WE OUGHT NOT to be too hard on the Apostles, or for that matter, any of the Jewish people of Jesus’ day. A lot of what they thought about the relationship between themselves and God was based upon common sense – or so it seemed to them.
Sunday Scriptures
The Only Treasure Worth Possessing
ONE OF THE most tragic stories in the Bible is that of Solomon, who started off wise, but ended up being foolish and broken. He wasn’t born with the extraordinary wisdom for which he became famous, but rather, he asked God to give him that wisdom so that he could be, above all, a wise, just and good king for the people of Israel.
Times May Change, Christ Does Not
In the Gospel this weekend, the Pharisees are up to their old tricks, trying to slip Jesus up by indicating that what He’s saying is at odds with what Moses taught about marriage and divorce. Moses, it seemed, was a lot more permissive about those bills of divorce, but Jesus is drawing the line in the sand much more decisively.
God’s Mercy Is Gained Through Repentance, Not Presumption
WHAT EXACTLY IS Gehenna? Jesus tells us in this Sunday’s Gospel that it is a place where we do not want to go.
As Tone Deaf As The Apostles?
If we do not wish to be tone deaf, we must have recourse to Jesus in constant prayer. We need to absorb His words in Sacred Scripture, so that they become our own. We must allow Jesus to speak to our hearts and transform them to see Him in His lowly ones and be their servants. Then we can say to the world, “The Lord upholds my life.”
Who Do We Say Jesus Is?
“WHO DO YOU say that I am?” This question must be answered by every single one of us in our lifetimes and perhaps more than once.
‘Be Opened’ and Hear His Voice
I imagine that must have been the reaction of the Apostles after witnessing the miracle of the deaf and mute man we read in this Sunday’s Gospel. Although Mark relates that Jesus took the man off by himself from the crowd, I am certain that the apostles watched from a distance.
No Easy Solutions, Just Courage
“RELIGION THAT IS pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”
The Words of Eternal Life
Why is it so hard for us to accept the teachings of Jesus? In general, it is not easy to accept some new ideas or thoughts, whether they pertain to religious, social or political matters. For instance, the first part of the second reading (Ephesians 5:22-24) is hard for many Christians to accept.
Transformed by Life-Giving Bread
The first and second readings encourage us to turn away from the things that do not nourish and sustain us, and to turn toward the divine source. From the Book of Wisdom we read that Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven columns. Biblical scholars consider these seven columns as seven sacraments. The invitation to come and eat the food and drink the wine refers to a special banquet, the Holy Eucharist.