Mary, first Disciple Introduction: Mary is the person presented to us to reflect on today. Homily: Many times I’ve heard the story of the visitation of Mary to her relative Elizabeth. Usually I have taken it to mean that Mary had a special experience of the Good news happen to her. She responded by going to be with her relative […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...Advent inspires so much in me. I get carried away a bit in what follows. 1) I decided to begin with what I formally titled a P.S. You might want to stay only with these thoughts. 2) I then reproduce an extended homily from a Claretion community web site. 3) To end I reproduce the […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...2nd Advent C Jesus, rigorist Messiah or One who eats with sinners Introduction: The main person, offered for our consideration, this second Sunday of Advent is John the Baptist. He is featured next Sunday too. The prophet Baruch and the prophet John the Baptist speak of preparations being made. Baruch makes a person out of Jerusalem and gives […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...–Henri Nouwen ADVENT DOES NOT LEAD TO NERVOUS TENSION STEMMING FROM EXPECTATION OF SOMETHING SPECTACULAR ABOUT TO HAPPEN. ON THE CONTRARY, IT LEADS TO A GROWING INNER STILLNESS AND JOY ALLOWING ME TO REALIZE THAT HE FOR WHOM I AM WAITING HAS ALREADY ARRIVED AND SPEAKS TO ME IN THE SILENCE OF MY HEART. JUST […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...Introduction: The first and third readings of Today’s Mass use language which is described as “apocalyptic”. We are only hearing a few verses of chapter 13, a chapter that must be read together. We are coming to the End of the Church year. In this chapter Jesus speaks of the End of the Temple and of the End of […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...Lessons from widows. Introduction: Two unnamed widows are featured in the readings today. They are offered to us as persons who are examples of generosity. From the little they have to survive on they are willing to give. Yet in the Gospel Mark places two incidents together which give us something more to think about. Homily: In the […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...More than right answers needed. Introduction: This Sunday’s Gospel takes place after Jesus has finished his journey on the “Way” and he has arrived in Jerusalem. Jesus enters the city not as a pilgrim, but rather as a popular king. He receives the acclaim of the crowds. But this entrance is immediately followed by a series of conflicts. Today’s Gospel […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...Sight and insight. Introduction: Today’s Gospel is the end of the Way section. Immediately after this, Jesus arrives almost to the city of Jerusalem. When Jesus began this way-journey, a blind man was part of the story. That blind man was healed in steps. The Way section ends with the story of another blind man. Remember along the way the […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...29th Sunday of Ordinary Time “B” Upside down authority. Introduction: This Sunday’s Gospel takes up the Way section of Mark’s Gospel immediately after Jesus’ third announcement of his handing over, suffering, death and resurrection. Mark continues to follow his previous pattern: announcement, reaction, teaching. Mark’s first way of dying with Jesus is to be completely open to whatever […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...This section of Mark’s Gospel consists of three units on wealth and the kingdom: 1) the story of the rich man, 2) Jesus’ instruction to the disciples, 3) Jesus teaching about rewards for giving up riches. 1) The story of the rich man. Here the man takes the initiative: runs to Jesus, kneels down, questions Jesus. This man is […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...