Today we might take a few moments to just look at the image of the peppers above. Each is different from the other. In the gospel form Mark for today's liturgical readings, Jesus' family thinks he is out of his mind because of the message he was preachings.This might be a reminder of the experiences some of us may have encountered especially with family and friends ... the hardest group ever to convince when a person steps out of the box of ordinary or expected response.
As our world becomes more a global community ... a reality that has take too many years ... one of our challenges may well be to realize that like Jesus we too may be called to make sacrifices to assist and teach others. Imagine what our faith would have been were Jesus to have acquiesced to those close to him in their desire to stop his preaching ... even long enough to eat.
Speaking out for or against issues demands of us an openness of understanding the opposite position. Even though a person may not change a position in his heart, a failure to hear the opinion of another from a different perspective is a challenge to the Holy Spirit who just might be talk to us through someone we might consider "out of his/her mind."
Break-neck speed seems to be the pace of our days. How do you handle those things that become a challenge to your faith, the practice of your religion and the respect you have for another person?
What does the pepper wheel ask of you?
