Psalms 40, 54 * 51; Isaiah 50:1-11; Galatians 3:15-22; Mark 6:47-56A normal human reaction when we are faced with a great many things is to focus on individual issues, on the smaller things, trying to "get something done". Although an effective way to try and cope with something overwhelming, we many times can lose the big picture because we are to close in to see and understand.
We have just this kind of scenario in the Gospel of Mark today. The disciples, out on a boat in rough seas, after having just witnessed miracle upon miracle performed by the one they are following, still don't understand what is going on. While the folks in the towns and villages that they enter immediately recognize Jesus and bring all their sick into the town squares to have them healed. They may not have understood who Jesus was, but they recognized what he could do, something the disciples were still struggling with.
Perhaps one of the things our Gospel selection today is asking us to consider is: what are we to close to that we cannot see the bigger picture, the bigger objectives? From what do we need to take a step back from in order to better get our bearings? Is God in the details? The bigger picture? Both?
jfd+
Copyright 2008, John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.
If that is your picture from Obama's Inauguration, I was standing about 100 feet from you higher on the hill towards the monument.
ReplyDeleteYup - that's one of my pics - we were moving in your direction when I took that picture...we ended up on that hill you talk about..... small world.
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