More than meets the eye

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This coming Sunday is the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time. It is very easy to simply note that Jesus cured Peter’s mother-in-law, be swept along in Mark’s breathless pace, and wonder if there is more to the story than meets the eye. Ched Myers (Binding the Strong Man: A Political reading of Mark’s Story of Jesus, 141) raises this question at the beginning of his comments on Mark 1:21-39:

These “miracle” stories raise important issues of interpretation. Is Jesus simply “curing” the physically sick and the mentally disturbed? If so, why would such a ministry of compassion raise the ire of the local authorities?

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Forgiveness

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The recent issue of the Arlington Catholic Herald, the diocesan newspaper (print and online), regularly carries a column from Mary Beth Bonacci, a syndicated Catholic columnist, who regularly writes on living out faith in everyday life.  Her recent article on Forgiveness is well worth the five minute read. Enjoy.

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Connections

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This coming Sunday is the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time in Lectionary Cycle B. The narrative moves quite quickly in the Gospel according to Mark. The narrative’s pace and immediacy is one of the most notable attributes of the writing sty;le Lest one think that Mark is simply concatenating stories without a larger vision in mind, it is always good to “step back” and see the larger framework in which the Gospel account exists. Continue reading →

Anxiety and Idols

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This week, in our second reading, Paul simply writes: “I should like you to be free of anxieties.” (1 Cor 7:32).  Seriously, can I get an “Amen” to that? Wouldn’t that be awesome, to have a life without anxieties? In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us not to have anxiety about food, clothing, money and such things. God takes care of the birds in the sky and we are much more loved by our heavenly Father, so don’t worry. And yet we do.  In 1 Peter 5, we are told to give all of our anxieties and worries over to God. And yet we hang onto them. Jesus tells Martha that she is anxious about many things and points out to her the better part that her sister Mary has chosen (Luke 10:41-42). And yet… Continue reading →

Demonic Knowledge

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This coming Sunday is the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time. That the demonic powers possess a certain knowledge of Jesus’ identity is clear from the cry of recognition, “I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” This statement of recognition, however, does not stand alone. It is part of a larger complex of material exhibiting a striking difference between the forms of address employed by the demoniacs and the titles used by ordinary sick individuals. The latter group appeals to Jesus as “Lord” (7:8), “Teacher” (9:17), “Son of David” (10:47–48) or “Master” (10:51). The demoniacs, however, address Jesus as “the Holy One of God” (1:24), “the Son of God” (3:11) or “the Son of the Most High God” (5:7), expressions which identify Jesus as the divine Son of God. Continue reading →

An Unclean Spirit

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This coming Sunday is the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit (v. 23). Strangely the NAB does not translate euthys – the first word in the sentence. The word means “just then,” “suddenly” or “immediately.”  In the NAB translation it seems as though the man was just there. But the Greek euthys implies a sudden entrance into the synagogue like bursting upon the scene. This follows immediately upon Jesus’ teaching with authority that amazes listeners. The “suddenly” that divine power (exousia) is confronted by the corrupting power of a person is possessed by an unclear spirit. Was he part of the crowd listening to Jesus’ teaching who suddenly stood up and cried out? Did he come in off of the street? In any case, suddenly, we have the “holy one of God” on the holy day (sabbath) in the holy place (synagogue) meeting an “unclean spirit.”  It is a dramatic moment somewhat lost by not translating one word. Continue reading →

St. Francis de Sales

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Today is the Memorial of St. Francis de Sales, a priest known for his spirit of optimism, hope, freedom and confidence in God’s love both in his life and his writings.  The gospel for the memorial is well chosen for its emphasis on remaining in the love of God, the joy of following Christ, and bearing the fruit of that love and joy – fruit that remains in this lifetime and the next. Continue reading →

Helping at the Margins

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Years ago I served as a lay missionary in the Kibera slums of Nairobi. I lived and worked among some of the poorest of the urban poor in East Africa. I lived with a Pallottine priest from Ireland who was one of 18 children and the son of a working blacksmith. It is not hard to imagine that household finances were stretched very thin, yet the father had a great compassion for the “travelers” a group of Irish people with their own traditions, language, stories and more. Known as “travelers” (lucht siúil, meaning the walking people) their history is filled with stories of discrimination, mistrust, and poverty. Continue reading →