Today’s passage from Mark’s Gospel is short, but rich in meaning. We consider how Jesus ascends the mountain; the climb is not easy and he tries to climb. We may not have the opportunity to climb a mountain, but it can be part of our daily journey to work, school.. or on the way home. Climbing the mountain for recreation and sport is rarely seen today. It’s more of a rarity. I don’t think Jesus went up the mountain for fun or recreation. It was an exit with meaning. Let’s try to think about it.
Often in difficult situations, when someone suffers from illness or injustice, when disasters or accidents occur, a difficult life situation occurs, we hear the words: “It is worse than ever before! – the height of pain, suffering, injustice… it seems that it cannot be equaled, that cup of strength and patience overflows. Jesus then steps out and makes a great effort to climb the mountain because he has an important meeting there. From the very text of the Gospel, we can conclude that there are many people there. Jesus comes and calls some of them; he calls whomever he wants. He invites them to be with him and then he can send them on a mission.
In other cases, when Jesus appears among people, they turn to him with various problems, but here the evangelist does not talk about it. The initiative here comes from Jesus. He calls only some, and the evangelist appoints the called. Let us return to our situation, which at the most unexpected moment can manifest itself at the top of our endurance with suffering, illness, injustice… Jesus calls us. He pronounces my, your name.
This is not a fantasy. Jesus says my name. He calls me at the exact moment when it seems to me that I am at the top of the problem, that there is no longer any perspective… Jesus calls me just as he then called John, Peter, James… to be with us. And later he will be able to call me on a certain mission. The solution to many of our problems, over which we feel powerless, is above all to be with Jesus in prayer. When we spend some time with him, maybe a few days or months, let’s turn to him with trust, prayer, faith, and hope. We may not even notice how our problems and worries have been solved. How many things, situations, or health problems, the solution of which seemed impossible, suddenly became possible?
Jesus wants his disciples to be with him. The point and purpose of what he wants so much is so he can send them on a mission. Jesus has the same goal as us; he wants us to be with him and to be included in his mission. When because of our problems and sufferings we cannot fight alone, then we can be with him and endure hardships with him, and we can end our sufferings with him. And then Jesus trusts us in His affairs. He calls us to be witnesses. Witnesses of his love, his care for people, his patience with us, his strength in our weaknesses. He sends us to banish fear, heal the wounds of lack of love, and bring hope where there seems to be no way out.
Jesus is on the mountain. Jesus calls, says my name, to be with him. He’s counting on me. Jesus wants to send me to where my brothers and sisters are suffering, to heal them, to comfort them, to set them free. Jesus, thank you for trusting me and calling me by my first name.
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