The Commandment to Listen to Jesus (Mark 9:1-13)

The Transfiguration of Jesus

And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, and no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. (9:1-4)

Through this revelation, Peter, James, and John could witness the kingdom of God coming with power through me. They did not understand, and would need time to process what happened. After speaking to them about my death, it was important for them to see how real was the kingdom that I was bringing. The Father asks me to be the King of kings, Lord of Lords, with Him and the Holy Spirit. 

My kingdom is real, it is the kingdom of heaven, and it was the focus of all my ministry on earth. I started by proclaiming that the kingdom was near, and here I demonstrated to a few key disciples how real and powerful was this kingdom. The alternation of revelations about my suffering and death on one side, and the power of kingdom on the other, was intentional. This helped to prepare my disciples for my death and resurrection, for the way of the cross in the power of the kingdom. People often think that power will avoid suffering, or that suffering is a failure. I came to teach that the kingdom of heaven is first and foremost rooted in love, and that love demonstrates how suffering and power can be two complementary facets in your world. 

In this world, you will have to suffer, because of sin. For many it is difficult to move away from hardened hearts of dead power to loving hearts of humble love. In order to proclaim efficiently my coming kingdom, you have to accept that I don’t use human weapons of death but spiritual weapons of life, and that my kingdom is not built on violence and war. My kingdom is built on love and sacrifice, I have shown the way to follow. Yet, many people have a hard time to see that accepting to suffer is not a sign of weakness. This was the case during my life, this is still the case today. 

I appeared in shining clothes, with Elijah and Moses. They rejoiced to be at my side for a while. We discussed of the accomplishment of my task through my crucifixion and resurrection in Jerusalem. They were rejoicing of seeing what they had awaited for so long, for the Holy Spirit to be welcomed by many, for the love of the Father to spread in many hearts. 

And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” (9:5-7)

Peter saw in me a revelation that was very different from the worldly Messiah he had thought would come. It puzzled him for a long time, and with the others they were afraid to die when they saw me transfigured. They realized that God was revealing himself through me, and they feared for their life. For people to be able to come close to God without dying, they need to be purified, so that they are not consumed. That is why I came, that is why I sent the Holy Spirit, to prepare people to come close to God, to become able to love God with all their heart, soul and strength. 

When the Father spoke, his message was extremely simple: “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” With these simple words he stressed that I am really who I said I am, that God is really my Father, that I am really the Son of God. Yet, the most important part is forgotten by many Christians, the Father said: “listen to him.” It was true then and has always been true, my disciples hear my voice and follow me. The Father did not say to read the texts speaking about me, although this is also important, but he said: “listen to him.” 

I even told my disciples after my resurrection that I would be with them until the end of the age, yet most people don’t believe my words. If I am with you, it is to speak with you. I also said: “where two or three are united in my name, I am in the midst of them.” This means that I want a real relationship with each of my disciples. You are in a world of theories, of abstract theology that often miss the simplicity of my good news. My good news is that God is with you, that I came to deliver you from this separation from God. What better sign of this deliverance than the ability to dialogue with me, to dialogue with the Father? How can you have a deep and loving relationship with someone if you don’t hear the person speak to you? How strange that people try to love me without learning to listen to me. The one who really loves me is the one who listens to me and obeys to what I say. 

