Mark's gospel does bring us to a reality some may find difficult to accept or so real and unsettling that it is pushed deep down in one's awareness capability. In Chapter 7:24 through 8:10 Mark Jesus ventures a significant distance from Nazareth. He goes into Gentile territory where he works a few miracles and again feeds a large crowd of the Gentiles with very little food.Meeting a Greek, Syrophenician woman, the mother of a young daughter possessed by a demon, an unclean spirit, Jesus makes clear his mission is not simply to the Jewish people. His vocation as Son of God-Son of Man, is teach humankind that he had come among us on this earth for all kinds of people. No one would be excluded from his work, from his sharing the love of God. For any who believed the long-awaited messiah would be a gift solely for the Jewish people, his journey and care of the Gentiles was a strong signal that they were wrong.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is not exclusive! The gospel of Jesus Christ is not exclusive. And, once more, the gospel of Jesus Christ is not exclusive. This is the message of Mark's gospel account of the life of Jesus.
Here on Capitol Hill in our parish and in most offices whether of the Federal Government or other ancillary operations, the major work is service to others. And there are all kinds of others that knock at our parish doors, the offices of Senators and Congress people, the many outreach operations and so forth. And this is where the followers of Jesus Christ are called to reflect on his mission: it is a mission to "all" people. In the gospel events Mark presents today and the next two days we encounter a Jesus who is out there working with those who aren't of the right religion. He is healing people who are possessed by an evil spirit. ("He would certainly be busy on this hill," someone said to me in a recent conversation.)
Today we open our door to some who are clearly paranoid; some a psychologically broken; some who are without a penny; some smell of rare bathing; some are surely displeasing to look at, listen to or be around. This is the "unwashed mass" seeking our freedom. This is the "other" that Jesus goes out to teach, to heal, to feed.
This part of Mark's gospel is surely a challenge to modern society especially in a high technologically based culture and especially, despite the economic setbacks of the current days, financially blessed compared to many in our cities and throughout the world.
This part of Mark's gospel indeed is Jesus calling to us today to examine our hearts and minds. As followers of Jesus, if we are serious about that vocation, we cannot be too selective in our sharing the good news of the gospels. What Jesus teaches us for the remainder of this week's gospel readings is that whether a person is appealing to us doesn't really matter. If a person seems to be rejecting Jesus, are we to be the judge? These Marcan gospel passages are clear: Jesus wants everyone for himself!
These are not easy passages. These are not easy teachings. These are not easy callings for a true believer and follower of Jesus.
