Hello from Mark “G”
Reading 1, Hebrews 9:15, 24-28, Christ is mediator of a new covenant: Since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. **For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf. Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice. Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.
***This scripture starts with a specific differing view, Jesus’ own humanity -vs- Divinity. Chief priests offer sacrifice each year, Our Father and Jesus allow His own sacrifice once, for all. Jesus is now Redeemer, brother, healer and Holy of Holies. My friends, I am a very simple man. Yet I refuse to allow myself frills and frivolities. I AM bare bones! So, St. Paul has an audience in me. As educated as Paul is, he perceives this infancy of our faith. He walks softly and keeps it simple. In reference to former times and former covenents, we are in the end times. A quirky remembrance I had regarding lifetimes, endtimes. In medieval days, kings used to wait until near death to get baptized, so that they could be as sinless as possible at the end of their life. Huh, thank goodness for Reconciliation!
Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6, Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds! **Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm.
The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. **All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise.
***OH MY LORD… SING PRAISE!!! This psalmist wants to rejoice in all of God’s wonderful deeds, He recognizes these deeds as special. Just like David sang God’s Praise and Mary in her Magnificat… and so many more people before us! *Very gently now, do we. We live at the pleasure of our Lord. If we’re careful, everything we do this side of Heaven pleases The Father. *God has to bare His arm I feel, because that is a sign of strength, aggression, and victory. In David’s time a person may not recognize from far off who is coming, but they could easily see a ‘raised arm’, for better or worse.
Gospel Mark 3:22-30, The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, “He is possessed by Beelzebul, and By the prince of demons he drives out demons.” *Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? 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. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. *But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. **Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” Jesus replied this, for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
***While never getting the credit, it’s nice to know that this often used adage originated in the bible. So many phrases that we use started in this greatest work of faith ever; the bible. But this specific adage about ‘a house divided against itself’ is especially true. Just ask anyone who has argued with their children over something trivial. Or how about spouses arguing. An argument is a sure sign of a crack in the foundation. **Satan is alive and well, but you cannot use Satan against himself. We must minister to the down trodden whom satan has hurt, wielding the Holy Spirit as our weapon and advocate.
