Fire and water are usually considered contraries, with water extinguishing fire, and fire burning away moisture. It is thus interesting that these apparent opposites are both used as images of the Holy Spirit. In the Book of Acts, we encounter the Spirit as fire—with tongues of flame coming to rest on the disciples gathered in […]

According to Saint John’s account of the resurrection, Mary Magdalene initially interpreted the empty tomb as the result of someone having taken the body; however, in Saint Mark’s account she is simply amazed. Now although amazement doesn’t necessarily indicate incredulity, there is an element of not quite believing one’s eyes. Amazement is thus linked to […]

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I can’t tell from this Gospel who these Greeks are or why they want to meet Jesus. Since they are in Jerusalem for the Passover, do they have some notion of the Messiah, or the Judean subjection to a Roman governor? Are they expecting Jesus to be a Jewish leader, political or spiritual? I can’t […]

Friday of the 3rd Week of Lent: HOS 14:2-10; MK 12:28-24 This dialogue in Mark’s Gospel occurs in the last week of Jesus’ life after many contentious encounters with scribes and others. But Jesus allows this scribe to respond honestly; he listens to the person, does not presume opposition. To which of his disciples did […]

Second Sunday of Lent, Year B: Genesis 22:1-2, 9a,10-13, 15-18; Romans 8:31b-34; Mark 9:2-20 Although this Gospel describes a very extraordinary spiritual experience, like all spiritual breakthroughs, it needs to be carefully considered, reconsidered and digested over time. Look at Peter’s knee-jerk reaction: he would box Jesus, Moses and Elijah into individual tents to capture […]

Thursday after Ash Wednesday: DEUT 30:15-20; LK 9:22-25 Both readings bring us to that precarious boundary between life and death, presence and absence. A quote from Metropolitan Anthony Bloom: The day when God is absent, when he is silent—that is the beginning of prayer…when we say to God, ‘I can’t live without you, why are […]

Sixth Sunday, Year B, 11 FEB, 2024: Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46; 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1; Mark 1:40-45 There’s a real conflict between Jesus’ desire to heal the leper and that man’s disobedience in spreading the news of Jesus’ “power.” In Jesus, God’s merciful, compassionate drive to heal and restore humanity is at work. It is a creative […]

Saints Robert, Alberic and Stephen, 26 JAN, 2024: Genesis 12:1-4; Acts 4:32-35; Mark 10:17-30 I’ve been tempted to identify our struggles to survive with those of our Founders when they began life at Citeaux. But they faced depravations and insecurities, unsupported by any over-arching administration, which our present organization would, rightly, not allow. Our Order […]

Although there are obviously exceptions—and perhaps even a significant number of exceptions—Catholics are not usually known for preaching on street corners, or actively recruiting new members for the church. Indeed, so much so that Pope Francis has felt the need to exhort priests and bishops to go out in active evangelizing ministry and not simply […]