In today’s Gospel, we can see what the ministry of Jesus was like, and the impact it had. So many people flocked to Jesus that He asked his disciples to get a boat ready for him, to keep the people...
How Do We Compare to Jesus?
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Friar Reflection
Condemnation
It seems that people, especially religious people, are quick to accuse and condemn. Some Pharisees in today’s Gospel, “watched Jesus closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they...
New Wine
In today’s Gospel Jesus comes preaching a new message, a message with authority, a message of love and forgiveness. This new message, this new wine, cannot be contained in old wineskins: “no one...
Authority to Forgive
In today’s Gospel Mark continues to present Jesus as one with “authority.” Jesus claims that as the Son of Man he has the “authority” to forgive sins and to heal. The Gospel Story is a wonderful...
God’s Guidance
Today’s First Reading relates to the battle between the Philistines and the people of Israel. The people of Israel bring the Ark of the Covenant to the battle believing that if they have the holy...
Restored
Today's Gospel is one that always needs 1st century context. Jesus has just been at the synagogue where he cast out an unclean spirit from a man. Then we read, "Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a...
Authority
What does it mean to teach with authority? In today’s Gospel Mark emphasizes twice that Jesus teaches with authority. “Jesus taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes…a new...
The Time of Fulfillment
Although only 14 verses into the gospel narrative, St. Mark has already introduced us to John the Baptist, Jesus has been baptized, and tempted in the desert. Then, in a typically abbreviated style,...
Be Made Clean!
In today’s Gospel, a leper comes to Jesus and says: “Lord, if you will to do so, you can make me clean.” Jesus’ response is: “I do will it. Be made clean!” In this miracle, like many other miracles...
Fulfilled in your hearing
Jesus preaches the shortest homily in history! In today’s Gospel Jesus reads a text from the prophet Isaiah and then gives a homily on this text. While His homily is very short it sets forth the...
For the love of Christ
When asked how they could possibly feed so many people, Jesus said to disciples “in reply, ‘Give them some food yourselves.’” Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. John Neumann, Bishop of...
A light for others
“…the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.” Today the Church in the United States celebrates St. Elizabeth Ann...