Posts (Page 3)

“Father” is the most starkly simple introduction of a prayer in the entire tradition of Israel. It may be a child’s word, Abba, Daddy. It is a word of family intimacy. All of this prayer is thoroughly Jewish. I recommend that you look up Joseph Fitzmyer’s commentary 900-901, where heRead More →

I’d like to offer a fresh take on this famous little story. One of the principal marks of Jesus’ teaching and ministry is the overturning of social conventions. And one of the most striking and surprising of Jesus’ moves was a radical inclusion of women. While this typically women’s work wasRead More →

The Samaritan also does something else that seems unthinkable today: he takes responsibility for his actions. In a world where charity has come within reach by “clicks,” the Samaritan does not delegate the care of the other, but dismounts his horse and takes charge of the afflicted man. Here weRead More →

Today Jesus sends us forth to preach the Good News.  We may preach the Good News by our word, our example, and our love.  We may preach the Good News by noticing and attending to an individual we encounter.  Often it is the little acts of kindness that have theRead More →

Joseph Ratzinger, commenting on this passage, observes that our canonical Greek text must derive from an Aramaic original. There is a direct citation of Aramaic in the name “Simon Bar-Jonah”. There are also typical Aramaic phrases: “gates of the underworld”, “keys of the Kingdom”, “bind and loose”, “on earth andRead More →