A few weeks ago I was hanging out with some of the kids from our church after service. One of them, Andrew Duryea, who is 10 years old, boldly proclaimed to me that he didn’t like the New Testament God. “Really?” I said. “Why not?”
This morning's reading from Mark's Gospel [Mk. 8:27-32] opens with a scene in which Jesus and his disciples are strolling through Caesarea Philippi, chatting with one another. Jesus seems to be conducting a focus group; doing a little market research.
The mother of a little girl described in this morning's Gospel passage is passionate. She seeks healing for her young daughter who is besieged by an evil spirit. This could mean she is struggling with a physical or mental illness.
To understand this morning's Gospel passage from Mark [Mk. 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23], we must examine it in its historical setting, and then reinterpret its message so it makes sense in today's world. This passage has nothing to do with hygiene.