Lectionary Week: Second Sunday in Lent
Prescribed Texts: Mark 8:31-38, Genesis 17:1-7 and 15-16, Psalm 22:23-31, Romans 4:13-25
Focus Text: Mark 8:31-38
Vs. 36 (a): What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
What has become of life, if everything we do is driven by fear?
If you look around you, many of us do constantly live in fear, in one way or another; whether it is something as vain as “am I pretty enough,” or “am I thin enough,” or “do I have enough money,” to “I am too scared to take an HIV test,” or “I am too scared to tell my partner about my HIV.” HIV did not start the fear of stigma and discrimination – it did increase it, but it did not start it.
We have been doing this ourselves for centuries and it almost always comes down to the fact that we want to win and own the world – and the people in it. What people think of me is more important than me standing up for my values, my faith, for what I believe in.
Almost all of us have cried when someone passed away. This is because one minute they are present in our lives and the next instant gone forever. It is just natural that we wished that we had said something, or ask ourselves if we said everything we should have. And there was probably something I did not say, because I was afraid of how they would have reacted to my words.
When we read this section, we hear that Jesus tells the disciples of His coming death and resurrection. We are reminded of this during this time of Lent. Jesus is the only one with the answer to our biggest fear – our own mortality. The answer to all our questions of fear is so simple, that sometimes we cannot grasp it . . . Jesus.
Jesus has risen to give us peace of mind and the strength to conquer all our obstacles, but not only that; He is also the answer to our living for eternity. The answer to our fear really is that simple – Jesus.
To think about: What do I gain from living in fear? Does it change or improve anything in my life? Does it matter in the end? Will fear stop you from losing your life?
Written by: Ms T. Zimmerman, CABSA Board member and trained Churches Channels of Hope (CCoH) facilitator
Written by: Beverley Hendricks, trained Churches Channels of Hope (CCoH) facilitator