This week, guest preacher Rev. Robert Odom talked about the gospel readings from last week and from this week. He says that Mark’s gospel from last week, about Jairus’ daughter & the woman touching Jesus’ robe is the carrot: what good can happen when you believe. He also says that Mark’s gospel this week is the stick: what doesn’t happen when you don’t believe. Father Odom posits that “when God’s generosity and our belief line up, amazing things can happen.” He doesn’t say that when we don’t believe that bad things will happen, but rather that our lives won’t be as fulfilling as they can be when we live as God wants us to.
Scriptures for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost