Reflection:

Miracles abound in this section of Mark leading up to a halfway point in Chapter 8, including healings and Jesus walking on the water. There are two miraculous feedings of large crowds, one in Jewish territory and one in Gentile territory. This, along with the healing of the deaf and mute man (7:31 – 37) helps to announce the openness of the Kingdom to the Gentile world, a theme that is later to be taken up with much focus by the Apostles.

For the time being, however, the disciples remain almost comically out of touch with their teacher and his identity. They have ‘eyes that fail to see’ and ‘ears that fail to hear.’ Mark makes much of this failing as a means of leading the reader to a true understanding and challenging each person who reads/hears this gospel to ask themselves the question: ‘Are you in fact seeing and hearing the message of the Messiah?’

It’s a good question for all of us to ask.

Prayer:

Dear Father, Thank you for allowing me to see clearly who you are. Please help me to have more and more of that clarity every day. Amen.