Reflections

Jews in Jesus’ day believed that divorce was lawful — the only debated issue was the proper grounds for it. Jesus explained that Moses permitted divorce because of the hardness of human hearts: in other words it was a concession to the human condition and contrary to God’s plan for us. This accommodation to divorce […]

Possessiveness is not an attractive characteristic. It’s uncharitable, inward-looking and ultimately selfish. It prevents us from seeing the good in others. Eventually it can corrupt and destroy. Yet unfortunately this kind of attribute is something we’re all too familiar with. In the encounter in today’s Gospel, Jesus reveals the dangers of exclusivity even among his

As He leads his disciples to Jerusalem for the final Passover, Jesus teaches them about the true meaning of discipleship. Today we hear the second of His three predictions of His passion in Mark’s Gospel. Mark presents the disciples as being in such a state of confusion that they can’t grasp what Jesus’ teaching means.

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