Jesus wants his disciples to understand that the choices they make every day of their lives will determine their future

 Jesus wants his disciples to understand that the choices they make every day of their lives will determine their future
 
Reading: Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” Mark 9:50.
 
Good morning, happy Thursday, and many blessings my dear family.
 
In today’s Gospel (Mark 9:41-50), Jesus instructs his disciples: “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, surely will not lose his/her reward.”  If anyone causes one of the little ones who believe in me to sin, there will be dire consequences for these individuals.  It would be better for them to have a large millstone put around their necks and then be throw into the sea.  Jesus also tells the disciples, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off!  It is better for you to be maimed than to go into the unquenchable fire of Gehenna.”
 
Some of the words and images Jesus uses in this Gospel are graphic, intimidating, and frightening.  Jesus wants his disciples to understand that the choices they make every day of their lives will determine their future.  Their choices will affect their happiness and peace in this world and their choices will determine what will happen after they die.
 
When Jesus uses the term “cut it off”, he is not urging us to take this literally. It is to warn us of the many things which can be stumbling blocks in our Christian lives. Perhaps we could reflect a little today and try to enumerate the things that get between us and our following of Jesus.
 
Today, the crimes of clerical sexual abuse and their cover-up are among the stumbling-blocks that draw people away from the Christian community.
 
Also, today is a good day for us to stop and reflect on the choices we are making in our lives.  Do my choices only involve what is good for me or am I concerned about the people in my life and in our world?  My daily choices have an impact on the life I am living.  My choices determine my peace, my happiness, and, to a degree, my physical and mental health.  Despite knowing this, I don’t often think about the choices I make each day.
 
And today, I invite you to sit back and reflect on your day. What are the choices I will be making today? Will I attend to the needs of others, or will I be completely focused on myself? What are the gifts I will receive today? I will be grateful for these gifts. Do I hear in Jesus' harsh words his concern for “little” people?
 
Blessings,
 
Luis+