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The Word today, 5B24

  • Writer: Admin
    Admin
  • Feb 2, 2024
  • 2 min read


February 05 - February 10, 2024


St Agatha, virgin and martyr


1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13 The setting of the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies completes the dedication of the Temple. As often, the imagery of cloud—revealing and concealing—conveys the presence of God. Notice the lack of any graven images.


Mark 6:53-56 The Gospel of Mark is told in an urgent, breathless style. Today we hear one of those compressed summaries, capturing the popularity of Jesus among the sick.


St Paul Miki and companions, martyrs


1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30 Every religion has somehow to manage or negotiate the nearness of God (immanence) and the beyond of God (transcendence). Solomon gets it right, in this moving prayer.


Mark 7:1-13 Before we plunge into a condemnation of the shallowness of the Pharisees, it is worth remembering that the rules were designed to bring an experience of God’s presence into the everyday. Of course, they could become obsessive and pointless—features not unknown in the churches’ various devotions! Jesus is sharp in his response, but not any more sharp than any of the prophets of old.


St Mel, bishop


1 Kings 10:1-10 Finally, the famous queen of Sheba visits to sample the wisdom of Solomon— which she (rightly) attributes to God.


Mark 7:14-23 This Gospel reflects an important moment for early Christianity. Although tied to a historical context, the principles are timeless. It is what is on the inside which counts.


St Jerome Emilian or St Josephine Bakhita


1 Kings 11:4-13 Under the guise of a prophetic judgment, the reading offers a broader “reading” of Israelite history: idolatry has disastrous consequences.


Mark 7:24-30 This story has always appealed — perhaps even more today. Jesus learns — at the hands of a woman!



1 Kings 11:29-32,12:19 This rather mysterious reading illustrates something familiar: frequently the prophets demonstrate their teaching with an action or a gesture, as in this reading.


Mark 7:31-37 A phrase from this Gospel has found its way into our baptismal ceremony. The priest touches the ears and mouth of the baby and says “ephphatha”. Today we get the context. We too can pray that our ears may be opened to the Gospel and that our mouths may be opened to proclaim it.


St Scholastica, virgin


1 Kings 12:26-32,13:33-34 This story should sound familiar: it is a another version of the golden calf. The setting up of another sanctuary splits the people of Israel.


Mark 8:1-10 To hear this familiar story in a fresh way, it may help to notice that it is Jesus who identifies the needs of his followers. Sometimes, we fail to notice our own deeper needs — to be met in Christ.


References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024n, February 4). Fifth Sunday in ordinary time. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020424.cfm

-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings/


 
 
 

The Word today, 2B24

  • Writer: Admin
    Admin
  • Jan 12, 2024
  • 3 min read


January 15 - January 20, 2024


St Ita, virgin


1 Samuel 15:16-23 Today we hear of a clash between a prophet and a king, between Samuel and Saul. Details of this story are difficult for us today: why would God order extermination? Yet, even in this excerpt there is something for reflection: what does God require from us—outward gesture or inward obedience?


Mark 2:18-22 The gospel is about the shock of the new: in Jesus, new teaching must lead to new practices to sustain new life.


St Fursa, abbot


1 Samuel 16:1-13 As we saw at Christmas, Bethlehem and king David are important in Christian religious imagination. Today we hear why this is so, as a very persistent Samuel is sent to find a king to succeed the rejected Saul. The fact that David was originally a shepherd also resonates in the story of Jesus, the Son of David, our good shepherd and our king.


Mark 2:23-28 This Gospel, very familiar, is more powerful than we think. The Sabbath was given by God at creation and to Moses on Mount Sinai. Jesus sets the Sabbath aside, which means his authority is somehow even greater


St Antony, abbot


1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51 This story of the weak against the strong, the small against the mighty, has inspired people down the centuries. For Israel at the time, then as now a very small state surrounded by powerful enemies, the story offered great encouragement. There is a message for today: it is not always the mighty who have the last say.


