Sunday Readings: Wisdom 7.7-11; Hebrews 4.12-13; Mark 19.17-27 “All things are possible with God.” (Mark 10.27) More than half the world people live on $2-$10 per day. In our country we hear calls to keep our economy humming, to buy and consume. Now the Catholic Church has a leader who comes from a continent where […]
Gospel Reflection for October 11, 2015, 28th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Genesis 2.18-24; Hebrews 2.9-11; Mark 10.2-12 “Tell us, does the Law allow a husband to divorce his wife?” (Mark 10.2) Marriage is the topic in Sunday’s gospel. In Rome this Sunday the Synod on the Family begins. Second marriages is one topic on the agenda. Many people in the pews pray the Spirit
Gospel Reflection for October 4, 2015, 27th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Numbers 11.25-29; James 5.1-6; Mark 9.38-48 “Whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9.40) Jesus claims broad middle ground in this saying. Often activists, liberal or conservative, reverse Jesus’ saying and eliminate middle ground. In mobilizing advocates for change in public policies, they insist whoever is not for us is against
Gospel Reflection for September 27, 2015, 26th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Wisdom 2.12, 17-20; James 3.16-4.3; Mark 9.30-37 “Whoever wants to be first must be last and the servant of all.” (Mark 9.35) When Jesus begins to tell his disciples that suffering lies ahead, that he will be put to death and rise again, they find themselves too afraid to ask questions. But they
Gospel Reflection for September 20, 2015, 25th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Isaiah 50.5-9; James 2.14-18; Mark 8.27-35 “Who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8.29) Mark’s gospel explores how the faith of Jesus’ disciples matures. For all of us faith develops across the life cycle. As children, our brains limit our understanding. As adolescents, we share the faith of our families, neighbors, and
Gospel Reflection for September 13, 2015, 24th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Isaiah 35.4-7; James 2.1-5; Mark 7.31-37 “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” (Mark 7.37) In Sunday’s gospel Jesus heals a man who is deaf. His lack of hearing separate the man from his society. He experiences the world as silent. Worse, his
Gospel Reflection for September 6, 2015, 23rd Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Deuteronomy 4.1-2, 6-8; James 1.17-18, 21-22, 27; Mark 7.1-8, 14-15, 21-23 “Nothing that enters a person from outside can make a person impure; it is the things that come out that defile. It is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come.” (Mark 7.18-21) Every generation has to discern which traditions
Gospel Reflection for August 30, 2015, 22nd Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Joshua 24.2-3, 15-17, 18; Ephesians 5.21-32; John 6.60-69 “Many of his disciples were listening to Jesus’ teaching. They said, ‘This teaching is difficult. How can anyone take it seriously’”? (John 6.60) Jesus’ disciples face a choice. Will they stay with him or drift off with the crowds? The long reflection on Jesus as
Gospel Reflection for August 23, 2015, 21st Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Proverbs 9.6-1; Ephesians 5.15-20; John 6.51-58 “The one who eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6.58) What kind of food do you crave? Chocolate? Popcorn? Anything salty, greasy, fried? What if there is a good that we can have a real relationship with? What if it’s a food we can not only
Gospel Reflection for August 16, 2015, 20th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: 1 Kings 19.4-8; Ephesians 4.30-5.2; John 6.41-51 “I am the living bread that has come down from heaven.” (John 6.51) All three groups in Sunday’s gospel passage — the disciples, the crowd, the Jews — miss the point about Jesus. His disciples doubt their resources to feed the crowd. The crowd mistakes Jesus
Gospel Reflection for August 9, 2015, 19th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »