Deuteronomy 6:2-6Hebrews 7:23-28Mark 12:28B-34 Love God and Neighbor The reading from Deuteronomy gives us the famous command to love God above all else. This command is reiterated in the gospel story when one of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is…

Jeremiah 31:7-9Hebrews 5:1-6Mark 10:46-52 Bartimaeus This is my favorite gospel from all of the New Testament. I believe this short story provides us with is a summary of how we become disciples. I will go through some of the phrases to help us understand how we personally perceive God, to point out how we need…

Isaiah 53:10-11Hebrews 4:14-16Mark 10:35-45 or 10:42-45 Renounce and Enjoy The title for this reflection comes from Gandhi, a man who lived for others. The belief that a person can be detached from one’s own desires fits both Gandhi and the story from today’s gospel. James and John come to Jesus and ask, “Grant that in…

Wis 7:7-11Heb 4:12-13MK 10:17-27 Wisdom The first reading from the book of Wisdom begins with, “I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.” These words relate to the story we hear in the gospel reading when a young man approaches Jesus to ask what he must…

Genesis 2:18-24Hebrews 2:9-11Mark 10:2-16 Or Mark 10:2-12 Commitment The gospel acclamation sets the tone for today’s readings. “If we love one another, God remains in us and [God’s] love is brought to perfection in us.”  In the first reading from Genesis, God creates humans and gives the man and woman to each other. “… the…

Numbers 11:25-29James 5:1-6Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 Jealousy In the first reading from Numbers and the Gospel of Mark jealousy rears its ugly head. The Lord shares some of the spirit that was on Moses with seventy-two of the elders of the community. Two who were not present also receive the same spirit. Immediately it is…

Wisdom 2:12, 17-20James 3:16-4:3Mark 9:30-37  Ambition The gospel begins today with Jesus telling the disciples that he will be handed over to men and that he will die and rise on the third day. Even while he is sharing this most serious message, the disciples are not paying much attention because they are arguing who…

Is 50:5-9aJas 2:14-18Mk 8:27-35 Suffering In today’s gospel Jesus asks his disciples who people are saying he is. They say in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” He then asks them who they think he is. Peter says to him in reply, “You are the Christ.” This is correct…

Isaiah 35:4-7James 2:15Mark 7:31-37 Deaf and Blind I begin today’s reflection with almost the entire first reading from Isaiah. It sets the tone for the thoughts and feeling I have from the gospel. “Thus says the Lord: Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God,he comes with vindication;…

Deuteronomy 4:1-2,6-8James 1:17-18,21b-22,27Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Interior Motivation In the first reading Moses instructs the Israelites about the commandments. He tells them to, “Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, ‘This great nation is truly a…

Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18bEphesians 5:21-32John 6:60-69 Leaving or Staying For decades the Israelites have been traveling from slavery toward the promised land. As they approach the end of their journey Joshua asks the people, “If it does not please you to serve the Lord, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served…

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary TimeProverbs 9:1-6Ephesians 5:15-20John 6:51-58 Belief Picture yourself in the crowd of people gathered around Jesus. You are attracted to him and his teachings and impressed at the miracles he has performed. Then he says these words, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of…

1 Kings 19:4-8Ephesians 4:30-5:2Gospel – John 6:41-51 Hopefulness Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt less confident or hopeful, a time when you lost your enthusiasm or zest for life? This is what depression or discouragement is and how it tends to bring darkness rather than light to our lives….

Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15Ephesians 4:17, 20-24John 6:24-351st Reading – Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 Hunger Hunger is a terrible thing. Every night all over the world untold numbers of people go to bed hungry. The pangs of hunger are feelings that some children know on a daily basis. Parents go without their own food to feed their children….

2 Ephesians 4:1-6Kings 4:42-44John 6:1-15 Generosity In the first reading the prophet Elisha foreshadows Jesus by feeding a hundred people with twenty barley loaves and then has some left over. In the gospel we find the famous story of Jesus feeding a huge crowd with five barley loaves and two fish. These readings encourage us…