“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”  (Mk 10:25-26) Before I entered seminary, I heard a homily preached on this Gospel passage.  The priest explained that one of the gates to enter Jerusalem that was called the “eye of the needle.”  Camels could only go through the “eye of the needle” if they were crawling on their knees and stripped of baggage.  The implication was that we only get to Heaven “on our knees” and free of attachment to possessions.  At the time, it seemed like a good explanation.  But when I was in seminary studying Sacred Scripture, I learned there was no such gate.  His cute story was a complete fabrication! However, there are … [Read more...]

“But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.  So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”  (Mk 10:6-9) “Marriage is the intimate, exclusive, indissoluble communion of life and love entered by man and woman at the design of the Creator for the purpose of their own good and the procreation and education of children; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a Sacrament.”  Gaudium et Spes, 48 Sacred Scripture begins with the creation of man and woman in the image and likeness of God and concludes with a vision of the “wedding feast … [Read more...]

Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, "If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all." Taking a child, he placed it in the their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, "Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me." (Mk 9:35-37) What does it mean to be “the best”?  Our American society puts a premium on it.  If it’s high school, the best student is the “valedictorian.”  If it’s high school sports, then the best team is the “state champion.”  Pro football awards the “Lombardi Trophy” for winning the Super Bowl, and professional baseball gives the “Commissioner’s Trophy” for winning the World Series.  Locally, Gambit Magazine list an … [Read more...]

Along the way Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?” (Mk 8:27b-29a)   Very few people deny the historical reality that there was a man named Jesus who lived in the first century and died by crucifixion.  However, throughout history men have argued about the identity of Jesus. Jewish people traditionally see Him as “false Messiah.” The Muslims call Him a “prophet.”  Atheists might acknowledge His historical existence and even recognize the beauty of some of His teachings (“Love your neighbor as yourself”), but label Him as simply a delusional inspiration.  Even among some so-called “Christians,” Jesus might be reduced to … [Read more...]

They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (Mk  7:37) Two weeks ago we finished reading the 6th chapter of John’s Gospel, called the “Bread of Life” discourse.  It’s a break that we experience each year during the normal reading of Mark’s Gospel, and it’s meant to point directly to what Jesus gives us in the Holy Eucharist each time we participate in Holy Communion.  Now we are back to reading the Gospel according to Mark. Out of all of the Gospels, Mark’s is the shortest. and is likely to have been the first written.  However, it often tells the story of the ministry Jesus in more vivid detail than either Matthew or Luke.  Mark stresses Jesus’ message about the kingdom of God breaking into human life as … [Read more...]

As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” (Jn 6:66-69) This Sunday we complete our five week Eucharistic study of the 6th Chapter of John’s Gospel.  Four weeks ago we heard about the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes – earthly food.  Three weeks ago we heard Jesus describe Himself as the “bread from Heaven,” calling to mind the manna sent from heaven to nourish the Israelites in their Exodus in the desert.  Two weeks ago Jesus starts facing detractors; but instead of backing down, He … [Read more...]

 The Jews murmured about Jesus because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven, ” and they said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop murmuring among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. (Jn 6:41-44) As I mentioned over the last two weekends, the Gospel this Sunday is a continuation of the 6th Chapter of John’s Gospel.  Two weeks ago we heard about the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes.  Last week we heard Jesus raise the bar and describe Himself as the “Bread from Heaven,” calling to mind the manna from heaven of the Exodus.  This Sunday Jesus starts … [Read more...]

When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” (Jn 6:24-29) Beginning last weekend on the 17th Sunday of the Ordinary … [Read more...]

Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted.  When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.  When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” (Jn 6:11-14) If you regularly attend Mass in Good Shepherd Parish, you know that it rare when I don’t mention the Blessed Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist in a homily.  Since Mass is divided into two parts, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, I want my … [Read more...]

When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. (Mk 6:34) Although the image of a shepherd and his sheep is found throughout both the Old and New Testament, many Catholics have a negative reaction to being compared with “sheep.”  As I said once in a homily, sheep are stupid, smelly animals who are defined as “classic prey,” in that they are the food of a great deal of predators, most particularly wolves, wildcats and birds of prey.  But once you study a little about sheep, you find analogies to human behavior.  For instance, sheep are incredibly social animals.  Sheep have a natural tendency to gather into a flock, and they can become very agitated and nervous when … [Read more...]