'Do you not understand?' ( !!! )

Mark 8:11-21

          Easter is fast approaching and I feel overwhelmed. If only I could feel simply 'whelmed'. I seem as busy as ever. Perhaps this is the excuse we give ourselves or others when we 'don't get it'.

           The Pharisees don't get it, the disciples 'didn't get it' and so often the people that we think are the one's that should understand, simply don't get it. How frustrating it is when even the ones closest to us do not seem to understand what we are saying or doing. I know the simple confusions of a relationship like my husband and I is frustrating at times. This is part of simple daily living. I can only imagine how Jesus felt when his own disciples, his hand picked crew, could not grasp the meaning of some of the things he was saying.

           I can give the Pharisees a pass of sorts. They are so steeped in rules and the proper way to act that they can barely see beyond their own noses. The Pharisees, if not all Jews of the time, expected a redeemer who would be a conqueror, a military leader who would repel and overcome the Romans. How could they see or understand the Christ who welcomed the outcast, fraternized with sinners, spoke to Samaritan women, blessed gay couples (The Centurion and his 'pais') and who may have actually been gay himself (The 'beloved disciple' resting his head on Jesus' chest). All these things are enough to cause sufficient a stir that they could obscure your vision - even today. 

          We are accustomed to viewing almost everything in the light of our own beliefs, how we ourselves live and are comfortable. When someone different comes along, acts differently or has a different frame of reference, we simply can't seem to see how they see. In fact, we are trained not to see what they see. Our way of life bolsters our belief systems and how we see everything. The idea of a gay Jesus goes against almost everything some of us believe and have been taught but the evidence is there making it a possibility. What difference would it make? 

           For another week here perhaps, as we try to enter our Lenten journey more fully, the challenge may be to look beyond everything we are comfortable with. Perhaps we could try to understand the things we just simply cannot grasp the meaning of. I know how frustrating it is to understand or be patient with those that 'don't get it'. Jesus certainly did. God surely weeps at how we treat each other here on earth. We really don't get it most of the time. 

           Perhaps we could hold up some notion that we have, perhaps a not so popular belief and try to either let people see it and deal with the almost certain fallout of misunderstanding or, perhaps we could try our hardest, by listening and perhaps even research, to understand something we simply 'don't get'.

The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, ‘Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.’ And he left them, and getting into the boat again, he went across to the other side.

Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, ‘Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.’ They said to one another, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?’ They said to him, ‘Twelve.’ ‘And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?’ And they said to him, ‘Seven.’ Then he said to them, ‘Do you not yet understand?’