Gospel MK 9:41-50
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
“Everyone will be salted with fire.
Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,
with what will you restore its flavor?
Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”
Reflection:
Jesus begins by saying to his disciples:
“Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink…….will not lose their reward.”
The “cup of water” is figurative. Jesus is telling us that anyone who helps another person in any way “will not lose their reward.”
Jesus then switches direction and says it would be better for someone who teaches an innocent person to sin to be thrown into the sea with a heavy stone tied around their neck.
And, it would be better to lose your hand, your foot or your eye if they cause you to sin.
Jesus is not suggesting we should disfigure ourselves; He is using an exaggeration to make His point. Just as it may be necessary to amputate a limb that is gangrenous to save the patient, it may be necessary to figuratively “cut off” the temptation that causes us to sin.
The message is clear: If we do the right thing by others we will not lose our reward. If we choose evil over good then we risk the loss of heaven and the pains of hell.
Finally, Jesus speaks of everyone being “salted with fire.”
Salt has been used for centuries to bring out the flavor in food and as a preservative to keep meats from spoiling.
To be “salted with fire” is to be flavored with the love of Christ.
Jesus tells us:
“Keep salt (His love) in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”
The early Greeks spoke of people having an encounter with Christ that brought about a metanoia, a change of mind and heart.
Perhaps as we approach the season of Lent, it is time for us to start thinking of having a change of mind and heart, a re-seasoning of ourselves in the love of Jesus Christ.
“Burn in me, fire of God, burn till my heart is pure! Burn till your life shines out in me, steadfast, pure and sure.” – – Hope Publishing Company
– Attention Readers –
To the readers of my “Weekday Gospel Reflections:”
Thank you for your loyal readership and your many kind responses to my thoughts and insights on the gospel readings over the last three years.
I feel the time has come for me to take a sabbatical from writing and suggest that you consider a new perspective.
There are many wonderful reflections available online.
Three daily reflections that I strongly recommend are:
University of Notre Dame @ faith.nd.edu
The Word Among Us @ wau.org
Give Us this Day @ www.giveusthisday.org
In the Love and Hope of Jesus Christ,
Jim Orcutt
I can be reached at: jamesorcutt1@comcast.net