Mark 3:1-6 Our conflict story is again about the Sabbath but it is more intense because they were watching him. The Sabbath was meant to mark creation and liberation: what better gesture than to heal a man? And yet, tradition gets in the way.



1 Samuel 18:6-9, 19:1-7 In the stories we are hearing, Saul comes across as an unstable character, capable of unpredictable violence. He is dangerously jealous of the younger David. A good word put in by Jonathan, Saul’s son, calms the king down, at least for the moment. There’s something for us too: in a conflict, the right word can be very effective.


Mark 3:7-12 Jesus was immensely attractive to people, who felt drawn to him and made signifcant sacrifices to get to hear him. We are not as “gospel greedy” today but we could be if we listened from within.



1 Samuel 24:3-21 Today, a drama takes place. Saul, again unstable, sets out to kill David. By a brilliant, generous gesture, David convinces Saul of his good intentions. It’s a great story with a lesson for us as well: not exercising power can be much more effective than exercising it.


Mark 3:13-19 For any Bible reader, the number twelve must recall the twelves tribes of Israel, descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob. By appointing twelve men, Jesus symbolises his own programme: the restoration of Israel. In reality, they are not all equally important and one of them will turn out to be really dangerous.


St Fabian, bishop of Rome, martyr

St Sabastian, martyr


2 Samuel 1:1-4, 11-12, 17, 19, 23-27 There can be great humanity in bible stories. Today, David gets news that his enemy is dead…and yet, he weeps for him. In a very touching lament, David mourns both Saul and Jonathan. The poem of lament is very generous, very humane.


Mark 3:20-21 Today’s Gospel is short and enigmatic. Who are these relatives? The same people seem to be involved later in the chapter: 3:31 (confirmed by the omitted v. 19b: “he went home”). The issue is that even those closest to the prophet will not understand him and will even reject him.


References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024h, January 14). Second Sunday in ordinary time. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011424.cfm

-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings/


 
 
 

The Word today, Holy FamilyB

  • Writer: Admin
    Admin
  • Dec 29, 2023
  • 2 min read

Updated: Dec 28, 2024



January 01 - January 06, 2024


Mary, Mother of God


Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops, Doctors


1 John 2:22-28 The reading reflects profound conflict in the community of the Fourth Gospel over Jesus’ identity. The tone is more confrontational than usual.


John 1:19-28 John the Baptist was a challenge to early Christians, precisely because John baptised Jesus. In this reading, the evangelist puts on the lips of John himself the word from Isaiah first used by Mark’s Gospel.


The Holy Name of Jesus


1 John 2:29-3:6 Today we hear a justly famous passage, which goes simply and directly to the heart of the matter. The proclamation of the love of God is completed by presenting the consequences for us as believers.


John 1:29-34 What John says of Jesus reflects the understanding of the Fourth Gospel, an understanding which is deep and challenging. Most likely, we are not really hearing the opinion of the historical John the Baptist but the theology of of the evangelist.



1 John 3:7-10 In this reading, the great teaching of the Letter is expressed negatively: anybody not living a holy life and not loving his brother is no child of God’s.


John 1:35-42 In John’s Gospel, the first first person to talk about Jesus is John the Baptism: Look, there is the lamb of God. These important words have become part of the liturgy of the Eucharist.



1 John 3:11-21 Today’s reading illustrates the richness of the First Letter. It is highly realistic — the world hates you. At the same time, it is very inspiring — our love is not to be just words or mere talk, but something real and active.


John 1:43-51 Our Gospel today contains a large number of descriptions of Jesus. If we were to describe what Jesus means to us, what would we say today? (The mention of the fig tree can puzzle. One explanation goes like this. In rabbinic tradition, it had been concluded that the tree of knowledge of good and evil was a fig tree, given that the fig is the first species mentioned. It became a symbol of the Torah, the later “tree” of knowledge, guidance on the part of goodness. Thus, seeing Philip under


The Epiphany of the Lord


References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2023aa, December 31). Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/123123.cfm

-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings/


 
 
 
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