Word to the Wise
Thursday, January 21, 2010 - St. Agnes, virgin and martyr
[1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7 and Mark 3:7-12]He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, "You are the Son of God." He warned them sternly not to make him known. [Mark]
Today's gospel passage begins with a statement about Jesus' popularity. People were coming from all over the place to experience healing or at least to see it happen (a stark contrast to the rejection he was experiencing from the religious authorities). It is clear that Jesus is a "wonder worker" of some kind, and it is equally clear that he is not rejecting that reputation, even as he must find ways to keep himself from being physically harmed by the crowds (the fate of all celebrities!). What IS strange is his ordering the unclean spirits not to reveal his true identity! Right now he seems only to want to be known for what he DOES than for WHO HE IS! Many scriptural scholars refer to this as the "messianic secret." The WHY of this attitude on Jesus' part should not be identified with the typical psychological dilemma that many celebrities face: " If only they knew what I'm really like! " In the Gospel of Mark, even Jesus' closest associates have trouble "figuring him out" till he has been crucified and risen from the dead. This is the probable basis for Jesus' admonition because the disciples are the ones who should appropriately identify Jesus, and they were not yet ready to do that. Jesus is not messiah because he can "work wonders." (There were plenty of "wonder workers" roaming around at that time.) In point of fact, his agenda is far greater than that but the disciples (and perhaps we readers, too) will not "get it" until they see the whole picture. They (and we) will have to travel with him to the cross and empty tomb before that picture identifies Jesus as Messiah! A wonder worker can save lives but it takes a Messiah to save souls! AMEN
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