Peter began to say to Jesus, 'We have given up everything and followed you."
Because I never learned Greek and am not a bible scholar, I rely on translations of the Bible. Bible hub offers more than a dozen versions of Mark 10:28, and most of them say, "Peter began to speak...."
Do you suppose he was about to say more when Jesus cut him off? Peter would remind Jesus of the sacrifice he and the disciples had made to follow the Lord. Perhaps he intended to elaborate on that point, to make the moment last and impress upon the Lord and anyone else the full scope of their sacrifice. There would be a further implication: "You owe us....."
But Jesus immediately recognized and honored their sacrifice. They have indeed given up house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children and lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel. And he adds a promise to his recognition: you will receive a hundred times more.
But we have to notice the promise of eternal life in the age to come is salted with trouble, with persecutions.
Perhaps Peter, as he wants recognition, would also like to set the rest of his career on cruise control and watch the passing scenery. Which of us doesn't hope there will be no more adventures after everything we've been through? Haven't we paid the price already? As Jesus would say so well in the King James Version, "Sufficient unto the day is the trouble thereof." Who needs more?
But we know Peter and his companions will face far worse. This is only the tenth of Saint Mark's sixteen chapters.
Yes, we have made great sacrifices but none dare say we have done enough.
Faith means expecting daily the challenge of tomorrow. I offer my routine prayers today because there might be no routine tomorrow.
A crisis like the death of a loved one changes everything. It either deepens our faith or destroys it. But that decision is made before the crisis occurs, as we choose to practice our faith through the humdrum un-events of daily life.
Lent begins tomorrow. Don't waste it!
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.