Mark 10: 28-31 The first will be last, and the last will be first

In today's Gospel follows the story of the young man who has been faithful to the law of Moses, and yet Jesus calls him to give up everything of this world and follow him.  Today Peter says that he and the other apostles have done just that: followed the Law and given up everything to follow Jesus.  It is almost as if, he is asking "Where is my reward?" 

Jesus reassures Peter and us that he has done right, and that everything will be given back to him in the life to come, but that he should be prepared for persecutions and tribulations in this life before he can reach the next.  Within Jesus' words is an echo from Job when trials and persecutions afflict Job, then he family is lost, and finally he is afflicted in body, yet Job remains faithful and is rewarded abundantly with great riches, wife and more children, and life.  Is Jesus perhaps trying to make this correlation for Peter?  That suffering in this world and becoming detached to temporal things will lead us to ever greater joy and the richness of the life to come?  Perhaps. 

St. Augustine wrote about the two Cities, the temporal city and the City of God existing with each other, how we can belong to both: living in this world yet simultaneously living in God's kingdom.  Our priests and other religious are called to live that way, and thus are our living example.  We find our greatest saints, both lay or religious are that same way, so we know it is possible.  How can we strive to find that balance in our lives starting fresh today?

Mark 16:15-20 Feast of St. Mark

As Author of the 2^nd Gospel, he sas sometimes called John, or John Mark.  His mother, Mary, owned a house in Jerusalem.  Some scholars believe that was the place where the dinner of Holy Thursday took place, when Christ initiated the Blessed Sacrament and the Holy Spirit descended upon them.  It was this house where Mark lived that was described in Acts of the Apostles that the Christians assembled during the persecutions of Herod Agrippa.  It was to his house that Peter came when he was miraculously released from prison.

It is believed that Peter himself baptized Mark, whom he referred to as his spiritual son.  Mark was Paul’s companion when Paul went to Antioch and Perga on Paul’s first missionary voyage. It is believed that Mark was the cousin of Barnabas, with whom he travelled to Cypress to preach while Paul and Silas went on Paul’s 2^nd missionary journey.  When Paul was imprisoned in Rome, it was Mark, Paul writes in the letter to the Colossians, who was his companion and comfort.  In letters from Peter, he tacked into them a hello from Mark to the Jewish Christians in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.  Mark was that well known throughout the area.

In Christian literature and art, St. Mark is often depicted as a lion, or esp. a winged lion, also the symbol of the city of Venice.  In his Gospels, Mark aimed to show the divinity of Christ in a way similar to how Peter argued.  Today we read from the Gospel of Mark.  We hear the gloriousness of Christ:

"In my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

"The Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,
was taken up into heaven
and took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

Mark encourages us to faith as strong and powerful as a lion.  Truly he tells us, Jesus is the Christ, God made manifest. Praise be to God, Alleluia!

John 6:60-69 Looking into the heart of the betrayer

As an instructor it is easy to discern which students understand, which struggle, and which are tuned out.  Motivations can also easily be ascertained.  In today's readings Jesus looks at his disciples.  He knows which of them are faithful and which will betray him.  That had to be so difficult to persevere just for the sake of those who were faithful, simply because it was the right thing to do.

Sometimes we forget about Jesus' humanity and think of him as this great redeemer who came down from heaven.  He was fully human like the rest of us and divine.  In his humanity he felt sadness, despair, loneliness and so on.  How hard it must have been to face Judas knowing what would happen, always hoping that maybe he would change deep within his heart as was in his free will. 

Christ came to be in the world to save the world.  As Peter reminds us, Christ Jesus had the words of eternal life.  Are we open to the Father calling us closer to him in the salvation mystery?  Will we follow Christ?

Matthew 16: 13-19 The Confession of St. Peter

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter also known as 'cathedra petri'. This has been celebrated since early times as a special commemoration of the primatal authority of St. Peter.

