Mk 9:30-37
Often, being famous doesn’t seem all that it’s cracked up to be.
I speak, of course, from observation and not experience. For example, the rich and famous are frequently plagued by paparazzi or crowds, and security and privacy are perpetual issues. With fame, living a normal life — let alone a purposeful and dedicated life — gets tough.
Today’s Gospel passage describes a pivotal moment.
It is at the halfway point of St. Mark’s Gospel, and it marks a strong shift. This shift has everything to do with the word “way.”
I invite you to pick up your Bible and slowly page through one of the four Gospels, reading the titles of the small sections. Take notice of how much time Jesus spends with those who are hurting and struggling, whether physically, emotionally or spiritually. It is truly remarkable how much time and attention Jesus devotes to those who are broken and suffering.
Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 In this Sunday’s Gospel, Christ accuses the Pharisees in a way that at first seems easy to understand: “You disregard God’s
In my private lessons in music school, it was a bad sign when my professor Chien Kwan Lin got up out of his chair. It was even worse when he walked to the piano.
For the past three weeks, we have been hearing from the sixth chapter of St. John’s Gospel, a chapter well-known for its Eucharistic teaching. Up to this point, Jesus has been speaking of himself as the “bread of life,” the new manna. A new word enters the discourse in verse 51, the first verse of today’s Gospel. And that word is “flesh.” Jesus says, “The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
It is no surprise that Jesus calls himself the “Bread of Life.” He greatly desires to be essential to our daily, spiritual diet. He wants to nourish our souls with his presence, love, truth and mercy as we journey through this messy life to heaven.
Jn 6:24-35 (Aug. 4) “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the
(Jn 6:1-15) (July 28) God is never outdone in generosity. It’s a truth of our faith that touches deep down to the roots of the
Mk 6:30–34 (July 21)
St. Francis de Sales once said that everyone needs at least half an hour of prayer a day, unless you are busy, in which case you need a whole hour.
