Spiritual Reflections

1 Kings 17:10-16     Hebrews 9:24-28     Mark 12:41-44 Widows are the heroines of today’s readings.  That’s an odd reversal of scriptural stereotypes.  Widows are poor and rarely…

The Jewish people had just completed their 40 years of wandering in the desert. Moses has brought them to the promised land. They had time and many opportunities to learn…

It is helpful to understand today’s Gospel if we remember that Mark was writing his Gospel for the early Christians before their separation from Judaism, which happened after the destruction…

Isaiah 53:10-11          Hebrews 4: 14-16          Mark 10-35-45 For the last couple of months of Sunday readings, we have heard Jesus teaching his…

Mark 10:17-30 or Mark 10:17-27 Hebrews 4:12-13 Wisdom 7:7-11 Today’s Gospel reminds me of one of my favorite stories from John Dominic Crossan, who many of you will remember from…

When I first read the readings for today I wished that I had chosen a different Sunday. As I sat with these readings in these weeks leading up to the…

Numbers 11:25-29 James 5:1-6 Mark 9:38 … 48 “Whoever is not against us is for us.”  With these cryptic words, Jesus breaks through the partisan clannishness of his disciples and…

When I was still in the classroom many years ago, the children would often ask me as to why Jesus would tell his disciples not to tell anyone after He…

Isaiah 50:4-9; Mark 8:27-35 We can imagine the scene we have just heard described.  Jesus and a few others walking along the road, maybe on a day like this, heading…

“ Here comes your God . . . who comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared.” In…

Three phrases stand out in today’s readings: From the Old Testament: “For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the Lord our God is…

Today’s Gospel reminds me of a story I heard some years ago. During WW II when jobs were scarce, a telegraph operator job came open and many people showed up…