Gospel

In the first reading for today’s Mass, God reminds us through the words of Moses that “the Lord set his heart on you and chose you.” We matter to God, just because of who we are. He has “set his heart” on me. He has chosen me. This is true.Read More →

Bethsaida (“House of Fisherman” in Aramaic) is one of the most important sites in the New Testament. According to John 1:44, 12:20, Bethsaida was the birthplace of three of Jesus’s apostles (Peter, Andrew, and Philip). Mark describes how Jesus healed a blind man within reach of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26), andRead More →

The first “don’t fear” addresses the fact that things aren’t always as they appear, but truth will be uncovered or revealed. This is one of Jesus’ most highly attested sayings, appearing in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and twice in non-biblical “The Gospel of Thomas:” “…nothing is hidden that won’t be revealed”Read More →

Just as the apostles were ordinary men hand picked by Jesus whom he gave authority over unclean spirits, we can experience the same presence of our Lord Jesus in our community if we open ourselves through service to others. May the Holy Spirit move each one of us to goRead More →

This extract comes from one of the best-known chapters of St John’s Gospel, which begins with his account of the “Miracle of the Loaves and Fish”. After the crowd had been fed Jesus had sent them, and his disciples, on their way while he retreated into the hills for aRead More →

The mystery of the Trinity is just that: a mystery. It is not a mystery in the Miss Marple sense, that is, something to figure out. But instead it is a truth that is beyond us. Luckily, we have Scripture to lead us on, and the traditions and writings ofRead More →

St. John locates the giving of the Holy Spirit in Christ’s death, followed by his breathing this same Spirit on the Apostles on Easter Day. On Golgotha, according to St. John, Jesus cried out: I thirst! (19:28). In accordance with John’s habitual style, this bears a double meaning. Jesus sufferedRead More →

Now, Jesus himself addressed the Father, revealing to him his deepest desires and thereby, more consciously, focussing his inner strengths and motivating himself to face his pending death with unflinching determination. In the process, Jesus’ prayer would make clear to the readers the fire burning in his heart and sustainingRead More →

Jesus goes on to promise the Holy Spirit, described as another advocate who will help and be with believers forever. This Spirit of truth, as mentioned in Acts 1:8, empowers and sustains believers in their faith journey, guiding and comforting them along the way. The distinction between believers and the worldRead More →

Another critical aspect of this passage is the declaration of Jesus as “the way, the truth, and the life.” This statement is striking and multifaceted. Jesus describes Himself as the only route leading to God, emphasizing the importance of seeking a relationship with Him. He embodies truth in a worldRead More →