Bible Reflections for February 2006
Text for:
Sunday, February 5
Read: Mark 1:29-39
Consider: Here is a glimpse into the life of Jesus. It is the Sabbath; Jesus
returns from the synagogue to the home of Simon and Andrew, where he heals Simon's mother-in-law of a fever. News about his healing ability spreads quickly, and for the rest of the day Jesus heals all those who are gathered outside Simon's house. But early the next day, Jesus goes to a deserted place to pray °© a retreat time. But Simon and the others seek him out to tell him that everyone is looking for him. More needs, more bodies to be healed. Jesus, however, does not go back to Capernaum but moves on to the towns in Galilee to heal and proclaim God's message.
Reflect:
+ Why do you suppose Jesus did not return to Capernaum to meet all the needs of the people there?
+ What kinds of demons or evil spirits are holding people captive today?
+ Jesus tried to find some time for a spiritual retreat? Do you have "retreat
times," even if only brief? Why are retreat times for prayer and reflection
important? How might you enhance your "retreats" to grow spiritually?
+ Jesus is shown here as the healer. Is Jesus' healing power still effective
today? In what ways? What do we say to one who has prayed to Jesus to be
healed but whose illness has continued to advance?
Sunday, February 12
Read: Mark 1:40°©45
Consider: Jesus is sought out by a leper wanting healing, who comes to Jesus on bended knee. He asks to be made clean, expressing his confidence that Jesus, if he chose, could do this. Jesus is moved by pity and heals the man. Lepers were considered unclean and unacceptable to God, and relegated to the outskirts of the community. No one was to touch them, as they too would become unclean and need to be purified. But Jesus touched him, and rather than Jesus becoming contaminated, the leper was healed by Jesus.
Reflect:
+ Are there groups in society today that are "today's lepers" °© unwelcomed in the mainstream, unacceptable and outcast?
+ This healing took place through Jesus' touch. Are there ways that touch can be healing when used by Jesus' followers today? Why is touching important?
+ Why do you think the healed leper disobeyed Jesus' warning in verse 43?
+ Take the time to bring to mind those people you know who are struggling
with illness, disease, or rejection by other people. Pray for them
specifically while visualizing their faces, prays as you think Jesus might
have prayed for them.
Sunday, February 19
Read: Mark 2:1-12
Consider: This is the story of the healing of the paralytic by Jesus. It is
a story full of detail and imagery. Read it again and try to visualize the
scene and the actions of the paralytic's friends. The room is too crowded for
the paralytic's friends to get him to Jesus, so the friends remove part of
the roof and lower the man to Jesus. Jesus, rather than pronouncing a
healing, says that the man's sins are forgiven. Some of the religious leaders
(scribes) are angered at Jesus' words, for only God can forgive sins. Jesus
replies that the authority to forgive sins on earth has been given to him,the
Son of Man, by God. Jesus then heals the paralytic in his body, and all are
amazed and glorify God.
Reflect:
+ How do you think forgiveness and healing are related? Is there some
connection?
+ The paralytic had a strong support system in the people who saw that he got to Jesus. Who and where is your network of support. To whom do you turn in critical times? Why them"
+ Have you experienced God's healing power in your own life of that of
someone you love?
+ What does the overcoming of the "roadblocks" by the paralytic's friends
seem to suggest about healing? What are some of the roadblocks, beyond
crowded houses, that might hinder people from getting to Jesus to find
healing?
Sunday, February 26
Read: Mark 9:2-9
Consider:
This is the story of a "mountaintop experience" of Jesus by three of his
disciples. Jesus is "transfigured," that is, seen is as changed by glory; his
clothes appeared as dazzling white, and the two great figures of Hebrew
history appeared by him: Moses and Elijah (which may represent the "law and
the prophets" testifying to Jesus as God's anointed one). The voice from the
cloud is reminiscent of the voice at Jesus' baptism: "This is my Son, the
Beloved," with the injunction, "listen to him." Peter wants to encapsulate
the experience of glory by building a little tabernacle around the vision of
glory. But mountaintop experiences are fleeting and cannot be captured in
order to be re-experienced again and again. They are given by God and usually
come when we least expect them; we cannot generate them or "hold onto them."
Reflect:
+ What might this story suggest about the nature of spiritual experiences?
+Can you think of ways that followers of Jesus try to "build tabernacles"
around visions?
+ Have you ever had a compelling religious experience in which you felt the
presence of God, and perhaps even believed you were hearing God's voice?
+ Why do you think Jesus ordered these disciples to tell no one what they
had seen? When is it time to bear witness to our faith and when is it
time to let the spiritual experience nurture our inner life? Why was the
"timing" not right for Jesus to be proclaimed as the Christ?
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