Since those who were doing the miracles were not among them, even the good things they do were unacceptable to the apostles. And so they tried to stop him. They wanted to protect the authority of Jesus – and their authority as well, since theyhave given the power to heal the sick and to deliver those possessed by evil spirits. (Mk 6:7-13).

     Jesus used the word Gehenna as the place for eternal punishment like hell. Actually it was the garbage dump for Jerusalem. In a valley outside of the city, a Jewish king had practiced child sacrifice, thus defiling the valley for all time. It became the place where garbage was burned 24 hours a day. Anyone going there risked all sorts of impurity. It was the worst place in the world to be.

     There were two kinds of mills in Palestine. There was the hand-mill that women used in the house. And there was the mill whose stone was so great that it took an ass to turn it. The mill-stone referred here is literally an ass’s mill-stone. To be cast into the sea with that attached was certainly to have no hope of return. The Romans and Palestinians used this punishment for worst criminals. Jesus used this punishment to express that he will be stern to the person who makes it easier for another to sin and puts a stumbling block in the path of weaker brother.

     Oftentimes we are tired of seeing our own leaders and politicians attacking each other to promote their own interest. But we should not forget that whenever there are typhoons or calamities we see them working together. They can forget their own party affiliations and will simply focus all their attentions in helping the people. This is the “little light of goodness” that calamities bring to us, putting all our people to work together without any distinctions.  It also gives an opportunity not only for the rich but for all the people to share all kinds of “cold water” to those in need. We hope to see this beautiful act of “Christian unity” happens in our country not only when there are calamities and disasters, but may it becomes a normal part of our lives that happens regularly and  spontaneously in our daily lives.

     Jesus did not literally mean cutting off of our hands or feet if our actions were causing scandal or harm, rather we must make a radical attempts to cut those activities cause others to sin. The same with our eyes, if our emotions were getting us into trouble, we must take radical steps to change our way of thinking.

     The gift is a cup of cold water. We are not asked to do great things for others, things beyond our means and power. We are asked to give the simple things that any man can give. So we do not need to be sad, if we think we have not done enough to satisfy all the needs of other people. You already deserve an eternal reward if you think that deep in your heart you already helped others at your best.