Day 69..."Feasts, Despair, Rejection"

Moses institutes feasts in chapter 23...first fruits, weeks, trumpets, and booths. The Sabbath rest is also a highlight of today's reading. I noticed the the phrase "ordinary work." Our reading will continue to focus on the meaning of the Sabbath. The levitical code called for death for violating the Sabbath. This would likely dramatically increase worship attendance.
The Psalmist had a bad, bad, bad day! What is the saying..."when you are up to your neck in alligators! This seems to be the case. Listen for the despair..."I looked for pity, but there was none,and for comforters, but I found none." Jesus addresses rejection in today's Mark reading.
Shake off your feet when not welcome! A prophet is not welcome in his own country. Today also includes John the Baptist's gruesome death. The setting sounds barbaric to want a head on a platter. Faithfulness is the greater issue in the face of rejection.