Page 2 - Jesus embodies the Creator's love

occupation troops – God’s reign is all around us. The Creator is greater than any earthly power. And
God’s power is transformative rather than destructive.

Williams describes the Gospel of Mark as a press release. In fact the word “immediately” is used
repeatedly, moving the narrative along at a fast pace, until it comes to the heart of the Gospel which is
the Passion of Jesus.

From the very beginning we are invited to return our allegiance and our full attention to the Creator,
trusting that there is more to life than our suffering or joy – that what we begin here in faith, blossoms
eternally into something beautiful beyond our imagining. We are told that the Creator has come to us
– to mend our broken hearts, to heal our infirmities.

We see this evidenced in the way that Jesus heals people, and rids them of the negative spirits that
afflict them. We notice that Jesus takes time away, in the hours of deep morning, in order to
commune with the Creator. In this way Jesus models the way forward for us all. It is our daily retreats
with God that give us strength to endure the brokenness of the world, it is our growing familiarity with
God that gives us the grace to trust the Creator regardless of what the future might hold for us.

Jesus’ ministry of healing and teaching proclaims the compassion of the Creator. The last third of this
Gospel speak of Jesus’ last week of life on earth – describing his passion.

There is a theme of secrecy in this Gospel – Jesus doesn’t want the evil spirits to reveal his true
identity – He doesn’t wish to claim the title Messiah too openly because most people are imagining a
different kind of Messiah than the one he is to be. He will be the suffering servant, joining himself to
our suffering. Creator will bring all of us through Jesus’ death, and our deaths, into the eternal loving
presence of the Holy Trinity.

The original ending the Gospel describes the reaction of the women who’ve just been told that Jesus
is alive after they’ve bee traumatized by his crucifixion. Their response is one of disbelief and wonder
and silence. And so it should be. And the shock of it ought to propel us back into the Gospel from the
beginning so that we might again meet Jesus there - and walk with him -- and through relationship
with him experience a deepening of gratitude – a deepening love for the One who gives us life, and
meaning, and hope. Amen.