Don't Be Ashamed

 In today's reading from Mark 8:31-38, Jesus predicts his death and resurrection and tells us what it takes to follow him.

"Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’"

"He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’"

I find it interesting that the lectionary editors must have been ashamed of something when they cut out seven verses from the Old Testament reading (Genesis 17:1-7,15-16) for today.  Here is what they deleted,

8 And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God.’

9 God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 Throughout your generations every male among you shall be circumcised when he is eight days old, including the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring. 13 Both the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money must be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.’

I suspect that the lectionary editors were ashamed of three things in God's words to Abraham. 

First, there is that business of the land of Canaan being given to Abraham and future generations as a perpetual holding. That offends many who wish to see the destruction or at least the subjugation of modern Israel. 

Second, all that circumcision talk is something we might be ashamed to mention on an otherwise pleasant Sunday morning. 

Third, there is that slave reference. That God's chosen people might at some time in history owned slaves and forced circumcision upon them is doubly shameful.

But shouldn't God's people hear his words?

"Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."