Our Gospel reading comes from Mark 9:30 - 41. The first part of the reading has Jesus foretelling his death and resurrection but the disciples don't get it. And when they got to their next stop the disciples began fighting again. So let me ask you, have you and your brothers/sisters/cousins etc been fighting with our time out of school? I promise not to name any names but there has absolutely been fighting in our house. Sometimes it's over who gets the computer next for school work, other times whose job it is to do the needed chore, bed time, what to eat and on and on. Thankfully no one has tried to decide who the best child is in the house because I do not think anyone would like the answer 8~)
When we worry about who is better we lose the point of being disciples of Jesus. We are called to love and serve whoever is around us - even our stinky brothers. Jesus tells the fighting disciples that the first shall be last and the last shall be first. What do you think would happen if we all practiced putting others first? I have a feeling that there may be fewer fights.
Our Old Testament reading is continuing from Exodus 12:14-27 where God is telling the Israelites how they we will remember the events about to occur. The first Passover is getting ready to happen and this time next year they need to do the following. Can you imagine us trying to plan how we will remember what we are going through when we haven't finished going through it yet? We might decide that right now it would be great to celebrate with ice cream sundaes but what happens if we eat too many of them right now and when it's time to gather and celebrate the thought of another ice cream sundae sounds awful? That is the difference between God and us - God knows the future and all that is in it. Sometimes we want to know all the details. Sometimes our parents know the answer and they just don't tell us. Not because they are mean but because we really don't need to know. We cannot change what's going on but we can shift our attitude.
So here is our challenge - let's think of one thing that we are enjoying about our lives right now. I can share one - I love that the alarm clock is not waking me up before the sun comes up. Now every time I get grumpy about what I cannot do I am going to remind myself that I get to wake up after the sun gets up.
Let's pray - God we love you and we know you love us. Help us to see you at work in our lives as we remember some good things even in the difficult times. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.