The scriptures read are Leviticus 13-15, Psalm 35, and Mark 8.
Leviticus 13-15. Bet you didn't think that some of the longest Bible chapters you've read so far would be about pustules, running sores, skin diseases, fungus, bodily discharges and the like. As a nurse, I find it interesting and not at all off-putting, but some may be grossed out and others surprised that the Bible deals with such things. This is a community of people living in tight quarters before the invention of antibiotics or medicine in any scientific sense. Keeping infections from spreading through quarantine and washing was important. Heck, if we could get doctors and nurses to wash their hands more we could eliminate a lot of hospital infections. Sometimes simple is best. (BTW if you are reading an old translation, these diseases are called leprosy. It's not the same as what we call leprosy today. These sound more like psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.)
Psalm 35. The psalmist has many enemies. Part of this psalm sounds military but then it becomes about schemers. Yet when his enemies were sick, the psalmist felt bad and prayed for them. They did not reciprocate. So he turns to God for vindication.
Mark 8. Jesus feeds 4000 and no one gets it. The Pharisees want a sign (How about 4000 full bellies?) and the disciples get in a panic because they only brought one loaf of bread. Jesus can't believe they still don't see it. As Paul Newman says in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, "I got vision and the rest of the world needs bifocals!"
Speaking of which, Jesus heals a blind guy but it takes 2 tries to make him 20/20.
Then the big question. Exactly in the middle of Mark. Peter gets it "You are the Christ" and then proceeds to tell Jesus he's wrong about the death and resurrection part. Jesus doesn't promise them a rose garden. He's not going to skirt the painful necessity. He's heading right for it. If we're following him, we need to do the same.
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