The opening chapter of the Gospel of Mark is a whirlwind of activity for Jesus.

The opening chapter of the Gospel of Mark is a whirlwind of activity for Jesus.  No sooner is he baptized in the River Jordan than Jesus is driven into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan for forty days and forty nights.  He returns to Galilee to recruit his first disciples; and on the Sabbath he teaches in the synagogue.  However, he has barely begun the lesson before he is interrupted by a man possessed by an evil spirit, who comes bursting into the sanctuary, ranting and raving.  Jesus casts out the spirit and returns to his teaching, much to the astonishment of the congregation.

Upon leaving the synagogue, Jesus receives news that Simon’s mother-in-law is sick with a fever; and so, he goes immediately and heals her.  By evening, word has spread that Jesus has miraculous powers, and soon the entire town of Capernaum is bringing to him those who are sick, or blind, or lame, or demon-possessed.  And one by one, Jesus heals them, working late into the night.

First thing the next morning, desperately needing a chance to catch his breath and collect his thoughts, Jesus retreats to an isolated area.  When the disciples finally locate him, they ask, “What are you doing way out here?  Everyone is looking for you.”  To which Jesus responds, “I think it is time for us to move on.  There are other towns which also need to hear the Good News!”

But they don’t make it very far before a man with leprosy approaches Jesus, interrupting his travel itinerary, and begging to be healed.  Mark reports that Jesus is “moved with pity”—except that there’s a curious footnote indicating that an alternative reading is also possible.  Evidentially, in the Greek, some of the ancient manuscripts say that Jesus is splagchniztheis—meaning, moved with pity.  But other manuscripts say that Jesus is orgiztheis—meaning, he became angry.  Angry?  What an odd—and frankly, uncomfortable—image.

Now, just to be clear, if I have to choose between the two translations, I’d much rather that Jesus be compassionate in this situation than for him to be upset.  But then again, if Jesus is fully human as well as fully divine, I can understand why he might have been a little annoyed.  Ever since his baptism, it’s been one crisis after another!

Perhaps Jesus is beginning to realize that there will always be someone else clamoring for his assistance: crying out from the roadside, grasping to touch the hem of his robe, being lowered on a stretcher through the roof.  There will always be one more person who is sick, or hungry, or lonely, or in need.  And if Jesus became angry, just for an instant, it might have been because he now knows that he is going to have to live with continual interruptions.  But notice that his anger is only momentary.  In the very next moment, he heals the man.

And maybe that’s the point of the story.  Let’s face it; like Jesus, our lives are filled with interruptions.  There will always be unexpected intrusions upon our time.  There will always be occasions when we need to alter our carefully made plans.  We can get angry about such things, of course.  But maybe the lesson here is not to stay angry.  Instead, learn to see these interruptions as opportunities to do the work of God!