The biblical text is an excellent starting point to encounter me and to listen to me, yet if you fall short of a real relationship with me, you can end up making many theories on the ground of a few verses. Some said that the Scriptures are my cradle. It is nice, because I was a baby for a time. Yet, I am no more a baby. I am the lion of Judah and I want to lead my disciples in all they say and all they do, like an army united through my love which will crush darkness and bring God’s mercy and grace to shine and rule in many places on earth. A written text will never be sufficient to allow that. The Scriptures are an invitation to listen to me, to listen to the Father. It takes a step of faith to ask and listen to me, to speak and hear me in your heart. Yet, without this step of faith, the message of the kingdom becomes diluted and without much use. I did not come to make people nice, I came to bring a holy transformation that shakes this world. I came to manifest a love that casts out darkness and brings the light of the Father. I am the Word of God, I am still speaking today. The key message of the Father was: listen to him. Many people forget that the Father did not say that I am the Scripture of God. He did not ask to read but to listen. I am the Word of God. There is a major difference between reading and listening to a person. Reading can still allow control of what you read. Listening invites relationship and obedience, depending on me in all you do. I depended on the Father for all I said and all I did. I am the Word of God, and I want to teach my disciples to listen to me. Yet, I cannot force them and lead them without them choosing to really depend on me and on my voice. As the Father said a long time ago, he wants to tell you today: listen to our voice, listen to me. Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you. If you parents who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. And the Holy Spirit will remind you all I said, will help you to hear all I say, and will teach you all things. 

And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. (9:8-10)

As this vision disappeared, I told them to keep silent on what they saw. This revelation would help them prepare for my death and resurrection, although they did not see yet the big picture of my mission on earth. They had not experienced someone coming from the death back to life, so I could not blame them for not understanding yet what a real rising from the dead might mean. 

And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.” (9:11-13)

For my disciples, what was the closest to this idea of resurrection was the teaching that Elijah would come first to restore all things. This had some truth in it, because John the Baptist came with a message similar to the message of Elijah, a message of repentance, to bring back the hearts of the fathers to their children and the heart of the children to their fathers. Yet, this did not mean that Elijah would resurrect. First of all, Elijah was not dead, as they could witness in my dialogue with him and Moses. I just pointed them to John as the one who came in the authority of Elijah, and that instead of resurrection Herod killed him. I then tried to bring them back to what was key: the fact that I would suffer many things and be treated with contempt. Since a disciple is not greater than his master, I knew that it was not something that they wanted to hear. If I would suffer, it implied that they would also suffer. Before speaking of resurrection, they needed to acknowledge the journey through suffering that I was going to face, the journey that they would also have to face. 

Still today, many of my disciples are ready to rejoice of my resurrection, but don’t want to deny themselves and carry their cross. They don’t want to acknowledge that by following my voice and learning to love as I love, that would still imply some suffering in your world. Yet, take heart because I have conquered death, and as you learn to follow me you will participate in my victory. Do not focus on suffering, focus on me and on my love. Pray for each other, heal the sick and cast out demons. Proclaim my kingdom through your words and through your actions. Don’t let the burdens of this world crush you. Learn from me, for I am humble and meek, I will teach you the love of the Father. Open the eyes of your heart to what I want you to do every day, open the ears of your heart to my voice. I will then lead you as my dear sheep, as one of the precious children of the Father. No one will snatch you out of our hand, in us you will find the refuge and strength that you need, you will find purpose and joy in all the days of your life. 

Love Has a Price (Mark 8:27-38)

Who Do You Say I Am? (8:27-30)

And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philipp. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. (8:27-30)

In this moment, I did with my disciples exactly what I did before with the blind man. I took my disciples aside, and probed how much did they see who I am. My identity was not wrapped in mystery, but the eyes of people are so fragile, they tend to look only for what they already know or what they want. Learning to see is a spiritual journey. Most people saw in me John the Baptist, Elijah or one of the prophets. They did not see what was unique in me. 

Peter associated me with the Christ. He was right in some ways and wrong in others. He was right concerning the fact that I am indeed the Christ, the Messiah, the one promised by the prophets to deliver Israel from oppression and who would bring an eternal kingdom. He was wrong in the fact that he expected this kingdom to be of this world, and the real oppressor was not a specific nation like Rome, but sin and death in all their forms. 

Since this understanding was only partial, I charged my disciples not to speak. It would take them a long time to realize the parts they missed concerning my mission on earth. Only after my death, only after Pentecost would they have a clear grasp of my mission and their mission. 

