In C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan – the Lion King of Narnia, embodies a Christ-like figure. In a conversation between Lucy and Mr. Beaver, Lucy expresses curiosity about Aslan, having never seen him but hearing that he is “on the move” and eagerly anticipates meeting him. When Lucy questions if Aslan is safe, Mr. Beaver responds, “Who said anything about being safe? Of course he’s not safe, but he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” (See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkDlX0NnIcg – between Minute 1 and Minute 3.)
Similarly, in today’s Gospel, Jesus is depicted as being “on the move,” drawing anticipation from his hometown whose people desire him to be both safe and good for their world. In contemporary terms, we might imagine creating signs and banners to welcome Jesus back to Nazareth or establishing online platforms like websites, blogs etc…. for this ‘return home’. Yet, Mark’s gospel succinctly states that “he began to teach,” emphasizing Jesus’s mission, rather than conforming to societal expectations of safety or presentation.
Jesus is indeed good but not necessarily safe. Today’s Gospel makes it evident that not everyone is willing to take the leap of faith to acknowledge him as the Son of God and commit to the path of discipleship outlined by Mark’s Gospel. Each of us faces internal barriers to following this path, yet the message remains clear: Jesus is on God’s mission to share the Good News.
For me, a crucial uncertainty remains: Am I prepared to listen, engage, and actively participate in this Mission to share the Good News?
Photo by Phil Aicken on Unsplash
Ronan Barry
