26th Sunday - B (September 30, 2018)

Small

Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

The word small is one of the themes of today’s Gospel. 

Be small.   Thinking of themselves as important, the disciples tried to stop a person who was driving out demons.  The man did so in Jesus’ name, but the disciples said, “he does not follow us.”

Care for the little ones, Jesus tells us.

And even a cup of water is enough.  Small things.

St. Therese, the Little Flower, whose feast day is tomorrow lived the spirit of Jesus’ Gospel well.  She did small things with great love. 

 Image source:  Diocese of Westminster Youth Ministry, http://dowym.com

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24th Sunday - B (September 16, 2018)

“Who do You Say that I Am?”

Mark 8:27-35

When Peter, in the names of the disciples, identified Jesus as the Christ, “he warned them not to tell anyone about him.”

Yet, Jesus “spoke openly” about his suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection.

Jesus is not hiding his identity.  Nor is he afraid of people knowing about him. 

What important is the correct understanding of who Jesus is, the Jesus who accepts the cross and crucifixion out of love.  Peter and the disciples either do not have or are not ready for this understanding. 

Maybe it’s time to evaluate my own understanding of who Jesus is.  I need to ask Jesus for the wisdom to know him as he truly is, and not my misconceptions or my own projections about him.   

Image source:  www.agnusday.org 

 

23rd Sunday - B (September 9, 2016)

“He Comes to Save You”

Mark  7:31-37

In last week’s Gospel, Jesus was in the Jewish area.  There, he “summoned the crowd again” and taught them.

Today, this Gospel passage begins with a list of names. They are all locations in gentile territory.  Jesus goes there to bring God’s salvation.

Jesus brings God’s salvation to both Jews and gentiles, as Isaiah had prophesized (today’s First Reading).  Salvation is God’s plan for humanity.  Salvation is always God’s initiative.  

Image source:  www.agnusday.org

22nd Sunday - B (September 2, 2018)

“Jesus Summoned the Crowd”

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

We humans are bodily beings.  We express our thoughts, beliefs, and emotions through perceivable attitudes, body language, facial expressions, words, actions, etc.   In fact, we communicate our very being in the same manners. 

So do we express and communicate our relationships with God and with our brothers and sisters through rituals, actions, words, emotions, etc. 

What matters, as Jesus teaches us, is that our external expressions must not for show.  They must come from our hearts. 

It might help to preserve this awareness and attitude when we remember that our existence and all we are come from God’s graciousness.  As we again see in this Gospel passage, it was Jesus who took the initiative to instruct us the way of God as “Jesus summoned the crowd” and taught them.  

Image source:  www.agnusday.org