Wednesday in Lent 4

The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, ‘Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.’ And he left them, and getting into the boat again, he went across to the other side.

Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, ‘Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.’* They said to one another, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?’ They said to him, ‘Twelve.’ ‘And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?’ And they said to him, ‘Seven.’ Then he said to them, ‘Do you not yet understand?’

They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, ‘Can you see anything?’ And the man* looked up and said, ‘I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.’ Then Jesus* laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Then he sent him away to his home, saying, ‘Do not even go into the village.’ (Mark 8:11-26)

Sometime around 1979-80 I read an entire book on the middle paragraph of the lesson above.

Alas, I remember that I read such a book but cannot recollect the central points made.

I had the motivation and the opportunity back then to spend about 100 hours reading in preparation for a ten-hour series on the Gospel of Mark. I had acquired many of the classic texts we learned about in seminary but never read (or only saw excepts). I had a library card at UCLA and located such books as I did not own myself, sometimes making copies of out-of-print items. I reviewed the highlights of the history of synoptic studies and then focused on Mark. I re-read the Greek text of that Gospel. I had great fun. And a group of faithful folks gathered on six Saturday mornings to engage the Gospel according to Mark. We had a wonderful time of it.

That was probably the first and last time I was reasonably abreast of scholarship on any topic. It felt good, I'm glad I did it, and to this day I feel more comfortable in Mark than in any other Gospel, though I have since done studies and led courses in the others.

Were you hoping for some profound insight about that passage? Sorry. Not today.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)

I love 1 Corinthians 12. Here we have such a rich celebration of the twin mystery: God is the source of variety and unity! The Spirit gives many gifts and all those diverse gifts are for the common good.

My own sense is that unity and diversity are each meaningless without the other. Variety without interrelatedness is mere chaos. Unity without variety is static (and boring - the sin for which there is no forgiveness). Diversity working together in harmony is a big part of my vision of the goal of creation. The Spirit is at work teasing out variety while also interweaving those many strands into a grand tapestry. Ever-increasing variety interrelated in ever-increasing complexity... and all for the whole, for the common good.


O God, with you is the well of life, and in your light we see light: Quench our thirst with living water, and flood our darkened minds with heavenly light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

[Yesterday's collect but I wasn't about to waste it.]
--the BB