After laying the foundations of his ministry by proclaiming the presence of God’s kingdom as a call to repentance, and performing the works of the kingdom by freeing men and women from captivity to demons, disease, and legalism, Jesus shares this power with chosen disciples. The Twelve represent the original chosen twelve tribes of Israel, and so they are symbolic of the new people of God. Mark immediately contrasts their acceptance of Jesus with rejection by those who should have been the first to accept him — the religious leaders and his own family.

The Scribes were respected professional experts in the Jewish law, but their diagnosis of Jesus (v 22) is a good example of twisting the obvious to conform with a prejudgment. The kingdom that Jesus proclaimed and lived had no resemblance to their expectations; therefore, if Satan obeyed him it must be because he was in league with Satan. Jesus easily shows the lack of logic in this reasoning (vv 23-27), but then strikes forcefully at the heart of their attitude: they were closed to the working of the Spirit, and had made themselves incapable of salvation (vv 29-30). From God’s side, no sin is unforgivable; but we can render ourselves incapable of receiving forgiveness through hardness of heart.

Mark’s Gospel portrays Jesus’ mother and his family as among those who misunderstood him and did not accept his kingdom (v 21). They were unable to rise above natural ties, and sought to limit him: "Why don’t you come home like a good boy, and stop making all this fuss? It’s embarrassing to us and dangerous for you!" Jesus, in answer, uses this rejection to put the relationship of his followers with himself on a higher level of faith and acceptance (vv 33-35).

Sin always involves blindness, for sin is always a refusal to see and acknowledge God’s order. The basic temptation is for the human to want to become God (Gn 3:5). Once the attempt fails and the consequences must be faced, the flight from responsibility for sin is again a refusal to acknowledge light (vv 9-13). For eyes that feel comfortable and secure in the darkness, light is painful — yet healing can come only through letting the light in and facing up to one’s responsibility in sinning. The real tragedy of sin here is not the act of disobedience itself, but the refusal to acknowledge it and repent. Adam, in the name of all humanity, locks himself in sinful refusal of God’s forgiveness. Nowhere in the whole story is there any hint of sorrow for the sin. There is only shame and denial. But even in human weakness and hardness of heart, God promises that evil forces will be overcome (v 15). Jesus the new Adam would open himself to reconciliation, in the name of all humanity, by submission to the Father. (See also the commentary for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.)

This psalm of sorrow expresses deep trust in God even when the sinner must suffer the consequences of sin. Response: "With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption."

Hope is a very human virtue. We are carried through bad times by the hope of good times. Yet this virtue, so necessary for human survival, is not yet a God-centered hope. In fact, according to Paul in this passage, for our hope to have God truly as our goal, we must give up our human hopes and attachments (v 18). Paul had to struggle with his own set of inner forces (see 2 Cor 12:7-9) as well as outward opposition to come to this conclusion, and so he expresses it here with deep conviction. There is a temptation to put our real hopes in lesser things, like prosperity, health, and success; and use God as a last resort. To claim Christian hope, we have to place God first and put lesser hopes and goals aside for him.

1. Is confession important for forgiveness? Why? Is it necessary to confess outwardly, as in the sacrament of reconciliation, or is it enough just to God alone? Why or why not?

2. What is faith? What is hope? How are they related to each other? What do these virtues mean in your life?