12th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Year B, Gospel (Mark 4: 35-41)

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was

The Fifth Last Word: “I thirst” (John 19: 28-29)

28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. Thirst is one of the most basic of human needs

6th Sunday, Year B, Gospel Commentary (Mark 1:40-45)

40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” 41 Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. 43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 “See that you don’t tell

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, Mark 1:21-28

21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, 24 “What

The Humble Christ (Philippians 2:8)

8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Some people have misunderstood this passage as meaning that Jesus did not really become human but only appeared human. However, Paul clearly sees Jesus as both human and divine. According to Marcus Maxwell, the point

The Servant God (Philippians 2:7)

7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. As Thurston and Ryan point out, in the previous verse we learned what Christ did not do but, in this verse and the next, we’re told what he did do. The divine Son of God, instead of being

Feast of St. Nicholas, 6 December (Matthew 15:29-37)

29 Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. 30 Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. 31 The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking,

21st Sunday, Year A, Gospel Commentary (Matthew 16:13-20)

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the

19th Sunday, Year A, Gospel Commentary (Matthew 14:22-33)

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by

Second Sunday of Lent, Year A, Gospel Commentary (Matthew 17:1-9)

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter