Sunday Readings: 2 Kings 4.42-44; Ephesians 4.1-6; John 6.1-15 “Jesus said, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat’”? (John 6.5) Like a jazz musician who plays a simple melody before spinning countless variations, John tells the core story of Jesus multiplying loaves and fishes before he begins reflecting at length on […]
Gospel Reflection for July 26, 2015, 17th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Jeremiah 23.1-6; Ephesians 2.13-18; Mark 6.30-34 Crowds follow Jesus’ disciples back to Jesus. People’s hunger for his teaching and healing keep swelling. Mark writes the first gospel to tell Jesus’ story about A.D. 70, some 40 years after the events in the gospel. The disciples Jesus sends on mission and then welcomes back
Gospel Reflection for July 19, 2015, 16th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Amos 7.12-15; Ephesians 1.3-14; Mark 6.7-13 “Jesus called the twelve and began to send them out two by two…They cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.” (Mark 6.7, 13) Why does Jesus send out twelve? Jesus’ intimate circle of followers includes many more than twelve.
Gospel Reflection for July 12, 2015, 15th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Ezekiel 2.2-5; 2 Corinthians 12.7-10; Mark 6.1-6 “Prophets are not without honor except in their hometown, among their own kin, and in their own house.” (Mark 6.4) Sunday’s gospel tells a terrible story about a town where Jesus can work no miracles. Jesus’ home folks can’t get beyond their certainty that they know
Gospel Reflection for July 5, 2015, 14th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Wisdom 1.13-15, 2.23-24; 2 Corinthians 8.7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5.21-43 Jesus took the girl by the hand, saying, “Talitha cum, Little girl, arise.” The Gospel has two daughters of faith. A girl of 12 near death whose dad begs Jesus for help. A woman whose hemorrhaging has lasted 12 years. If she lived
Gospel Reflection for June 28, 2015, 13th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Job 38.1, 8-11; 2 Corinthians 5.14-17; Mark 4.35-41 “Leaving the crowd behind, his disciples took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. Other boats were with him. A terrible windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat so that it was being swamped.” “Teacher, don’t you care that we
Gospel Reflection for June 21, 2015, 12th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Ezekiel 17.22-24; 2 Corinthians 5.6-10; Mark 4.26-34 “This is how it is with the reign of God. A farmer scatters seed on the ground, goes to bed, and gets up day after day. Through it all the seed sprouts and grows without the farmer knowing how it happens. The earth produces of itself,
Gospel Reflection for June 14, 2015, 11th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Exodus 24.3-8; Hebrews 9.11-15; Mark 14.12-16, 22-26 “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to his disciples. Take this; this is my body.” (Mark 14.23-24) Perhaps a parent or grandparent has cautioned: if you eat any more chocolate chip cookies, you will turn into one. The
Gospel Reflection for June 7, 2015, Body and Blood of Christ Read More »
Sunday Readings: Deuteronomy 4.32-34, 39-40; Romans 8.14-17; Matthew 2816-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe all I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28.19-20) Our God is no smug solitary being enclosed in
Gospel Reflection for May 31, 2015, Trinity Sunday Read More »
Sunday Readings: Acts 2.1-11; 1 Corinthians 12.3-7, 12-13; John 20.19-23 “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 19.23) To send his friends forth with the good news of Easter, Jesus breathes the Spirit on the community
Gospel Reflection for May 24, 2015, Pentecost Sunday Read More »