21st February 2012 Mark 9:30-37

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time
They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”  But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.  They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?”  But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.  Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”  He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

I love this passage.
There's the fact that the disciples argued, I love that, the way they're completely like us. If Jesus chose them then there's no doubt that we're good enough.

Then there's the child, the smallest and least valued of the community they lived in. Jesus embraced the child and told the disciples to welcome them. We are tasked with welcoming the children, of course, but we're mostly tasked with welcoming those who Society degrades.

Tomorrow is the start of lent, traditionally a time when we give up certain foods and give them to the poor. In my town I'm thinking of the homeless; those society completely neglects. Today I feel tasked to give specifically to the homeless this lent, not just food but giving myself.

Jesus you have so much to teach us and yet you know we'll make mistakes and you're patient with us; thank you lord. Amen