Important Teaching

Today’s Gospel:  They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise." 32 But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to ask him." Mark 9:30-32

Reflection:  When we talk about teachings, we normally think in terms of a set of instructions or knowledge of something.   Very rarely, we would imagine that a future knowledge about self as instructions.

In the Gospel reading of today, there is an unusual statement made about Jesus teaching his disciples (vs.31) and in actual reality he was sharing with them his forthcoming ordeal and sufferings at the hands of men.

Sometimes, the easiest instructions are difficult to understand and that’s because we come with our categories and pre-set mindset to the school of instruction.

When you are learning to drive a vehicle you could and should learn to first handle the breaks but when learning from the mother of all schools, the greatest of all teachers, then there is no room for such fears.  But beware of men who come to you in the name of the Lord, claiming to be his servants and yet servants of their own imaginations, promoting themselves in the name of the Bible.

They avoid the cross in the name of God’s word and condemn those that instruct them as their persecutors.  That’s because they have never understood the most important teachings of Christ; the passion and death of Jesus.

The greatest opportunity and blessings the Catholics have is the season of lent which also gives them opportunities to not only receive the teaching of Christ’s suffering but also to participate in it through its various time tested devotions. We could miss out on this teaching by only practicing all types of rigours without being rooted in the cross of Christ.

Prayer: Lord, let the words of St. Paul be my instruction and prayer this lent: “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Cor 2:2

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