The Book of Mark
Fall 2005 Bible Study

Chapters 5-6

"St. Joan of Arc Bible Study is an open and growing group that meets for fellowship and to discuss the Bible and other faith-centered literature. Our informal study group draws from biblical scholarship, historical perspectives, current events and personal reflections. We welcome honor and respect the personal ideas and spiritual journeys of all who join us."

Greetings

It's hard to imagine the unimaginable (or is it?). But that's what we do down in the hall at the old country church come Tuesday evening. I don't think I'll sleep any time soon so great is the exhilaration created in our blessed community this night! We danced the unspeakable depths of human imagination, swam with emotion and marveled in mind-bending magic (complete with sound effects). We discussed miracles, their nature and role in Jesus' ministry and wound up experiencing at least 3 this night and it could be said I'm being conservative here. (If ya'll didn't catch 'em, ya'll weren't awake.)

We welcome one new participant tonight...Welcome Jean!!

We opened with a dynamite reflection that had to do with not sacrificing our integrity in taking care of others or something to that effect. Would you please read it again? ...Thank you.

Our fearless, rousing and much-loved facilitator then handed us a double sided paper, explained to us how simple it was to facilitate, especially with this group, (encouraging those who may think about it but haven't taken the plunge yet) and began asking questions that one can't help but burn to answer! Questions that can't help but shake and define our faith or where we are on our faith journey. Thank you, David.

Here follows the facilitators notes and questions...

The Gospel of MARK
Chapters 5-6

Wherein Jesus....* {and Tom Wright offers...}

*Confronts an extraordinarily strong man in a graveyard and exorcises demons (in a gentile land no less) who identify themselves as 'legion'. The demons rush into pigs who cast themselves into the sea (despite the location identified being 37 miles from the sea...quite a feat for even demon-possessed swine!).

*Heals a bleeding woman by a touch to the hem of his cloak. {We too can "creep up behind Jesus". p 61}

*Raises a 12-year-old girl from the dead. {Not an 'abracadabra', but normal Aramaic language fitting a little girl. p 63}

*Is rejected in his hometown (and is identified with brothers and sisters!).

{The lack of faith of these people hinders Jesus' powers. p 66}

*Has the 12 go out to heal and cast out demons. {Today we don't need to follow the instructions completely. "(T)he greatest crisis came and went with Jesus' death and resurrection. (?) p 70}

*Feeds 5,000 on 5 loaves and 2 fishes. (This story is recounted in all 4 gospels. We will see it again in Mark in Ch. 8, but with different numbers.) {"M)iracles were not done as acts of supernatural power in order to show that there was a God who had such power". p 80}

*Walks on water, calms the wind, and allows more people to touch his hem. {Jesus' sovereignty over the natural world - the sovereignty that Israel expects - suggests not that Jesus is divine, but rather that he is the Messiah.

This is an authority (the power over the natural world) that we humans were supposed to have had we not lost it with sin and death (Eden?). We are invited to come and touch the hem of Jesus' garment looking for salvation. (all) p 84}

What is the role of the miracles of Jesus?

• Attention-grabbing?
• A demonstration of power?
• To show us how things could have been if not for Original Sin?
• To draw crowds (yet Jesus shuns 'publicity')?
• Merely 'good narrative'?

If we had no Original Sin, would there be no wind and storms?

I love that last one!

This handout was fleshed in with biting commentary and more question raising.

In our large group (about 20 souls braved the biting winds outside tonight) several stories were shared; deeply personal and touching stories, of...Faith? Trust? Revelation? Transformation? Mercy? Miracles? I don't know. I really only know how they made me feel.

Many fascinating points of view were shared and discussed. Many stories of growth and issues quite intimate in nature were revealed. I'm not sure if we realize it all the time but we are a courageous group. We share deeply personal stories and feelings and frequently bare who we are, with all our grandeur and brokenness, in a hall used for hospitality! Are you kidding me!!!

Ok, here is a little ditty I was thinking about on the way home tonight. We hear in the gospels that Jesus walked on water and we discussed this to some extent. So let me ask you this, is it possible to walk on sunshine? We know of one person, Katrina, of the musical group, Katrina and the Waves, who claims to have done just that! ;-)

Now: as providence would have it, we were without treats tonight. Are u kidding me!!! We never really got folks to commit last Tuesday so there we sat empty-plated as treat-time loomed. Then, just when the darkness of a treat-time without treat-age appeared to be closing in, a member of the 20 asked if it was true, that we really had no treats. This horror story was confirmed and the community began to look at one another with despondence and despair. The one we loved, told us she had good news...she just happened to have a brand-spanking-new chocolate cake in the back seat of her car! Are u kidding me!! (no joke!) In a matter of moments she reappeared and the decaff flowed and the cake seemed to come with plates as all were treated to a heavenly dense and moist chocolate cake with icing sweet as honey. A miracle!! I didn't even investigate the ingredients so great was the profundity of it all. And as if that weren't enough, when we were about to head home, for the night there was still one healthy slice left for the one we loved to take to her significant other, which is to whom the cake was originally destined. You can't make this stuff up! Thanks Maggie and John!

Aright...for those of you that did not get the information on Spiritual Direction, please email me and I will zip one off to you via email.

Marlys has asked if we would like to attend the Christmas concert at SJA this Dec. 4 as a group and possibly get together beforehand for hors'dourves (spell check isn't helping) so keep it in mind. More details coming soon.

Privileges and assignment for next week

Facilitator - Everyone is responsible for bringing at least one passage, question, insight, observation, etc from Mark chapters 7 & 8, to group and be prepared to share/ask/discuss.

• O. Prayer Marlys
• C. Prayer Jane
• Treats Clarence
• Bookstore Glenn and someone else whose name I cannot decipher!