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection (8:31-38)

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. (8:31)

In order to help my disciples to understand my real mission, I began to speak of the cross. I would not take a worldly power in Israel, in fact I would be killed. Then, I would rise again, showing that my victory would be on  sin and death, not on a foreign nation. In some ways, for you today, this seems pretty simple, but for my dear disciples then it was completely foreign to their understanding, and I knew that it would take a long time for them to understand. 

And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (8:32-33)

Peter could not see the link between the fact that I am the Christ, and my death and resurrection. Not understanding, he thought that I was wrong, and tried to redirect me. This was not from God. At that precise moment, Peter was more attached to his desire of physical deliverance, of a worldly messianic kingdom, and because of that he let Satan enter into him. My words are always plain, and I needed to rebuke Satan who was beginning to get inroads in the heart of Peter. Peter was not ‘possessed’, but he was clearly influenced by Satan. I needed to be very clear because all the other disciples were watching and they needed a clear direction. Satan was working in the heart of my disciples, who still had a hardened heart, and he would even win over Judas Iscariot in the end. My words to Peter were concerning a very real danger, and I wanted my disciples to be aware of the stake. 

In your world, people have often this idea that if they are Christian they will not be influenced or oppressed by demons. If their understanding of being a Christian is a continual fellowship with me and the Father, dialoguing with me during their days and walking in the spirit, then they are right. This life of the spirit is indeed what I want all my disciples to experience and this indeed protect them from demonic influences or oppression. I want them to know me intimately and to know the Father, not in an abstract way but in all the decisions and all the moments of their life. 

Yet, many people calling themselves ‘Christians’ are not yet there, and have not even learned to listen to me. I don’t want to condemn, but I want to attract them to a deeper communion with me, to a continual life of prayer, so that they are continually protected. This is very practical, John Wesley would speak of the continual witness of the Spirit to describe this. When people have not yet learned to remain in me and I in them, they are subject to having demons come and influence them in their words and decisions, oppress them and crush them. If Peter could be influenced by Satan at that moment, many can be influenced today. 

Learn to remain in me and I in you, learn to remain filled with the Holy Spirit, to follow us in all you do, and you will be really protected and safe. The Father is indeed a fortress and a sure protection, this protection is practical and in me you receive this protection. Paul spoke of the armor of the believer, in Ephesians 6, you can meditate on this. 

You have different ways to recognize if you have reached this safety in me. One of them is to keep the witness of the Holy Spirit during your days, to continually experience our presence in you. Another way, which is very similar, is to check during the day that you can not only speak to me but listen to me. My sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me. As you listen to my voice and follow me, you will be able to do the good works that the Father has prepared for you, bringing miracles, conversions and other forms of our love through you. 

Learn from this story to remain humble. Keep in mind that I have gained the victory on the cross. For you to experience this victory, you have to renounce control over your life, and to live your whole life in me and through fellowship with me. 

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (8:34)

I had to be very clear, so that my disciples would have a clear victory in God, and not be crushed by Satan. When you deny yourself, you refuse to let your will be separate from my will and the will of the Father, you accept to let our will and our love rule over your independent will. To accept the cross is to accept that you can suffer. Suffering is not a goal in itself, but should not be feared neither. It is only as you deny yourself that you will find in us the safety and peace to accept suffering, and then be able to follow me wherever I lead you. Our goal is to manifest fully in you and through you our love. This love has a price, and you have to learn that it will involve some form of suffering. There is no greater love than to give your life for those you love. This was my path, this is the path I invite all my disciples to tread. 

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? (8:35-37)

Learn to focus on me, on my love and on dwelling in me. For this to happen, you have to lose your independence. As you learn how much the Father and I love you, how much the Father is good, learn to accept that you independent will is not what you have been created for. You have been created for fellowship and not for independent lordship. Self-centeredness is the disease that harms your world, and we came to heal this disease. 

I came to show the way through the Father’s love and through my sacrifice on the cross. You have to follow me in accepting to renounce an independent life, to lose your autonomy and to enter in full fellowship with me - as I did with the Father. I did not say or do anything independently from the Father. Learn to speak and act in me and with me, motivated by my love and holiness. 

