A Disconnect With Jesus
- davidwperk
- Feb 10
- 6 min read
Devotional Reflection, Monday, February 10, 2025
The week of the fifth Sunday after Epiphany
The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.
Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading:
9:30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; 31for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, ‘The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.’ 32But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.
33 Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the way?’ 34But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. 35He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’ 36Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, 37‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’
You will find the full text of today’s Gospel reading at the end of this reflection.
Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 946)
AM Psalm 80; PM Psalm 77, [79]
Isa. 58:1-12; Gal. 6:11-18; Mark 9:30-41
Today we celebrate the Feast of Scholastica of Nursia. (See below.)
David's Reflections
This passage shocks us with the degree of incongruity between Jesus' prediction of his death and the disciples' debate about who is first and greatest among them. They clearly could not grasp what Jesus meant by saying that he would be rejected and killed by the religious leadership. Their dispute reveals a huge interpersonal and vocational gap between them and Jesus. What a disconnect he must have felt.
Mark relates Jesus predicting his death three times, in chapters 8, 9, and 10. In each instance the disciples misunderstand and demonstrate a rather profound blindness. Why the disciples were so shocked by Jesus' arrest and death that they fled has puzzled commentators in light of these three rather graphic predictions.
John's Gospel also has Jesus predicting his death numerous times, but in John the language is more obscure, with Jesus using terms like "lifted up" and "glorified" to refer to his death. It is possible that Mark’s narrative has made more graphic what originally were rather obscure references to Jesus' fate, making the language more explicit in light of the conclusion to the story and the details of Jesus' passion. What all four Gospels definitely preserve is the memory that Jesus was not surprised by his fate, that, at some point, he came to anticipate it, and that he attempted to prepare his followers.
The statement in verse 32 strikes me—“and they were afraid to ask." They did not understand but did not ask out of fear. I can see my own struggle with God's word in texts like this. How many obvious truths have I half-acknowledged over the years while feeling mystified and secretly resistive? Then, years later, comes an "aha" moment, an epiphany that surely could have come much sooner.
Suppose you turned aside today and unhurriedly reflected on those biblical passages, those teachings of the church, those lines in the creed that trouble you, that puzzle you, that you find yourself resisting. Could you possibly be finding those places where God has been seeking to break through to you personally? Perhaps it's time you moved beyond being "puzzled by and resistive of the mystery," and looked for the voice of God seeking you in the mystery. Pray for an end to the disconnect. I will be joining you in that endeavor. Trust me. It’s an ongoing saga.
I can say “amen” to Gerald Hawthorne’s comment. “"Christ is too great to be grasped in a single lifetime.”+ Best to welcome his grasping us.
+Gerald F. Hawthorne, Philippians. Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 43. Eds. David A. Hubbard and Glen W. Barker (Waco: Word, 1983), p. 149.
Collect of the Day, Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 216)
Today we celebrate the Feast of Scholastica of Nursia (died 10 Feb 543 CE).
Collect of the Feast of Scholastica of Nursia
Assist us, O God, to love one another as sisters and brothers, and to balance discipline with love and rules with compassion, according to the example shown by your servant Scholastica; for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be all honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
A Collect for the Renewal of Life
O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 99)
Of the Holy Spirit
Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 252)
A Prayer for Light
Almighty God, we give you thanks for surrounding us, as daylight fades, with the brightness of the vesper light; and we implore you of your great mercy that, as you enfold us with the radiance of this light, so you would shine into our hearts the brightness of your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 110)
A Collect for Mission
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100, 257)
Daily Office Gospel, Mark 9:30-41
9:30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; 31for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, ‘The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.’ 32But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.
33 Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the way?’ 34But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. 35He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’ 36Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, 37‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’
38 John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.’ 39But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40Whoever is not against us is for us. 41For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.
Daily Prayer Offices in The Book of Common Prayer
Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer
Noonday Prayer, p. 103, Book of Common Prayer
Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p. 109, Book of Common Prayer
Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer
Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer
Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer
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