Mark 16:17 snakes and poison

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Mark 16:17
And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.

What do you make of these verses at the end of the Gospel of Mark?
 
Lisa44 said:
Mark 16:17
And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.

What do you make of these verses at the end of the Gospel of Mark?
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Charismatics need to learn how to handle snakes and drink poison without killing themselves. 😛 😉
 
Jesus was referring to God miraculously protecting those He sends so that they can complete their work. For example:

[BIBLEDRB]Acts 28:3-6[/BIBLEDRB]

Paul was protected from the snake so he could complete his work in Rome. (Apparently, he was not to correct their error - I suppose their estimation of Paul became so high it could have been detrimental to evangelize them)

Many saints since have survived attempts to kill them; many of whom turned to evangelize their would-be killers.
 
Irish_Polock said:
Charismatics need to learn how to handle snakes and drink poison without killing themselves. 😛 😉
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It says “if”, not “when.”

Acts 28:3-6 Paul had collected a bundle of sticks and was putting them on the fire when a viper brought out by the heat attached itself to his hand. When the inhabitants saw the creature hanging from his hand they said to one another, ‘That man must be a murderer; he may have escaped the sea, but divine justice would not let him live.’ However, he shook the creature off into the fire and came to no harm, although they were expecting him at any moment to swell up or drop dead on the spot. After they had waited a long time without seeing anything out of the ordinary happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say he was a god.
 
Lisa44 said:
Mark 16:17
And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.

What do you make of these verses at the end of the Gospel of Mark?
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Mark also quotes Jesus as saying,

Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. (Mark 11:23)

Is it all an exageration or is it the “doubt in our heart?”

-Tim-

-Tim-
 
TimothyH said:
Mark also quotes Jesus as saying,

Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. (Mark 11:23)

Is it all an exageration or is it the “doubt in our heart?”

-Tim-

-Tim-
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I remember a priest saying that it refers to the mountains in our mind. (that which keeps us from spiritually maturing in the Lord.)
 
Oh, it’s probably exactly and literally true. The great wonderworking saints were generally very simple people, who just asked and were answered. They didn’t so much have faith as live and breathe it.

But folks like that usually don’t see any need to move mountains. Teleport people home so they won’t get in trouble and miss their dinners, sure. Expect the birds to understand human speech and do as requested, sure. Multiply food and wine out of thin air if needed, yuppers, perfectly normal. Just like asking God to pick up some milk and eggs.

Of course, sending God to get your groceries requires knowing Him pretty well, and usually suffering like Him. It apparently doesn’t hurt for a lot of your superiors and fellows to think you’re stupid and useless.
 
. . . they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.
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Scripture says this of “believers,” that these signs will accompany them. We are not told by Jesus that this charism will be given to apostles, those whom the Spirit decides to bless with this ministry, or any other description except that it would be done by “believers.”

Why is it that many of us who regularly pray over the sick with laying on of hands seldom see the results Jesus promised? I have a real deep compassion and regularly pray for the sick, but I am becoming discouraged and wonder what the mystery in obtaining positive healings may be?

Comments?
 
Sirach2 said:
Scripture says this of “believers,” that these signs will accompany them. We are not told by Jesus that this charism will be given to apostles, those whom the Spirit decides to bless with this ministry, or any other description except that it would be done by “believers.”

Why is it that many of us who regularly pray over the sick with laying on of hands seldom see the results Jesus promised? I have a real deep compassion and regularly pray for the sick, but I am becoming discouraged and wonder what the mystery in obtaining positive healings may be?

Comments?
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I remember having two positive reports of people being healed of lung cancer, and prostate cancer. They said that x-rays revealed that it was no longer there.

This was at a gathering in church for prayers for healing. There weren’t enough people for the praying ministry, and so we had to be one on one instead of two doing the praying for healing. I was very nervous when I was asked to do this, because I wasn’t aware I would have to do it alone. I think I prayed over about one dozen people.

Several weeks afterwards I heard about the healings, and I was happy to hear it, but knew it certainly was all the Lord’s doing.

Even when physical healings do not occur, those being prayed over benefit with receiving patience and strength to bear with their sufferings. That is, if they are truly open to God’s will.

The most important healings are spiritual healings…when a person feels the Lord’s unconditional love for them in a special way, and it orients them to a deeper prayer life and desire to live in His Will.
 
Thank you sharing for your good news, Dorothy. 👍
I have prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet daily at 3 PM for special sick persons, and yes, they were healed - some of them miraculously. But it seems that when I pray in person, I do not learn from anyone that they were healed. Strange, huh? I agree with you, though, that no prayer goes unheard, and there may be a strengthening for the sufferer to continue to bear their infirmity. I’m almost afraid to try and pray one-on-one any more, since it seems to weaken my faith. 😦
 
A few more thoughts to share on the D.M. Chaplet. When I prayed for a woman that was comatose, I sensed inwardly with deep spiritual unction that the person was going to be alright, despite the terrible condition she was in – and so she was. It helped to confirm me afterwards that I was truly hearing correctly from the Holy Spirit.

St. Faustina wrote in her Diary (#834) that she “prays until she experiences in her soul that the prayer had its effect.” I think that’s what I experienced, as well.

OTOH, a month ago I was praying for her husband who was dying of cancer. The hospital said they couldn’t give him any more treatments, since his counts were too low. Remembering the incident with his wife’s wonderful recovery, I prayed the Chaplet for 6 hours nonstop as I drove out of state for a visit with family, thinking that with “much praying,” I would be heard. Well, he died a week later. :eek: But his wife said that the day before he died, they had a most wonderful day together! I trust my prayer helped in some small way to make his passing joyful and painless.

In this incident, I never received that unction of assurance - not once the whole time I prayed. Does that mean I should have stopped praying, say, after 3 hours? :confused: That God was showing me it was not His will for him to recover?

This ministry of prayer for the sick is really a mystery to me, and I wish I could learn more about it. Any more thoughts you have to share would be appreciated. That’s how we help one another.
 
My goodness, we just never know through whom God will send instruction! Last night while I was randomly viewing the religious channels, I chanced upon a nonCatholic evangelist who was talking about God placing His desires within us. Ah yes, I do have the desire!

However, he urged the listener to pray earnestly that God provide the missing link that seems so elusive to our understanding how to work with these inspirations. God wants us to come to Him for direction re the desire He places in our hearts, so He can work with us to bring forth good fruit.

Since I had been praying and puzzling much about this, I don’t think it was sheer coincidence that I happened upon that broadcast. I am hopeful that if I am called to pray for the sick, the learning will come, or the desire will just simply dry up.
 
Timothy said:
Mark also quotes Jesus as saying,

Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. (Mark 11:23)

Is it all an exaggeration or is it the “doubt in our heart?”

-Tim-

-Tim-
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It is an exaggeration IF you take it in the literal sense.

Saint John of the Cross speaks about this passage. The Mountain Jesus speaks about is weak sinful attachments of the flesh and of this world that removes one from getting spiritually close to God. In a sense it is mountain that is difficult to remove from ones heart but not impossible…Such obstacles that get in the way of spiritual life can become as a mountain.
 
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