It is true, there is a form of loss concerning this independence, yet without this loss you will lose much more in the end - your very soul and body. You reap what you sow, if you sow independence from God who is the source of life, you will reap death in the end, death for your soul and for your body. If you sow dependence on the source of life, on us, then you will reap eternal life with us. 

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (8:38)

Do not be deceived, the one who does not learn to deny himself - and who rather chooses do deny me - will reap the bitter fruit of his choice. Death, physical and spiritual death are a reality. We want to avoid it for everyone, but each person has to choose life. To choose life implies choosing the Father and I, since we bring life to this world. If people want a ‘moderate’ gospel, in which they want to go to church on Sunday and do whatever they want during their week, that is not anymore my gospel; in fact it is no more good news. The path for my disciples requires all their heart, this has always been the case and will always be. You are called to love God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength. This is our path, and it has never changed. It implies denying your independence, it implies taking up your cross and following me on this path of holy love. You will then learn to love your neighbor as yourself, and see the light of God shine in you and through you. 

I have won the victory against sin and death, I died on the cross and rose again on the third day. This victory is for each person. Learn to welcome this victory in all your life, so that you will have life in abundance, so that you will enter fully in the path of pure love that I have opened for you. 

Opening the Eyes of the Disciples to the Way of the Kingdom (Mark 8:22-26)

Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida 

And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.” (8:22-26)

As I came to this blind man who begged to touch me, I had mercy on him. In his case, the fact of touching me was not enough for him to get well (compare to Mark 6:56). He needed more help. His faith was still lacking. That is why I had mercy on him and took him by the hand, leading him out of the village so that I could pray peacefully with him. Remember, I did not guess what to do, I always followed what the Father told me or what he showed me. That is the same way I use to lead my disciples still today, but for that you need to learn to develop this sensitivity to my spirit, to the Holy Spirit. You will then be able to practice the good works that the Father has prepared for you. 

This time, for this blind man, I needed to spit on his eyes, to lay hands on him. So many were healed just by touching the fringe of my garment, but for him I needed to bring him aside and to take more time with him. In many ways, what I did with this blind man was similar to what I did with my close disciples, with the twelve. The spit on his eyes can remind you of the words I needed to speak to my disciples. They needed to learn who I was, who the Father was. This spit was not enough to heal the blind, I needed to lay my hands on him. In the same way my disciples needed not only to hear my words but also to have personal contact with me, to see me at work, in order to discover the love of the Father in a very practical way. 

With all this, it was still not enough for the blind man to see well, he just began to see people looking like trees. My disciples also struggled to see clearly what the Father was doing through me, and to see the people with the Father’s eyes of love. They still saw people as objects, like walking trees in some ways. They needed more help to see clearly. For the blind man, I again laid my hands on his eyes, and this time he could see clearly. For the disciples, this second close contact, that would bring clear sight, would only come after my resurrection, through the light of Easter, as I appeared to them and spoke with them. It is only then that they would understand clearly who I was and what I was calling them to be, as children of the Father. 

Finally, I said to the blind man not to go back to the village, but to go to his home, where he really belonged. I also asked my disciples not to go back, to leave behind their past life and to go to their real home, their real identity of children of God, to proclaim the Good News of the kingdom, to become kingdom bearers. 

The Father used this healing to announce the journey of my disciples. They did not understand then, but later they did understand. My Father is so practical in the ways he led me in all things, it helped me teach my disciples in very practical ways, giving even hints about what was needed through the ways I healed this blind man. 

What I did with my disciples then, I still need to do with my disciples today. Many first have a hard time to see that I am still alive, that I can speak with them and be in contact with them. I am still today the Messiah, the Son of God. As my disciples learn that, I can teach them how to pray and live. I lead them aside as they learn to meditate on the teachings of the Father in the Bible, and more particularly as they learn from the stories of my life in the Gospels. 

