He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him. Mark 1:27 There are many accounts in Mark’s Gospel where demons or unclean spirits obey Jesus. Mark 3:11 tells us that “whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, ‘You are the Son of God.’” Chapter 5 shows Jesus commanding the many demons called “Legion” out of the Gerasene Demoniac (Mark 5:1-20). As we travel through Mark in this year’s…
“Which of the two did his father’s will?” – Matthew 21:31 Two of my favorite saints have feast days in October: St. Therese of Lisieux on October 1 and St. John Henry Cardinal Newman on October 9. Both saints wrote about obedience to God as a path to holiness. Our Gospel reading this Sunday shows an example of faithfulness demonstrated by obedient actions (Matthew 21:28-32). The first son in the parable said he would do…
Imagine walking with the two disciples on the way back home to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). It was the day of the Resurrection, a mere three days after Jesus was crucified. He had indeed risen, as He had promised, but these two disciples had already given up hope. They were downcast and they had lost hope. Notice the past tense: “But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel” (21). How strange:…
Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. – 1 Peter 1:8-9 Last week we considered how we can come to believe in the Risen Christ without seeing Him face-to-face. Belief should not be limited to our human senses, such as…
Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. – John 20:8-9 Our Lenten adventure has reached its end. We have reached Jesus’s empty tomb. We have encountered the truth of the Resurrection. Imagine you are with Mary Magdalen that Easter morning. As you follow her to…
…when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live…- Ezekiel 37:13-14 Imagine a tropical island getaway. Everything there has been arranged for you. All you have to do is get there. But there’s a catch: you have to get there completely on your own. No planes, trains, or automobiles; no boats or helicopters. Just you and your own power.…
…he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed, and came back able to see. – John 9:6-7 This Laetare Sunday we rejoice that Easter is quickly approaching. We also rejoice in the fact that Jesus can heal our wounds if we allow Him to, just as…
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. – Luke 17:5-6 Mustard plants start out small, but then grow vigorously, growing tall and wide into shrubs by putting on branches. The seeds are miniscule, but they are powerful because they grow into…
A “masterclass” is a lesson given by an expert to knowledgeable students. Thank you, St. Mark, for blessing us with a masterclass in prayer in this Sunday’s Gospel! Here we have the story of Blind Bartimaeus, the poor beggar who heard Jesus passing by and called out for healing. He had a dialogue with Jesus—that’s prayer! If St. Mark taught us in person, here are some high points he might hit. Approach prayer with listening…
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. – Matthew 28:17 The Gospel reading for today is from the very end of Matthew. At the tomb on Easter morning, the Risen Christ told Mary Magdalen: “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me” (Matthew 28:10). Then the…