Mark 10: 2-16 (NRSV)
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Verse 2Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" Verse 3He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" Verse 4They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her." Verse 5But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. Verse 6But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' Verse 7'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, Verse 8and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Verse 9Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."
Verse 10Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. Verse 11He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; Verse 12and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."
Verse 13People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. Verse 14But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Verse 15Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." Verse 16And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.
Devotion
For it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Hyla is 7 years old. She is a strong theologian and regularly my teacher. Hyla does not like ashes placed on her forehead on Ash Wednesday. This year she came forward for the imposition of ashes and stopped in front of the baptismal font where I was standing with ashes in my hand, and looked at me. With deliberate intention, she placed her hand in baptismal water and marked her forehead with the sign of the cross and said, "I like this cross better."
She was right and I knew it. Hyla understood that ashes mark our mortality, but baptism marks our lives. For Hyla that night, there was no focus on her sin. No fear of her mortality. She claimed, in one shining moment, her life, her hope and God's promise. Let us do the same.
Prayer
Gracious Lord, drench us in the promise of your grace. Seal us in the gift of your Holy Spirit. We are your children and in our frantic effort to prove ourselves worthy, sometimes we forget it is true. Remind us; or send us children who will! Amen.