Through my words, through the accounts of the Bible and as they learn to pray and to listen to me, they begin to discover that I can open their eyes to the realities of the kingdom. In many cases, like for the twelve, people struggle to understand my sacrifice and the role of the cross, they think that prayer is like a magical wand that you shake and all is fine, that suffering disappears when you follow me - but it has never been my teaching, in your world love very often implies an acceptance of suffering. 

Through continued contact with me, as you learn to listen and to dialogue with me, I can then open more clearly your eyes to spiritual realities, to the Father’s grace in the midst of human weakness. You then learn how the wonders of the Father’s love flow not only through human strength but even more through human weakness. As you learn the lesson of the cross, as the twelve also had to learn, you learn to die to yourself and to live a holy life by faith in me and through me. As you walk with me on this way of sanctification, your eyes become opened more fully to the grace of the Father, your heart can then be filled with the love of the Holy Spirit. Then, you will no more see people as objects or trees to manipulate and use for your own benefit, but as children of God that the Father loves dearly and to whom He wants you to minister. 

Then, you will be invited to leave your old life behind you. You will be able to do what I did, to be yourself a ‘little Christ’ - a Christian - and to minister the grace of the Father to many, opening physical eyes as well as spiritual eyes to our pure and tender love for this needy world. You will then bring the Good News of the kingdom to many, you will be a kingdom bearer. 

Human Authorities and Divine Authority (Mark 8:11-21)

The Pharisees Demand a Sign (Mark 8:11-13)

The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side. (8:11-13)

Is it not a shame that the Pharisees would demand a sign from heaven? They were telling me that they were the ones with authority, and I would have to prove to them that I could do miracles under their orders. Yet, the Father was showing his authority through me in a way that he did not show through them. 

They were jealous and wanted to make me fall. They wanted to tame me, but they could not tame the Spirit of God which was in me. The Spirit blows wherever he wants, and you hear his voice. You cannot put God in a box, or have him submit to you. You should rather learn to submit to God for His grace to flow in your life. 

In your world, human authorities, in particular in religious settings, often present themselves as ‘specialists’, knowing well what is good, what God desires. Theologians are the ones who are supposed to be the specialists of God’s will. The reality is that God does not submit himself to the microscope of theologians, he wants to be their Lord. This means that the theologians who learned to pray, like Nicodemus, will both submit to Him and be able to be good human authorities. Yet, many will want to stabilize their power and will restrict the work of the Holy Spirit. This is a human habit that has nothing new, this desire to control that fights against God and wants to master - even using the name of God in this attempt. 

I would never do a miracle if the Father did not show me he wanted me to do it. In this case, He clearly did not want me to perform a sign. I had already performed many. If the Pharisees were not satisfied, it is because what they looked for was not a sign. They wanted to make sure that I would submit to their human authority. I was not submitting to them, because I was fully submitted to the Father. 

This tension, between human authorities and God’s authority, is something that all my disciples will experience, under one form or another. It does not mean that you should reject religious structures. In fact, those who reject such human structures create new ones, like for instance what some call ‘non-denominational’ churches. Accept that in my Church on earth the human authority structure will never match perfectly the Father’s authority. Learn to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. If you have a role of authority, learn from Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea to take risks in my name. Whatever your role, always learn to be submitted first to the Father, listening and obeying my voice before obeying human voices. When you hear me less than human authorities, you will often get confused about my will. Learn to come to me. Learn to meditate the biblical text by listening to the Holy Spirit, learn to put God first, before anything else, and you will not fall. 

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod (Mark 8:14-21)

Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not 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 take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?” (8:14-21)

My disciples had a hard time to understand how my teaching was going to create tensions for them, how the teaching of the Pharisees or of Herod was impacting them. They did not understand what I said, they just focused on the bread. Yet, they saw that the bread came also from God, from faith. God did provide what was needed. The Father showed through me that he was manifesting clearly His divine authority, feeding the five thousand and the four thousand. Yet, the disciples were still too much focused on the bread, and not enough on the Father. 

