Many of us hear the scriptures only at Mass and thus in relatively short sections. The Sunday gospel readings are designed to be heard over a 3-year cycle it is often difficult to see how one weeks reading relates to the former or next passage or indeed the entire Gospel. This is particularly true with Mark, and we will need to locate where today’s reading falls in his gospel to see how to bring it to life in today’s world. 

Last week Jesus sent his disciples on mission. Most of us would have found his timing inauspicious. For several chapters that we read for several weeks Jesus moved from one triumph to another. He cured the sick, cast out demons even raised the dead. He seemed unstoppable but then he went home to Nazareth, and he could do almost nothing. He was rejected by his own people. It was then that he sent out his followers. We will see today that he calls them apostles, Greek for one who is sent. They performed many miracles and preached the good news of repentance and forgiveness. They too seemed unstoppable. 

 Today Jesus stops them. He greets them on their return but before we look at that should remember that the lectionary, the book of the scriptures which we use in church, skips over the story of the death of John the Baptist.