Serpents And Deadly Things

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe; in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:15-18)

Apparently, Jesus did not give his charge to the 12th.  Only “the Eleven” got the message.  This makes sense because this reading from Mark is at the end of the Gospel after Judas’ betrayal.  

We are reminded of our own choices regarding snakes and deadly drinks.  We can allow ourselves to be bitten, like Judas, and to be harmed by deadly “drinks” – that which we allow into our bodies and minds, such as the poisons of hypocrisy, greed, anger, and hate.  It’s a concoction of sickness from which it is extremely hard to recover, and many succumb.

Our best choice is to believe and drive out the demons that seek to control us.  When we do, we save ourselves.

Deacon David Pierce