It is but a simple, single verse from our first reading (2 Peter 1:2-7): God “…has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire” (v.4) And that simple phrase, “to share in the divine nature” has been the fountain from which has flown endless reflection, speculation, and wonder over the millennia. Continue reading
This coming Sunday is the 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Year B. The translation used for all liturgies in Catholic Churches here in the United States, is “The New American Bible.” As help to readers, the editors add some headings to give the reader a macro-sense of the text. Our gospel passage falls in a section labeled, “The Mystery of Jesus.” Possibly because the cast of characters that are somewhat mystified by Jesus include the crowds, his family, and Scribes. But the story of Jesus, the mystery of the Incarnation, is still unfolding. The Gospel of Mark has only begun. Continue reading
Back in the day when I served in a slum parish on the edge of Nairobi. Over the course of several encounters I came to know a Mill Hill priest, Fr. John Kaiser. Fr. John was a missionary legend. Originally from Minnesota, he had a Paul Bunyan like quality to him – larger than life. By the time I met him he had been serving in Kenya for 30 plus years. One day he randomly showed up at the parish where I worked and asked me if I wanted to go with him on a trip “into the bush” to visit a group of semi-nomadic Maasai to whom he had been ministering for many years. By “into the bush” he meant the Transmara, the name for the Serengetti on the Kenyan side of the border. Instantly I imagined an exotic safari, an “Out of Africa” moment, … I mean, this was what it meant to be a missionary! Continue reading
This coming Sunday, The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Jesus’ words of promise were confirmed with a solemn oath that he would not share the cup until the meal was resumed and completed in the consummation: “Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:25) The sober reference “not .. again” indicates that this is Jesus’ final meal and adds a sense of a farewell. Continue reading
The gospel for today’s celebration of the Visitation is taken from the Infancy Narratives of Luke’s Gospel. The first part of the gospel is traditionally known as the Visitation.
39 During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, 42 cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:39-16)
This coming Sunday, The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The interpretation of detailed elements in the meal was a fixed part of the Passover liturgy conducted by the head of the household. This occurred after the meal had been served but before it was eaten. When Jesus lifted the platter of unleavened bread he may be presumed to have spoken the Aramaic formula prescribed in the liturgy: “This is the bread of affliction which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let everyone who hungers come and eat; let everyone who is needy come and eat the Passover meal.” Each of the other elements was also introduced in the context of Israel’s experience in bondage. The bitter herbs served to recall the bitterness of slavery, the stewed fruit, which possessed the consistency and color of clay, evoked the making of bricks as slaves, while the paschal lamb provided a reminder of God’s gracious “passing over” of Israel in the plague of death that came to Egypt. While the wording of Jesus’ paschal devotions has not been preserved, it is evident that the disciples were prepared for understanding the significance of the words of institution preserved in verses 22–24 by the manner in which Jesus interpreted the components of the meal. Continue reading
In today’s first reading from 1 Peter 2 we read that are to be “like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises of him” Continue reading
This coming Sunday, The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. In the verses which follow v.17, Mark concentrates all of his attention upon two incidents which marked the meal: the moment of the dipping of the bread and the bitter herbs in the bowl of stewed fruit when Jesus spoke of his betrayal (verses 18–21), and the interpretation of the bread and the third cup of wine following the meal itself (verses 22–25). Continue reading
Following from the previous two days of readings, today we continue with Peter’s first letter. Previously, Peter had challenged believers to experience the joy of such a great faith. His admonishment was to be attentive to the faith received that is more precious than gold. Be attentive to the on-going conversion and live a life for the greater glory of God rooted in that faith. Peter wants to appreciate that this gift of faith is more precious than gold and must be kept safe, even in times of tribulations and troubles. They need to understand that (a) what they possess, the faithful of the Old Testament could only long for and (b) the coming of the Messiah was among the “things into which angels longed to look.” The sense is not one of idle curiosity but of a longing to see the fulfillment of God’s promises. Great as the angles are, it was not to them or for them that the fulfillment came. Instead, the day of salvation dawned on these Christians in a way not even revealed to the angels. Continue reading
This coming Sunday, The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The episode of the preparation of the paschal meal is parallel in structure with Ch. 11:1–7 – in fact the first eleven words in Greek are identical. The commissioning of two disciples for the performance of a task, the precise knowledge of what they would encounter, and the exact response to be given to the responsible party are features familiar from the earlier account. The two incidents are entirely independent but they have been described according to a common scheme. Continue reading
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