Mark 9:30-37
Lead in: Whatever Jesus was preaching about, it seems the disciples were always slow to get it. In Mark 9, Jesus has just predicted his pending death, and what do the disciples do? They start arguing among
themselves about who’s the greatest. Jesus intervenes, “What are you arguing about?” The silence is deafening.
Prompt: Reflect on a time when, like the disciples, you had nothing to say because you’d been called out on something you knew you were guilty of. What did you learn from that?
Lead in: In Mark 9, after confronting the disciples Jesus makes his point. “You want to be the greatest?” Jesus then takes a small child and cradles the little one in his arms. “Whoever accepts the smallest and least among you like this child, accepts me. And whoever accepts me, accepts God.”
Prompt: Reflect on a time when your ego’s need to prove itself better than someone got in the way of you being your best self.
Prompt: If the least among us refers to your least favorite people, who comes to mind for you? What do you need to do to change your attitude toward them?
Lead in: As he embraces the child in their midst, Jesus teaches the disciples and us much about who the Kingdom of God is for. It is for those like the child who trusts enough that they can be open to whatever God has in mind.
Prompt: Where do you most need childlike openness to allow God to work the unexpected in your life?
Lead in: The Book of James reminds us, “What good is it to say to your brother or sister, ‘Be well and stay well fed’, but then you do nothing to help them?’” Faith without works is dead. This means it’s not enough to simply recite the Creed on Sundays and then to do nothing to put your faith into action the rest of the week.
Prompt: Where is it that you need to put your faith into action, lest your faith dries up into meaningless words?
Lead in: In James 3, we are warned against the malice of ill will that threatens harmony within a community.
Prompt: Reflect on a time when you saw how “the malice of ill will” disrupted harmony within a community. What was needed to turn things around?
