Being Us
Imagine for a moment that you could not speak using words, but had to rely on actions and signs to tell people what you wanted them to know.
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?"- Mark 8:19-21
In today's Gospel, Mark gives us insight into the struggle Jesus had with his disciples who not only saw the works he did, but could talk to him directly and still had trouble understanding what he meant.
Why would God choose to come into the world to be one of us and speak in riddles to us?
I think what sets Jesus apart from the prophets who came before him is that he tried to teach his followers to discover for themselves what the kingdom of God is all about, while all the prophets could only offer indications of what God desired from them.
It is clear to me that the stories of The Bible show an image of God as wanting to help us make it through this world and after numerous attempts to guide us with laws and direction, He chose a different way, a more personal approach.
But in emulating Jesus, we could get the message all wrong, I think.
I don't believe Jesus came to us to show us how to be like him. I think he wants us to be us.
If we have eyes to see and ears to hear, we can experience the world the way God intended, as a glorious kingdom capable of sustaining all, supporting everyone, producing all we need in abundance.
The signs Jesus gave us we take as miracles to show us who he was, and that's how we get it wrong. What if the signs are meant to show us how we can get it right?
We will never feed the hungry, clothe the naked and heal the sick if we wait for someone else to do the work. Something as simple as breaking a loaf of bread and sharing it fed five thousand, so why can't we overcome our assumptions of what is possible and start breaking bread?
When we come together to work toward a common goal, as all the people who came to listen to Jesus did, we can accomplish amazing things.
It takes desire and faith, and from them we will change the world, revealing the kingdom hidden within.
So, instead of looking for the obstacles, and instead of waiting for someone else to do the work we know needs to be done, let us get started. If what we are doing is right, others will see the signs and join us.
What have we got to lose?
Hunger, nakedness, homelessness, illness, fear?
More to come...