Give and Get

Mark 4:21-25
And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 
For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. 
If any man has ears to hear, let him hear." 
And he said to them, "Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. 
For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away." 

Homily:
We see this daily and revolt against it. We think the world is rigged against the poor. We neither want to face reality nor use it to our advantage. 

The rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer, not because the world is rigged, but because it is a feature of life.

Idle money is as bad as debt. It will be taken away from you and given to the one who invests.
 
Invest in something you understand, something that protects your principal and guarantees a fair return. If you have not figured out where to invest, at least fix the money in an interest bearing account (fixed deposits, treasury bills or bonds).

This lesson is expressed best in the below parable. Read and pray for understanding.

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 
To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

“‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ - Matthew 25:14-30

My Lord and my God, nurture me to bring a fair return on the talents you have planted in me. Amen.

Parables

Mark 4:1-20
Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 
And he taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 
Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it had not much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil; and when the sun rose it was scorched, and since it had no root it withered away. 
Other seed fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 
And other seeds fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." 
And he said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." 
And when he was alone, those who were about him with the twelve asked him concerning the parables. 
And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables; so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand; lest they should turn again, and be forgiven." 
And he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 
The sower sows the word. 
And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown; when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which is sown in them. 
And these in like manner are the ones sown upon rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 
And others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 
But those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." 

Homily:
Read the passage again. Enough said.

Lord Jesus, help me to see and perceive, to hear and understand.
Let my feet never depart from you, but continuously stay with you, to understand the parables of life and receive the secret of the kingdom of God.

Amen.

God's work

Mark 3:31-35
And his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 
And a crowd was sitting about him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you." 
And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" 
And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 
Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother."

Homily:
To understand the above passage, you need to read the entire Mark chapter 3 for context.

A previous meditation - Keep going, can also offer insight.

The admonition that Jesus Christ gives, is not an undermining of familial commitments, but a reinforcement of what is most important - God's work.

The usual hindrance to God's work includes the familiar, the comfort zone and past commitments.

The work which God has given us must be so all-consuming, that it breaks us free from convenient limitations.

What is the work God has given to us?

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” - Matthew 22:37-40

Your neighbour is who is presently around you, not who you wish was around you or who you wish they could turn into.

Your neighbour is your mother, father, brother and sister. It is God's will that they are with you. Nurture them.

Fast

Mark 3:24-25
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 
And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 

Homily:
Therein lies the trouble with humanity.

We are divided within, against ourselves. Spirit and flesh in constant battle.

Flesh routinely prevails, the spirit remains restless.
Unhappiness prevails, desire heightens.

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” - Matthew 26:41

As humans, we need to discipline our flesh. We need to strengthen our flesh.

Fasting helps. It is a conscious feedback to the flesh that is owned, not possessed by you.

When the flesh is aligned to the spirit, a human stands.

One body

1 Corinthians 12:12-30
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body -- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free -- and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 
If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. 
And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. 
If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 
But as it is, God arranged the organs in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 
If all were a single organ, where would the body be? 
As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 
On the contrary, the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those parts of the body which we think less honorable we invest with the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior part, that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 
If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 
And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. 
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 
Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 

Homily:
Pay attention to your role in the body of Christ.

Ignore the distraction of comparison - the need to be like others or others to be like you.

Ignore the distraction of competition - the need to outdo others or others outwitting you.

We are one body in Christ, we are not whole until we work together - apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers, healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues.

Let those who see, show us.
Let those who hear, guide us.
Let those who speak, counsel us.
Let those who sense, alert us.
Let those who walk, lead us.
Let those who hold, shape us.
Let those who think, enlighten us.
Let those who feel, instruct us.

We are one body, we need all parts, to be whole.

Lord Jesus, help me to understand my role and to be at peace with it.

Keep going

Mark 3:20-21
Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

Homily:
How many times have those that love you, temporarily become the obstacle and not the lift.

They mean well, but they do not understand. They see short term discomfort as long term suffering. They try to protect you, but unwittingly cage you.

They are doing what they think is right. They want no harm to come to you.

It is your job to make the obstacle give way. Love them, but keep going.

"He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves." - Luke 10:2-3

Help me bring in a rich harvest to you Lord.

Believe

Mark 16:15-18
And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 
And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover." 

Homily:
There is no restriction on who the gospel should be preached to.

There is a restriction on who will be saved - it is hinged on belief.

How do you know you believe? Your works.
Your works are a signal to your belief.

Do your works point people to Jesus Christ or to yourself?
If yes, ask for grace to stay the course.
If no, ask for mercy and change course.
If not sure, ask for wisdom to understand your present course.

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” - Mark 9:23-24

Lord Jesus, I believe, help me overcome my unbelief.