Mark s progression of stories shows Jesus carrying out the obedience he understood to be owed to Him who said You are My Son My Beloved on you My favor rests The stories are in the main stories of miracles but the stories often carry other affirmations about Jesus beyond the expression of

A young priest was sent by his Bishop to a parish that had a red light district within its boundaries On his first day in the parish a nun who had worked in the area for many years took him on a tour of her beat the area where all the women-in-prostitution were plying their trade As they

The Gospel for the Memorial of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina priest September 23 2008 is Luke 8 19-21 which I will cite in full The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd He was told Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and the

As Mark builds his story that shows Jesus to have the powers of the Messiah he also includes elements that go beyond miracle-working These three stories show some of these elements 1 Pious Jews were used to fasting though frequent fasting was not obligatory In this religious climate it is

As many readers of this blog probably know The Synod on the Word of God begins in October and lasts for most of the month The purpose of the gathering is for the world s bishops to discuss the place of Scripture in the life of the church America s special issue on the synod has just been pub

From his baptismal experience Jesus knows the purpose of his life to preach a major element of which was to call people to repentance We consider three episodes which follow the statement of Jesus purpose in 1 38 Jesus cleanses a leper Surely not as astonishing an exercise of power as