They still did not see how the Pharisees and Herod were opposing the Father’s authority. The teaching of the Pharisees, their leaven, was all the rules that they added to the Bible, as if following a set of rules was what God had intended for humanity. 

When the Father spoke to Israel on Mount Sinai, He wanted to speak directly to them, but they asked Moses to be the one to listen to God, and they would follow what Moses would say. That approach seemed to work, but it was not a good solution. The generation of Israel that went out of Egypt rebelled many times against God and against Moses. The way of the Father was to speak to each of His children directly. That was what he said: Hear O Israel, the Lord is your God, the Lord alone (Deut 6:4). Israel was supposed to hear, listen and obey to God before any other authority. Yet, many like the Pharisees replaced this obedience to the voice of God by the obedience to a text interpreted by humans. 

Some interpretations will be better than others, but none will replace the fresh presence of the Holy Spirit, that is why I came to release the Spirit in the hearts of my disciples. The leaven of the Pharisees was the added human traditions leading people to be submitted to a human authority instead of being submitted to God. They had created many rules, and even what they called prayer was a repetition of words without listening to the Father. 

The origin of this leaven could be found in the fact that people did not seek the Father but a logical coherence in the Biblical text, they attempted to build a cathedral of principles that would guide humans in all their activities. At a practical level, they tried to make of the biblical text, with their traditions added, an idol sufficient for guiding all the steps of the believers. In claiming to have only one God, they created a second one made of paper and traditions. 

The biblical account is very important and should never be despised. Yet, it cannot replace God. The Pharisees added human traditions to this account that contradicted the intentions of God. If you have to choose between the Biblical account and traditions, it is wise to choose the Bible. Yet, the Bible without the Spirit of God will always lead to a new set of human traditions. This has happened many times and will continue to happen, that is like the leaven of the Pharisees. 

Don’t let logic or traditions replace the role of the Holy Spirit. The heavenly Father is the only perfect father, and he will give the Holy Spirit to every person who humbly ask Him. That is a promise He made through me, that is a promise He honors (see Luke 11:13). When you read the Bible, when you walk in your life and have to make choices, ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Learn to welcome him, learn to listen to my voice - the Holy Spirit himself will carry my voice to your heart. 

Do you now understand, are you ready to get rid of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod, of all these authorities in your heart that claim to be absolute and divine, while they are only human? Don’t reject everything, but test everything. Learn to first accept me as your Lord and Savior. Learn to listen to me, to let the Holy Spirit fill you and guide you, as you meditate Scriptures and as you live. Then, you will discern clearly which human authorities you can accept and which ones you should not. 

Love and Faith Can Feed Many (Mark 8:1-10)

Jesus Feeds Four Thousand

In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” (8:1-3)

As I was training my disciples, I wanted them to understand my motivation in all I did, so that they could learn to let the love of the Father flow through them with simplicity and with power. Miracles are not about impressing people, they are about loving people. I did not come to impress people with my aptitude to multiply bread, but simply to let the Father’s love run through my heart and touch many. I wanted my disciples to understand that we needed to ask the help of the Father, to turn our hearts to Him, in such a situation as the one we were in. 

And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” (8:4)

The answer of my disciples showed clearly that they were focusing on the possibilities of earth, and not on the possibilities of heaven. They did not yet realize the role of faith and love, and how the Father used our faith and love to let His love come down on earth as it is in heaven. That is what I wanted my disciples to understand through my teaching on prayer, the ‘Our Father’, in “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.

When you are in a time of need, don’t focus on what seems impossible with earth’s resources. Rather, focus on us, listen to us and let us guide you into our path of love. Sometimes, you will have to humbly recognize that you don’t have the resources to help, at other times we will let our love work miracles through your faith. 

And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?" They said, “Seven.” And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. (8:5-7)

The first thing, when there seems to be a problem to solve, is to look at what you have - instead of focusing on what you don’t have. Then, you let the love of the Father speak through what you have, and often you will see miracles of the Father’s love. Trust in us, speak with us in such moments, and let us lead you through your faith. As you believe in us and follow our directions, the love in your heart will bring our love to shine. 

