The Gospel according to Mark shows the “earthiness” of his Jesus. Mark’s primary purpose was to strengthen the Early Church’s faith in Jesus as the Christ, the resurrected Son of God.

Almost from the beginning of his Gospel message, Mark shows [...]]]> The Question of the Week and More… Read the Faith Connection - Download Now

The Gospel according to Mark shows the “earthiness” of his Jesus. Mark’s primary purpose was to strengthen the Early Church’s faith in Jesus as the Christ, the resurrected Son of God.

Almost from the beginning of his Gospel message, Mark shows a sense of urgency in the text, reflected by his frequent use of the word immediately. He quickly moves from one episode in Jesus’ life and ministry to another, and emphasizes more what Jesus did than what he said.

In his writing, Mark does not portray great mythic battles between good and evil. Rather, God’s power is shown in the midst of the events of day-to-day living, in specific places and with real people. For example, in today’s reading, Jesus and his disciples come from worshipping in the synagogue to the home of Simon (Peter) and Andrew, perhaps for a meal. They find Peter’s motherin-law in bed with a fever. With a simple touch to her hand, a small gesture that could be interpreted as simply helping the woman get out of bed, Jesus heals her.

After this quick and awesome healing, they all calmly sit and eat together, while being served by the formerly ill woman. Like it was no big deal! Mark then moves from the individual healing of Peter’s mother-in-law to the healing of many, as the whole town gathers at the door.

It is significant to note that Jesus did not stay very long in the villages after he performed miracles of healing and driving out demons. He clearly points out that he has to go on to other villages to preach, because it was for this purpose—sharing an urgent message—that he had come.

The Question of the Week and More… Read the Faith Connection - Download Now

It is easy to misunderstand Paul in today’s second reading. He recommends that the Corinthians remain celibate; therefore, we might conclude that there is something wrong with marriage. This is not Paul’s intent. Paul was convinced that Jesus would return during his lifetime. With everything about to [...]]]> Read the entire Faith Connection, Download Now

It is easy to misunderstand Paul in today’s second reading. He recommends that the Corinthians remain celibate; therefore, we might conclude that there is something wrong with marriage. This is not Paul’s intent. Paul was convinced that Jesus would return during his lifetime. With everything about to change, he felt it was not the time to assume the responsibilities of family life.

 Today, we still believe Jesus will come but we do not know when. This allows us to recognize that marriage and celibacy each reveal an important quality of discipleship. Marriage gives witness to the necessity of intimacy in every person’s life. While, celibacy gives witness to freedom. The celibate person is freer to use his or her time and energy for the service of God’s people because he or she does not have the responsibility of spouse or children. Marriage and celibacy complement each other because every person needs a combination of intimacy and freedom in their life.

The celibate requires intimacy—not the sexual intimacy of marriage—but deep, honest relationships with family and friends. And married people must be free enough to realize that their personhood is larger than the roles of spouse or parent. They have a call beyond family to build God’s Kingdom. Marriage and celibacy are not in competition. They each witness to an essential truth: the need to connect to another person—the call to serve God’s people.

Read the entire Faith Connection, Download Now

Invitations to parties often include the letters RSVP at the end, which is a polite (and brief) way of saying, “please let us know whether or not you will attend.” This Sunday’s readings look at some of the [...]]]> Take a moment to read the entire issue of Faith Connection for 1-22-12 - click to download

Invitations to parties often include the letters RSVP at the end, which is a polite (and brief) way of saying, “please let us know whether or not you will attend.” This Sunday’s readings look at some of the ways God invites us to join in the divine party. The story of Jonah is always fun to read. While his three days in the belly of the whale is what we remember most, we often forget that Jonah was in the whale because God wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. That, of course, is the message of his preaching in Ninevah; people there believed that God would destroy the city. Which is harder to believe: that Jonah lived in a whale for three days or that the entire city of Ninevah immediately said “yes” to God’s invitation to reform?

The reading from the Gospel of Mark is equally amazing. Imagine these four fishermen immediately walking away from their livelihood because Jesus made them a simple invitation: “Follow Me.” Obviously, Peter and Andrew, and James and John, received an offer that they dared not refuse. The Bible is filled with such invitations—stories where we are invited to do something simple for the Lord, like feeding the hungry, loving those who hate us, and taking up our cross. What is astounding is that so many people don’t realize that these invitations are addressed to them. “Oh, I thought you were inviting someone else!” But God’s invitations don’t work that way.

 You  are invited, and God expects an RSVP from you. Will you accept the invitation?

 Take a moment to read the entire issue of Faith Connection for 1-22-12 - click to download

Today is the first day of the calendar year, a day when people often make new resolutions or prophecies that attempt to predict the future; we could even say it’s a day of cosmic proportions. In the meantime, the Catholic Church [...]]]> Start the New Year by Reading The Faith Connection – Download Now

Today is the first day of the calendar year, a day when people often make new resolutions or prophecies that attempt to predict the future; we could even say it’s a day of cosmic proportions. In the meantime, the Catholic Church celebrates the motherhood of Mary to replace the celebration of the circumcision of the child Jesus in the liturgical calendar. While the circumcision emphasized the humanity of Jesus and his incorporation in the Jewish covenant, the celebration of Mary as Mother of God reminds us that the child was not only a human baby visited by shepherds, but also God’s eternal Word made flesh in a total union with humanity.

The visit of the shepherds also points to the importance of Mary. She is mentioned as the first one the shepherds notice and as the one holding everything in her heart in a special way. Moreover, Jesus gave Mary to us at the foot of the cross, thus the celebration of his birth has to include his mother. Mary is called Mother of God because she is the mother of the God-man. Earlier controversy claimed she was mother only of the human Jesus. The controversy came to an end in 431 when the ecumenical Council of Ephesus decreed that since the baby was also God, Mary could rightly be called Mother of God. God invited Mary to a unique and amazing cooperation in the work of Creation: to give her body to the miraculous and awesome birth of God in the flesh. Ave Maria!

Start the New Year by Reading The Faith Connection – Read it all, Download Now

This page is having a slideshow that uses Javascript. Your browser either doesn't support Javascript or you have it turned off. To see this page as it is meant to appear please use a Javascript enabled browser.

Read More

Read More