Jesus called Simon Peter to be a fisher of men.  Peter came.  Then later when Jesus asks who people say that he is, Simon Peter reflects upon Jesus' life, his teachings and puts them into context with what he knows of his faith in the sacred scriptures of the prophets and the Law, and he realizes who Jesus is.  He is inspired by the Spirit.  Simon Peter confesses that Jesus is the Messiah.  God had revealed this to him.  As specially anointed to preach this, Jesus tells him that he is Peter.  He is the rock on which he would build his church.  This is the primal authority of St. Peter. 

As outspoken and at times having little faith, embodying all the faults of someone truly human, Peter is chosen of them all to lead the others in the Way.  God is with him as he tries to grasp what is being revealed to him, and also drives Peter to want to be even more intimately close to him.  It is a great trust and responsibility placed upon Peter's shoulders, but will become even greater as the Passion and Crucifixion grow close.  In our Lenten journey we look toward Peter's successor, Pope Francis, for our cues to that which will bring us closer to our Lord.     

Luke 9:28b-36 The Transfiguration

Luke gives us the impression of the Lord glorified so much so that the Apostles are awed.  Remember that Luke was a doctor writing to Gentile readers about Christ and how to be good disciples.  He is also interested in examining things.  This reading as Jesus and some of the Apostles are on the mountain praying it is hard not to think about the other garden that Jesus would so famously pray in at Gethsemane.  In this is the Transfiguration, a pledge of Jesus Christ’s full glory revealed. In the other garden, he would be taken to suffer through the Passion that led to the Cross. 

           

Jesus is not alone as he prays.  Moses and Elijah are with him.  They were conversing about Jesus’ death and everything that would happen in Jerusalem.  One of our early Church Fathers, Tertullian, wrote that Moses and Elijah represented the Law and the Prophets.  They appear dwelling within the Lord High God.  Peter recognizes them and wants almost to capture them knowing that truly this must mean that Jesus is the Messiah.  Peter in the passage before today’s reading as confessed that Jesus is the Messiah, but like then, he is commanded by God the Father to be silent and to listen to what the Word, that is Jesus the Christ, His only Son, has to say.  Christ is the fulfillment of the Law and as prophet, speaks for God.  At the same time Jesus came to make a new covenant with his people through his love, mercy and grace upon the Cross for the salvation of mankind. 

Luke 5: 1-11 Fishers of Men

For today's readings http://usccb.org/bible/readings/020716.cfm

My apologies dear friends for my tardy blog.  I ask prayers for a dear friend who died this morning.  Her name is Grace.  Most of my day was spent making telephone calls to those I was to contact when she died.

In today's Gospel we read about how Simon Peter and the others were called to be fishers of men.  As experienced fishermen they knew their business.  Yet Jesus was calling them to something more.  In my youth I read Siddhartha by Herman Hess.  I cannot forget his use of the water to illustrate spiritual growth.  Being in the deep, that wide unknown, alone with God, what a difficult thing to describe.  This is where Apostles were led by Jesus, our Lord calling to them.  How much spiritual wisdom and teaching is imparted to them, and yet we hear it in simplified terms as they will be fishers of men, and will catch more than their nets will hold.  We are likewise taught by our teachers, in a great line extending to these Apostles to also be fishers of men.  My the children being taught yesterday this could come in many ways: being there for others, celebrating birthdays, blessings family and friends, encouraging each other especially in faith.  Basically we do this through living a Christian life.

(Photo from private collection.  All rights reserved)

Matthew 4:18-22

Feast of St Andrew, the Apostle

In this Gospel reading we hear the calling forth of Andrew and his brother Simon, called Peter, by Jesus.  They were fishermen along the Sea of Galilee. Jesus promises that they will be "fishers of men." After they are called, Jesus calls James and John.

We are each called to follow Jesus too in the ways that lead to the Heavenly Kingdom.  Jesus is our Good Shepherd and we are his flock.  By living in his Way, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we are to be known as Christians by our love. 

We are called not once, but repeatedly to follow in the ways of Christ.  Each time we say 'yes' that is a conversion where not only are our thoughts refocused on the Lord, but also our actions and words.  Every time we go through a conversion experience, we come that much closer to the Lord.  As we continue through Advent, let us take listen closer to the Lord's call, so that our hearts my be turned much more towards that Enduring Light.