This coming Sunday is the 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time. Over the last many Sundays we were witnesses to the extraordinary character of Jesus’ power as he stills a raging storm on the Sea of Galilee (4:35-41); casts out a demonic legion (5:1-20); raises Jairus’ daughter and heals a woman sick for 12 years (5:21-43). These miracles show that Jesus has power over the realms of nature, the demonic, and death. Following this powerful series of miracles, Jesus enters his hometown where the people “take offense” at him and “So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.” (Mark 6:5-6) Jesus is amazed (ethaumazen) at their unbelief (6:1-6a). The word used can also be taken as “to wonder,” and it uses the form that indicates present and ongoing amazement.

And now it is “halftime.” This Sunday’s gospel amounts to the playbook for the next phase of the Galilean mission. Jesus “went around to the villages in the vicinity teaching,” and seemingly determined that it is time to expand the scope of his mission by increasing the number of villages that are to be reached with the good news of the Kingdom. The “second half” starting lineup has been chosen and they are sent to their task which is defined by

• the way they are to move about the countryside: two by two.
• the logistics: nothing but sandals and a walking stick – and to accept the first hospitality offered.
• the foundation of their mission: the power from Jesus to cast out demons, heal the sick, and preach repentance.

With the instructions fresh in their mind: “12 So they went off and preached repentance. 13 They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.” That is all we hear about their mission save the simple conclusion: “The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught.” (v.30)

The miracles of the preceding chapter in the Gospel according to Mark demonstrate his divine powers. Jesus overcomes the life-destroying powers of demonic possession, chronic illness, and death. The gospel two weeks prior contained the stories of Jairus/his daughter and the women with the hemorrhage. Each account tells of an imperfect faith, yet enough faith that God enters into their lives in a way that is healing and ultimately life-giving. For Jairus’ daughter, it is the restoration of life; for the woman with the hemorrhage it is being restored to the fullness of life as her illness will no longer keep her from living life to its fullness in this lifetime. The miracles, viewed together even as they were told together, are the vestige of Jesus’ fuller mission: that all might have life eternal, free from death, and have life completely. Jesus is forming new family bonds, no longer centered on blood relationships, but on faith and those willing to act on that faith.

Image credit: The Exhortation to the Apostles | James Tissot | ca. 1890 | Brooklyn Museum NYC | PD-US