From Fr. Rafal

At a crucial point in Mark’s Gospel Jesus asked a pivotal question of his disciples: ‘But who do you say that I am?‘ Up to this moment, through his miracles and healings, Jesus had been revealing himself to them as the Son of God and, through the revelation given him by the Holy Spirit, Peter […]

In his teaching Jesus highlights a problem, if you like, with the practice of faith. Those who are diligent, externally faithful, dutiful and adhere to the rules can appear as holy and righteous. The Pharisees were like this — they had strict rules on personal hygiene, which they adhered to scrupulously. Jesus’ disciples, it appears,

It was crunch time for some of the disciples. Many had been swept along and had followed Jesus for a variety of reasons — the miracles, the power, the crowds, the prospect of adventure and excitement. However, when he began to teach about the Eucharist many found his words hard to stomach (literally). Jesus’ teaching

It can be amusing to listen to people who do not believe in God but have a high regard for Jesus. They say things like, ‘He was such a great moral teacher,’ or ‘He went around doing good, and the Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount are so moving.’ The amusement comes when you point

Five thousand hungry people present quite a logistical problem! Where to feed them? What to feed them? And how to feed them? These are very real questions for anyone about to embark on such a vast catering challenge! Jesus appears almost to play with Philip by asking him: ‘How are we to buy bread, so

Grant me, most dear and loving Jesus, to rest in you above created things; above health and beauty; above all glory and honor; above all power and dignity; above all knowledge and skill; above all praise and fame; above all sweetness and consolation; above all hope and promise; above all merit and desire; above all

Amos was a normal, everyday workingman. We hear about him in the first reading. He lived just south of the border between the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah, on the Judean side. Amos crossed the border into the North and proclaimed God’s truth to those in the City of Bethel. The people there were soft

If Mark’s Gospel were a newspaper it would have a red top like The Sun or the Daily Mirror — meaning that the syntax is short and punchy, to the point and direct. Mark, and indeed his fellow Evangelists, have one clear goal and purpose, which is to lead their readers to understand that Jesus

This week we celebrate the birth of one of our greatest sons. John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Lord, who could rightly be called the last of the Old Testament prophets, was outstanding in so many ways. He was a prophet. He was a preacher. He was a disciple. He was a martyr. As