On the Back Porch
Reading, pondering and studying God’s Word is sometimes best done “on the back porch.” Each week we will try to offer something for you and your “back porch time.”
26th Sunday, Year B
What We Celebrate
As noted regarding the gospel last Sunday, the time of miracles, healings, and casting out demons seems to have passed. Moving forward, Mark’s gospel continues to primarily focus on the teaching and preparation of the disciples for the coming times when they will be without Jesus in his familiar presence. In our passage it seems clear that Jesus is pointing out some of the problems that the apostolic community will face – and many of them can be understood as problems of the human condition. The concerns of this passage are: (1) ambition among themselves (vv. 33–37); (2) envy and intolerance of others (vv. 38–41); and (3) scandalizing others (vv. 42–48).
As always, a lot going on in the gospel reading. Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and take a moment on the back porch with the Word of God.
Full Text of the Sunday Readings
Detailed Commentary
Image credit: The Exhortation to the Apostles | James Tissot | Brooklyn Museum | US-PD
In the name of ….
The gospel reading for this week uses the word “name frequently:
- Whoever welcomes one such child in my name.. (v. 37)
- …someone driving out demons in your name… (v. 38)
- …no one who performs a mighty deed in my name… (v. 39)
- …whoever gives you a cup of water to because you belong to Christ… [the literal translation of this verse is “because you bear the name of Christ.”] (v. 41)
Name? Do we mean Jesus? The Messiah? The Christ? The Son of God? The Promised One? Of course the answer to all of that is “yes.” Perhaps one of the monikers that is not as intuitive is when Jesus refers to himself as the “Son of Man.”