December 9, 2010 – Mark 7

I found it interesting that during the first part of the chapter Jesus makes a statement that would bring Jews and Gentiles onto an even playing field (making all food clean) then making a statement that totally separates the two groups again (don’t feed to dogs what belongs to the children).  I read this in the morning and have been thinking about it on and off and can’t seem to figure out why the two extremes so close together.  Christ gives many example of wanting to save the Jewish people first, sending the Apostles only to the Jews first, preaching in the synagogues, and yet there are the times when He stretches out to the Gentiles.  If it is only to emphasis the point that the Jews are the chosen people of God and have a special relationship to them, but if they will not Christ will go to the Gentiles, then I guess I get it.  I thought there might be something more to it and more to it because these two are put so closely together.

There is something to be said about the power of God and the power of our choice to follow Him as well.  When you think that Israel was given the food from the table and that many of them did not convert, you can see the power of our free will and how God cannot do anything for us if we don’t let Him.  Then you see that so many Gentiles were converted based on the scraps from the table.  God’s “scrapes” had the power to convert most the known world within several generations.  And anytime you talk about food and a table you are drawn to think about the Eucharist.  This reminds us that even the smallest piece of a consecrated host is the still fully Christ, body, blood, soul and divinity.  The smallest piece holds all the graces that we need to change our lives, if we choose to let Him.  It is also a affirmation for Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist to take what they are doing seriously.  I, for one, know I used to not take it near serious enough.  Now I really try to reflect and be very humble and reverent when I have the privilege to minister.  Even the smallest piece is Christ, the smallest drop, we must take care and keep this in mind.