Reflection for February 29 – Joanie Daniels

Today’s Passage from the Bible: Mark 6:1-13

 He left that place and came to his home town, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, ‘Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offence at him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honor, except in their home town, and among their own kin, and in their own house.’ And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. 

Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, ‘Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.’ So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Reflection: Joanie Daniels

This passage reminds me to take care of those who are with you, and don’t waste your time with people who don’t believe you or don’t believe IN you. Where I encounter Jesus in this passage is when he is amazed that people in his own home town did not believe that He, one of their own, could teach with knowledge or heal with his hands. He essentially says “You honor people who come from somewhere else who speak with wisdom, but don’t believe one of your own can do that, and are also offended on top of that. I’m not going to show you all the miracles I can truly do, it will be lost on you.”

Jesus then sends the twelve disciples out in groups of two, to depart so immediately that they should not bring food, no extra clothes, only a staff. I think Jesus did that so that each group of disciples could protect each other, encourage each other, reflect with each other, and not be alone in this great undertaking.