Everyone Seeks You
   There was a phrase in my mind recently. Not an earth-shaking phrase, but one of those fragments that often “sticks in the mind,” commonly called an “earworm.” So I went looking for the source. I knew it was in something I had recently read. I went through several books and magazines, and then I found it: “Democracy never lasts long. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide”—a statement by John Adams, the second President of the United States. Once I found the statement and the source, it was as if my brain took a deep breath and relaxed.
   It is likely that Simon told his young protégé, Mark, about Jesus teaching in the synagogue, healing the man with an evil spirit, and healing many who came to his door at the close of the Sabbath. When those in the house awoke the next morning, Jesus was not there, so they went searching for him, “and they found him and said to him, ‘Everyone seeks you.’” (1:37) In St. Luke’s account, there was a multitude of people seeking Jesus, and when they found him, they held on to him and would not let him go. (Luke 4:42) There was likely relief at their successful quest.
   Everyone, according to Mark, sought Jesus. Some sought him out of love, some out of curiosity, some as a source of blessing, and others were dragged along by the crowd in the quest. An important point is contained in the word “found,” which focuses on the satisfaction of the quest. A common report from those who “find” Jesus is one of fulfillment or satisfaction. It is still true: “Everyone seeks you.” Directory