They let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Doubtless when the crowd brought the paralyzed man to Jesus they were hoping for, asking for, expecting a physical cure. However, Jesus saw that he needed something deeper, more profound.… Read More »

After a disasterous defeat Israel was looking for a divine intervention. The people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned upon the cherubim. Apparently they believed that like some kind of magical device the ARK would reverse their fortunes, Indiana Jones-style. In the gospel a leper… Read More »

The two books of Samuel and Kings tells the story of the inauguration and implementation of kingship in Israel (and eventually Judah.) What develops along side of the office of king is that of prophet. Kings and prophets serve as a point/ counterpoint in the relationship of God with the chosen people. The kings are… Read More »

We start of “ordinary time” this year reading from St. Mark’s gospel. One way of describing the first chapter is “what a week with Jesus.” Mark wants us to encounter the Lord and so he introduces him entering into the divinely appointed mission. Jesus begins as a preacher and proclaimer, picking up John the Baptist’s… Read More »

Can’t you picture God on the seventh day of creation looking at all that had been shaped and formed, including the highlight of creation Adam and Eve, and thinking “I love it when a plan comes together.” Of course, the plan went awry and there was world-wide sin provoking a great flood and two-by-two animals… Read More »

These weeks between the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of Lent are celebrated as “ordinary time.” During ordinary time the daily readings are done as a “lectio continuo,” as a continuous reading a book of a Bible chapter by chapter. This year the first reading is taken from First Samuel which tells… Read More »

When I was in leadership of my religious congregation we made the difficult decision that we could no longer care adequately for one of our elders at our own facility. He needed skilled nursing that we couldn’t provide. The decision was doubly difficult because he was a revered figure in the congregation who had held… Read More »

According to legend, St. John was the last apostle alive and young Christians would approach him to learn what it was like to have walked the dusty roads of Galilee with Jesus. But the more they pumped him for the details he would merely respond, “Little Children, love one another.” That certainly reflects the theme… Read More »

“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” It is still today. We celebrate the liturgy not as a pious memory of something that happened in the past. The liturgy is about today, about what God is doing in us. When we hear the mission plan of Jesus — to bring glad tidings to… Read More »

When I was a young priest, many years ago, I led a youth group. One of the activities was to stage a mock trial. We would imagine that we were in the times of the Roman empire and the Christians were being persecuted. The point of the trial was to see if there was enough… Read More »