Seeing the signs

       In today's passage from Mark, Jesus cautions about the yeast of the Pharisees.  The caution to the disciples and to all of us is the action of yeast.That which acts like fermentation but really foments. I seems quite apparent from the actions going on in American politics how just a little bit of crazy can, like the fermentation caused by yeast, actually foments hate, racism and a total disregard for facts, common sense and decency. Jesus is warning us about this, the ability to misguide and mislead. This was something that Jess railed against with the Pharisees.

         How are we mislead today? Certainly there is the body politic and all that it entails. But religiously too, we are often captives of our blind faith ignoring the good sense God has graced us with. It is so much easier to follow than to think and lead.  

        In today's passage Jesus is astounded by how much the Apostles cannot seem to see. The signs and stuff, evidence if you will, that is all around them. Jesus speaks and they do not seem to hear. At the very least they seem to miss the messages he is trying to convey.

        Very much as it is today. The signs of the end times seem abundant. Does that mean we give up?  Hell no. That is not we are called to do as humans. We are called to love and make our times the best and most fruitful times. If these are the end times, we are called to holiness for our transition to our eternal inheritance. The Apostles thought that Jesus would return in their own lifetime. I am sure the 'signs' of the end times were present then as well. Just as Jesus says that 'only the Father knows', neither do we know. If the "end" is next week, we could each be called by tomorrow. We cannot live in fear, we are called to live active, loving live of witness until our last breath.

        If we fail to see signs, the sign of the end times is really unimportant. The signs that are important are the ones that God places in the created world, diversity, beauty, majesty, science. There to are signs of love, hope and creation. There are signs for all of us to see without dogmas and rules.  The thought and dependence on rules and rubrics are a bad yeast that ferments nothing good and infects our souls with the thoughts that we need not live lives of holiness, simply follow the leader. Our only true leader s God. The signs are there for those who wish to see. 

       The sights to see are not the end times. The sights to see are glory, love, beauty, the miracle of creation, the evidence of God in science.  Morning thoughts.

     Be well, love well today.

Mark 8:11-26

 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?’ 

 They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, ‘Can you see anything?’ And the man looked up and said, ‘I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.’ Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Then he sent him away to his home, saying, ‘Do not even go into the village.’