You should not try to control, but rather to participate. In this case, I had my disciples participate even more than at the miracle with the five thousand. This time, I wanted to lead them to understand my compassion and to share it with them. They did not understand yet, but I was preparing their hearts, sowing seeds of compassion in them. 

This time, the crowd was in a place where there were not only Jews (as for the five thousand) but also Gentiles, because the Father wanted to bless not only Israel, but through Israel He wanted to bless the whole world. 

And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha. (8:8-10)

Through love and faith, the miracle took place. The Father gave His directions on what to do, and He then participated in what we did, he contributed His resources to our meal, as he did so often for the people of Israel during their forty years in the desert. The Father loves to show that He is able to take care of practical needs, so that people learn to walk by faith, confident in His love. 

Yet, many don’t accept to take these steps of faith, or decide to judge the Father when things don’t turn out the way they wanted. Don’t forget that miracles are not about fulfilling your narrow idea of what God wants to do, or what you want to do. Miracles are about letting the love of the Father flow through your faith, in a way that you cannot control. As you learn to listen to my voice, I will guide you and show you how to let the love of the Father flow through you, as I did with the twelve. It implies that you have to renounce to be a master and become a servant. As you learn to listen to me and to follow our directions of love, you will see indeed resources multiply and people be blessed through your loving obedience. 

Learning to Hear and Listen Before Learning to Speak (Mark 7:31-37)

Jesus Heals a Deaf Man

Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. (7:31-32)

In the Decapolis, there was a man deaf and with a speech impediment. Notice that weakness or lack of hearing most of the time creates a difficulty to speak clearly. In your world, people want to learn to speak well, while they don’t learn to listen well. This does not make sense, particularly for those who want to serve me. If people don’t learn to listen to God, they will not speak well of us. Listening to us is much more than reading or studying the Bible, it is about being filled with the Holy Spirit and being taught by the Spirit and by me. You can come to a certain level of mastery of the Biblical text, which is very important, but you cannot come to master us. The whole purpose of the life of the kingdom is to learn the opposite: to learn to be our servant, to follow us in all you say and all you do. My message is not a set of rules to apply, but a sensitivity to my Spirit that will allow you to incarnate my teaching and my love in always new ways. Without listening to me, without letting the Holy Spirit lead you during your days, this is simply impossible. Learning to listen to me while reading texts of the Bible like the Gospels is a very good practice. This can help you relate what the Father or I said in the past with what I am saying to you today. Love is not a matter of rules, but a matter of spiritual sensitivity to the Father and to me, to my voice and direction. As I like to stress and repeat, my sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me.

This problem of not listening to me is a problem that most of my disciples have to face and overcome. That was the case even with the twelve, who often heard and yet they did not understand, who often saw and yet their eyes did not see.

Remember, if you are deaf to what I tell you during your days, you will have a speech impediment when you try to speak about me.

And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. (7:33-35)

Healing is not a matter of power and mastery but of listening to the Father. Each time a sick person came to me, I listened to know what the Father wanted me to do, I watched what the Father showed me to do. This time, He led me to put my fingers in the ears of this man, and to put spit on his tongue. You see how the opening of the ears and the release of the tongue are related. If you don’t hear me, spend time with me and ask me to open your ears. If you don’t know how to speak about me, first learn to listen to my voice and to say the words I will put in your mouth. If you don’t see my grace at work in your days, ask me to show you so that you will really see.

And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (7:36-37)

I healed a deaf person, yet people were deaf to my request to tell no one. I knew what was important, and I knew that spreading news of this miracle was not what would help my message to grow deep in the hearts of persons at this moment. There is a time for experiencing the grace of the Father, and there is a time to share it with others. In this case, the sharing was done too early, not allowing my words and my actions to take deep roots in the hearts of people. People often think they understand, and will dismiss my voice. In this case, they thought that the miracle was the most important thing. This was not so. The most important was for me to teach them that they had to learn to listen to me before learning to speak, and they did not understand at that time.

