Do you know this little letter from Fra. Giovanni? May you find such a blessing in his wise words.

Who will you be in this difficult world? We are in the Gospel of Mark. If you are a Christian, you will be marked by the blood of the Lamb, participants in the covenant community, and a deserter. Uh oh!

Joyful Self-Sacrifice for the Sake of the World. Notice in our text from Mark 14 today that the reprehensible roles all belong to men (chief priests, scribes, and disciples). But in the middle of the story is a woman who does what she can. She loves. She anoints Jesus. Where would I find myself in the story?

Jesus came to turn the world upside down. We should not be surprised that it begins with the household of faith, the people of God. What kind of fruit are we bearing? The answer is critically important.

Can you afford to be "chicken ten"? If an abundance of goodness has come to you, do you feel that you have earned it and it is yours, or does it still belong to God? Would you deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus?

The first shall be last. The Gospel of Mark drives the point home that The Kingdom of God was a surprise to everyone. It is possible that we are still slow to receive it. God chooses to win by determined self-sacrifice for the sake of the world. Will we follow?

We begin today with Taylor Swift! He says, “You never gave a warning sign.” She says, “I gave so many signs, so many times.” People have really struggled with Jesus. He is just not what they expect. But, he gave so many signs.

What is the news? This is the Gospel of God. It is not glib or shallow. It is urgent and powerful. And...it is only the beginning!

Let's pray! Let's stand with all vulnerability before the Lord and be changed!