June 27, 2015

13th Sunday - B


Commentary

The Touch of Healing and Life

Jesus' touch restores he dignity of one woman and life and future for the other.

In the case of the adult woman, for twelve years, for hemorrhage has rendered her ritually (religiously) unclean, by the standards of the time. In addition to healing her, Jesus' touch reunites her to the community of God's people.

In the case of the girl, her short life, full of future promise, has been cut short. Jesus' touch restores her to life and to God's plan for her present and future.

What is keeping me from being the child of God that the loving Father created me to be?

Let us pray that Jesus Christ, who touches us with his words and his sacraments, restores us to that dignity given to us by the Father. May Christ's touch enable us to respond to the gift of the fullness of life to which the Holy Spirit is leading us.

13th Sunday - B (June 28, 2015)


Readings


June 6, 2015

Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ


Commentary

“Prepare”

A priest in our community, Fr. Jay, pointed out that the word “prepare” or “preparation” appears three times in this short passage. 

Jesus knows what he is about to do.  He prepares for it.  And he is ready for it.

The reading given to us in the lectionary skips verses 17 – 21, the verses where Mark recounts Jesus telling the disciples that one of them would betray him.  Jesus knows. [1]

And this passage continues in Mark with Jesus warning the disciples that their faith will be shaken, and that their leader, Peter, would deny him.  [2]

Yet, Jesus loves these very weak and broken disciples. 

He loves them to the point of giving his very life for them.  To them, he says, “This is my body,”  “This is my blood.”  What he now says in words, he will complete on the cross.

To us, the Lord continues to give this gift of love.  To us, he now says, “This is my body,” “This is my blood.”

He knows.  He prepares.  And he is ready.  Because he loves us.
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[1], [2]  Frank Moloney, This is the Gospel of the Lord: Reflections of the Gospel Readings, Year B. Homebush, NSW, Australia: St. Paul Publications, 1993.  

Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (June 7, 2015)


Readings