A Poem a Sunday

Proper 21B/Ordinary 26B/Pentecost 19
September 30, 2018

 

St. Mark 9:38-50 - NRSV

Another Exorcist

38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone[a] casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 Whoever is not against us is for us. 41 For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.

Temptations to Sin

42 “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me,[b] it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell,[c] to the unquenchable fire.[d] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell.[e][f] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell,[g] 48 where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.

49 “For everyone will be salted with fire.[h] 50 Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it?[i] Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

Footnotes:

1. Mark 9:38 Other ancient authorities add who does not follow us
2. Mark 9:42 Other ancient authorities lack in me
3. Mark 9:43 Gk Gehenna
4. Mark 9:43 Verses 44 and 46 (which are identical with verse 48) are lacking in the best ancient authorities
5. Mark 9:45 Gk Gehenna
6. Mark 9:45 Verses 44 and 46 (which are identical with verse 48) are lacking in the best ancient authorities
7. Mark 9:47 Gk Gehenna
8. Mark 9:49 Other ancient authorities either add or substitute and every sacrifice will be salted with salt
9. Mark 9:50 Or how can you restore its saltiness?

 A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost 19

Hard Sayings

Millstones around the neck,

eyes plucked!

Why be surprised?

Hands

in hell

what kind of spell?

Feet cut off

we stumble

and it makes us humble.

Add salt

to the fire

a prophetic pyre.

All for

the little ones.

So what does it mean?

Allegiance is crucial

but the Church

through the ages

has done

little or nothing

unusual.

Silence at ‘zero tolerance’

while the little ones cry;

prophetic voices muted

in the face of State lies.

Business as usual,

the status quo

salt-less we stand

 unquenched we fall.

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