Jesus encounters a man with an unclean spirit dwelling in the tombs. Tombs were considered to be a favourite dwelling place for demons. In doing so Mark makes a connection between death and demonic possessions.

It is interesting to note that in Mark’s Gospel the demons acknowledge the identity and the power of Jesus (ironically humans don’t); He is the Son of the Most High God.  It is His presence that truly torments the demons for it was believed that with the coming of the Messiah and the Kingdom of God a period of disaster would descend on satan and evil powers.

There is an interesting twist to the narrative. Jesus by his words commands the legion of demons to come out of the man and they “beg Him” to find another host in which they can dwell. The idea that demons had to find a dwelling place to live in is common, lest they reach their eternal place of punishment and so they ask to stay in the same area.( Revelations 9:1,20:10)

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