They were looking for the Messiah, for him to fix all their problems. They did not understand that the Messiah would come to teach them what really needed to be fixed, and not what they thought was needed. It is like a sick patient coming to the doctor, it is not because the patient knows his symptoms that he knows what remedy is needed. It is only after my resurrection that my disciples began to understand what was really the root disease in their lives, that it was the lack of listening to me and to the Father, the lack of a loving and faithful obedience to us. All the manifestations of evil in their lives and in their nation were stemming from there.

 

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Humble Faith Releases God's Grace (Mark 7:24-30)

The Faith of a Syrophoenician Woman

And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. (7:24)

As Elijah went away from Israel for a time, I went away after this clash with the Pharisees. God is not only the God of one people, my people Israel, He is the God of the whole creation, and wants to bring all the creation back to His plan of love and grace. The paradox is that, sometimes, those who believe that they are close to God - like the Pharisees - are very far and that those who believe that they don’t have much value can be very close to the heart of God.

But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone. (7:25-30)

This woman did not come out of pride, but out of hope. She wanted the good for her daughter, she knew that as a Jew I would probably not welcome her, yet she took the risk to be rejected. Out of love for her daughter, she begged for my help. I first rejected her plea in a very clear way. It is true, I first came for the lost children of Israel, and she was not one of them. Yet, I also listened to the Father and in this case He asked me to make an exception. The overall plan of the Father is to reach all the creation, yet even I did not dare to do more than what was my part during my time on earth. Only the Father could extend my ministry when He wanted. My first answer to this woman was not so much a matter of despising her, but rather a witness of the limitation of my ministry on earth. In the same way, it is important that you follow clearly our directions concerning your service for our glory. Respect the limits of your tasks, and learn to do them well. Sometimes, we will extend your area of service, but it is very important that you don’t do that kind of things on your own. Listening and obeying is of great importance in your journey as a disciple.

In the case of this Syrophoenician woman, a non-Jew, she had faith that I could heal her daughter, and that this would not remove anything from my ministry to my people, Israel. Her humble attitude opened my heart to the Father’s grace for her. She did not force her way, she did not come with pride, but she begged for crumbs of the Father’s grace. That kind of attitude is so important, and the Father gave her, through me, what she hoped for. Through her faith, the grace of the Father flowed to her daughter, who was delivered from the demon.

From this story, you learn a key element of faith. Faith in me and faith in the Father is not a matter of entitlement, but rather the simple expectation to see our love manifest itself. Come humbly to me and to the Father, come with humility and love in your heart. This woman did not ask for her, but for her daughter. She wanted the good for her child. So many prayers of parents for their children are answered, just because they are not selfish prayers, just because they are humble prayers.

The woman had first to find me, before she could ask for help. In the same way, when you pray, don’t forget to first ask for my presence, to turn away from all the concerns you have and to ask me to come in your presence. This first step is of great importance. Many people forget that, when they want to ask something to us. They should first come to encounter us, to encounter me, Jesus. I am close, yet I don’t respond to snapping fingers. Learn to forgive before you come to me in prayer, so that the Father can also forgive you, that is one of the rules of the kingdom. Learn to come and wait on me, as this woman did. Learn to ask with faith for the Holy Spirit to fill your heart. Don’t hesitate to ask others to pray for you.

As you learn to come to me and to experience my peace and my presence, ask and you will receive. Ask for my love to be revealed. Accept that you are not the master but come as a student. Don’t expect my grace to be exactly what you expect. I want to speak with all the children of the Father, but I will not say just what they want me to say. I will lead them closer to the Father, to his love and holiness. If you come to me because you want me to be your servant, I am sorry but you will be disappointed. If you come to me because you want to be a servant of the Father, then I will rejoice to teach you, to train you as my disciple. In this journey, you will see many miracles of the Father’s love. Learn from the humble faith of this woman, she is a good example for you to follow.

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