The Good Word

Mark makes much use of shocking contrast as he presents the public life of Jesus Messiah and Son of God While Jesus pursues his life s goal of obedience to his Father others begin to define their relationships to him Crowds look on him with great favor and travel long distances to enjoy bot

Mark s progression of stories shows Jesus carrying out the obedience he understood to be owed to Him who said You are My Son My Beloved on you My favor rests The stories are in the main stories of miracles but the stories often carry other affirmations about Jesus beyond the expression of

A young priest was sent by his Bishop to a parish that had a red light district within its boundaries On his first day in the parish a nun who had worked in the area for many years took him on a tour of her beat the area where all the women-in-prostitution were plying their trade As they

The Gospel for the Memorial of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina priest September 23 2008 is Luke 8 19-21 which I will cite in full The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd He was told Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and the

As Mark builds his story that shows Jesus to have the powers of the Messiah he also includes elements that go beyond miracle-working These three stories show some of these elements 1 Pious Jews were used to fasting though frequent fasting was not obligatory In this religious climate it is

As many readers of this blog probably know The Synod on the Word of God begins in October and lasts for most of the month The purpose of the gathering is for the world s bishops to discuss the place of Scripture in the life of the church America s special issue on the synod has just been pub

From his baptismal experience Jesus knows the purpose of his life to preach a major element of which was to call people to repentance We consider three episodes which follow the statement of Jesus purpose in 1 38 Jesus cleanses a leper Surely not as astonishing an exercise of power as

After Jesus had spent time in the desert then called four companions to leave all and follow him Jesus and his four came to Capernaum a town on the west coast of the Sea of Galilee about twenty or so miles east of Nazareth Mark tells us four stories he has chosen about Jesus visit here Ma

The time of fulfillment which Jesus announces can well be understood as the fulfillment of the promise recorded by Jeremiah that God would one day create a new Covenant with His people it reflects the new covenant of the Last Supper a covenant in My blood Such good news is this th

The bronze serpent which Moses lifted up in the desert Numbers 21 4-9 becomes a type of the Christ who is to come in the Gospel of John While the bronze serpent held up by Moses heals the Israelites of the snake bite that leads to physical death Jesus upon the cross heals us from the wounds