Well we’re going to try something new Salem, or something old I guess. I’m calling this Incoherent Insights a space where I talk about one of the readings for the week and something I’m thinking about. Will it make it into the sermon? Who knows! Will it always be 100% thought out? No! and that’s hopefully going to be part of the fun of it. I’ll introduce something a little unfinished and unpolished and hopefully you all can finish it for yourselves or even with me! I’m going to try and mix up the format. Some weeks it might be a full story and others it might just be a paragraph or sentence that encapsulates some of the things I’m thinking about. My hope is that it gets us thinking about our faith and lives in ways we maybe wouldn’t have time to during Sunday service.
In this week’s Gospel text (Mark 10: 35-45) James and John have a big ask of Jesus. They want him to promise them that they’ll get to sit at his right and left hand when he comes into his glory. Seeing as Jesus just told them for the third time that when they get to Jerusalem he is going to die a pretty horrific death I totally understand how the two could think this is the opportune moment to ask for something like that. Jesus response is appropriately snarky as he tells the brothers what amounts to “mmm you sure about that?” because it seems that even after the third time James and John still don’t seem to understand what Jesus is all about, and what he is going to go through. Credit to the brothers though when Jesus asks if they can go through what he is about to they confidently respond Yes! Jesus acquiesces and tells the brothers that they will get to drink is cup and be baptized the way he will (let the reader understand Jesus is once again talking about pain and persecution) which of course upsets the rest of the ten. Jesus then once again lets the disciples know that the community of God is going to be different than the community of Rome.
I recently celebrated 4 years of ordained ministry in the Church, and I’m also in the process of planning my installation at Salem in a few weeks. So, when Jesus said to James and John “You don’t know what you or asking” or put another way “you sure bro?” I couldn’t help but reflect on my own calling. When I first felt the call to ordained ministry it was mostly through work with children especially middle and highschoolers. I’m 100% sure I didn’t know everything that went into being a Pastor. The consoling, budgeting, and managing are all skills I’ve begun to learn along the way. I’m also sure I still don’t know everything about being a Pastor. But each time I’m asked if I know what I’m asking or if I can do all of it I still find myself acting like James and John and saying Yes I am able.
Have you ever asked for or said yes to something you later realized you didn’t know what you were getting into? How’d it go? Would you do it again? What have you taken away from that experience?
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