Category: Uncategorized

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Gospel: Mark 1: 14-20

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Falling in love turns your world upside down.

All of a sudden, someone else holds tremendous influence – even power – over you. Everything about that person is enchanting. The way they walk, the way they talk, why they like one thing but not another. 

There’s an innocence to it all. 

Consider the path to marriage. There’s the first date, a period of engagement, and then the wedding day.

Even that is just the beginning. There are years, if not decades, of commitment ahead.

Love grows in stages. 

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The same is true in the path of discipleship. 

We don’t commit our lives to God overnight; it takes time and effort. 

Often, a lifetime of effort.

Consider the life of Saint Peter.

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In the Gospel, Peter drops his nets and follows Jesus. Surely this wasn’t Peter’s first encounter with the Lord. He probably knew of Jesus, or at least heard his name spoken in town as people marveled at the beauty of his teachings. 

Jesus’ popularity must’ve captivated Peter. So, on this day, when Jesus passed by, he was ready to follow him.

Maybe some of us have had that type of experience – a “conversion moment,” when we knew God was calling us into something new. So, we dropped our nets and followed him.

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If only it were that easy.

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Anyone who’s followed the Lord knows that faith is a journey – and it’s anything but a flat road or a downhill trot. There are highs and lows; twists and turns; moments of failure and moments of redemption.

For now, Peter believes bright days are ahead. Jesus, this emerging celebrity with power unlike any man in history, knows his name and personally invites Peter to follow him.

But Peter’s idealism – and his budding faith – will soon be shaken to its core.

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Shortly after dropping his nets, Peter finds himself in the middle of a storm, crying out to Jesus , “Master, do you not care that we’re drowning!” as he sinks into the Sea of Galilee.

Maybe that’s where some of us are at on our journey of faith. We’ve dropped our nets, but feel like we’re sinking, sinking, sinking.

“Master, do you not care that we’re drowning?”

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Later, Peter gets it right. He recognizes that Jesus is divine, and cries out, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” 

His doubt gives way to faith.

Then Jesus blesses him, calling him the “rock” upon whom he’ll build his Church.

Maybe some of us have reached that place in our journey. We’ve passed through stormy waters of doubt and have come to believe in Jesus as the Christ. 

Like Peter, we’ll do anything to follow him.

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But this same Peter who cried out, “You are the Christ!”, soon denies ever knowing Jesus.

On the last night of his life on earth, Jesus is betrayed by a friend and arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. Peter, curious to know what will happen, follows Jesus at a distance.

As Jesus is being led into the high priest’s court, Peter remains outside at the gates, warming his hands by a fire.

Maybe that’s some of us. We’re following Jesus comfortably at a distance. We’re interested, but not all in.

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Peter’s path of faith would seem like the stories of four different men. 

The same Peter who drops his nets to follow Jesus later sinks into the Sea of Galilee.

Then he repents, proclaiming Jesus is Lord, then Peter denies Jesus again, afraid that being associated with Jesus will cost him his life.

Eventually, it does.

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Peter dies like his Master, nailed to a cross.

But feeling unworthy of leaving this world like his Lord, Peter asks his executioners one thing: to turn him upside down. 

There, in the heart of Rome – in the center of worldly power – Peter sees the world like a man in love – upside down, right side up. Those hands once warmed by a fire are now spread open in surrender.

Finally, he trusts that Jesus will never let him sink. He is fully aware that as soon as he leaves this life, the Lord will welcome him joyfully into the next.

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Such depth of faith took a lifetime to develop. The key for Peter was never giving up. 

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So, what about me? Where am I on my journey of faith?

Like Peter, am I ready to drop my nets? Or, am I sinking into the Sea of Galilee? Am I warming my hands by a fire? Or, have I totally surrendered myself to the Lord?

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Wherever we are, take heart. God knows faith is a life-long journey. 

All that matters is one question, the final question Jesus asks Peter after the resurrection:

“Peter, do you love me?”

It’s the same question the Lord asks us: “Do you love me, even today?”

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Gospel: Mark 3: 7-12

Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples.
A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea.
Hearing what he was doing, 
a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, 
from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, 
and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon.
He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, 
so that they would not crush him.
He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases
were pressing upon him to touch him.
And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him 
and shout, “You are the Son of God.”
He warned them sternly not to make him known.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Try to imagine the crowds following Jesus. There were the sick, the hungry, the poor, the deaf, the blind, and scariest of all, the possessed.

It seems Jesus is casting out demons everywhere he goes. And when they see him, the demons cry out, “You are the Son of God!”

“Quiet!” he commands them. 

Why does Jesus insist upon not making his divine presence known?

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In the ancient world, the term, “son of God” was a relatively common term. Emperors and kings often used the title to describe their power and closeness to the gods. 

When the demons call Jesus the “Son of God,” the crowds could easily mistake their words to mean that Jesus is an earthly king looking to expand his reign, making him a direct threat to Rome.

If this idea takes root, then Jesus can be arrested, even executed on the spot. Meaning, from the beginning of his ministry, demons are trying to stop the spread of his reign. 

This is why Jesus needs to conceal his identity; he needs time to teach the crowds what kind of king he really is. There never has been – nor ever will be – another one like him. 

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Jesus is a king of peace; born in a manger, not a palace; who leads by serving; who forgives sinners; who washes his disciples’ feet; who lays down his life only to take it up again. 

Anyone who wants to be part of that kingdom must follow his example. As Saint Paul says, “the kingdom of God is a matter of justice, peace, and the joy that is given by the Holy Spirit. Whoever serves Christ in this way pleases God.”

We can please God in the simplest of ways: praying for others, reaching out to the lonely, sharing our resources, and maintaining a positive attitude throughout these challenging times. 

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So how will I spread the kingdom of God today? 

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Gospel: Mark 3:1-6

Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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I’m sure we’ve all met someone who’s said, “I’m spiritual, but not religious.”

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It’s become quite the popular approach to faith. “Away with all of the rules and boundaries of religion,” they say. “Do good and good will come to you.”

Much like karma. You get what you give.

But such an approach ignores the truth of divine justice. God becomes more like a hippie than a judge. 

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In the Gospel, we find the opposite approach.

The scribes and the Pharisees are religious, but not spiritual.

They treat religion in a very rigid sense – God gives us rules to be followed. If you follow them, then you can earn your salvation. You cannot work on the Sabbath, for example, even if you perform an act of mercy like Jesus did. 

To them, God is strictly a judge. You get what you deserve.

Such an approach leaves no room for mercy.

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Catholics take the middle of the road; we’re both spiritual and religious.

God is merciful, but he’s also our judge.

The one criterion by which we’ll be judged, Jesus says, is love. This is why the final question Jesus asks Peter after his resurrection is:

“Peter, do you love me?”

It’s the same question the Lord asks us today. “Do you love me?” And by extension, “Do you love your neighbor?”

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May all of our words and actions today answer that question with a resounding, YES!

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