Last [Proper 20B]
The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Mark 9:30-37 Last Today's Gospel gives us that iconic image of Jesus holding a little child, surrounded by his earnest, attentive disciples. It is an image often depicted by artists and by whoever designs those resin figurines in Roman Catholic bookstores: a serene child, a kind Jesus, the disciples gazing in rapt attention. It is a beautiful image – beautifully imagined, I assume, by those who have never before met a human child. I have two children, and so, in my mind, I picture this scene a little differently. I imagine Jesus and he is really excited. He has this perfect sermon illustration, an object lesson for his guys. He is going to teach them about life and love and status in the kingdom of God. It's gonna be so good. So he calls the Twelve over and he takes a little child – who, for some reason, is hanging out with Jesus and his disciples. And that little child goes complet...