The angels had asked me to post, awhile back, every Sunday on the Gospels. With Love and gratitude, I do. With a loving angel inspired message behind it. Gospel of Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48.
MK 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
At that time, John said to Jesus,
“Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.”
Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.
Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'”
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In the first portion of today’s reading, Jesus empowers us to see that it is up to God who performs Mighty Deeds in overcoming evil. The angels say that ” all have been blessed with His Light and Spirit and God has chosen all to overcome evil through the Holy Spirit. Those who perform mighty deeds in Jesus name are blessed beyond measure. Those who heal in His name are also blessed , and those that perform a single act of love in Jesus name, will surely not lose their reward either – and are blessed eternally! Love will never hinder”
Jesus then makes reference to punishment for sin , which reflects Jewish thought at the time- that included notions of a final judgement with reward or punishment for righteous or unrighteous lives. In actuality, Gehenna was the valley of ben Hinnom below Jerusalem, which served as a city dump, continually burning. It was also the place where Israelite Kings had burned their own sons as offerings to a foreign god. (Jeremiah 7:30-32). Jesus’ main message here though, is to throw away anything that may cause the disciple (or anyone ) to sin- for there is no reward in it. Per the angels “Sin’s wages are death of a spirit.”
The angels say that, “Sin is what caused slavery. An act of might caused by God’s Spirit is to be followed by example, to lead is to be humble, noting that all good things are done by Jesus’ name and in the Holy Spirit- which are both God-given”
In Jesus Name
Inspired and Partially channeled by the Angels of God
Ref: Workbook for Lectors, Gospel Readers, and Proclaimers of the Living Word 2015
Welcome to all from Angel Love Blessings! 