Warts and All

When Oliver Cromwell’s official portrait was unveiled to him in 1656, he angrily rejected it. Thinking it would please him, the court painter had omitted Cromwell’s unsightly facial warts.

“Take it away”, he reportedly demanded, “and paint me as I am, warts and all!”

In this week’s Gospel, Mark paints an unedited and unabashed portrait of Jesus’ disciples’, warts and all...corrupted by ambition and jealousy.

Why’d he do this? Mark had a very ancient (and biblical) way of understanding human design, which aligns seamlessly with what Jesus went on to unveil to his disciples about the nature of greatness.

See you Sunday.

Steve+