The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for the home 

November 11, 2018 – 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 10:38-44

Today, Jesus offers us a lesson in economics and “the cost of living.” It contains a powerful and important message. Let’s “follow the money,” as is sometimes said today.

We’ll begin here with a thought about how we calculate the cost or value of anything. According to today’s gospel about “the poor widow,” there are two ways to think about money.

The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for the home 

November 4, 2018 – 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 12:8-34

Our parish recently sponsored a newcomers’ night that featured great food, warm hospitality and a Catholic Trivia Quiz. Name four of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Who was the first bishop of the United States? And what was the first parish in the world to be named after St. John Paul II? (The answer to that last question was none other than ours!) While Trivial Pursuit does not have the popularity it once enjoyed, most enjoy being tested about statistics and who won this or that.

Today’s gospel pits the scribes against Jesus in a contest of sorts. They asked Jesus to name the first of God’s commandments. Jesus not only answered it correctly but added to his response the naming of the second commandment. Jesus knew his religion!

 When Mark composed his gospel, he was clearly intent on including the major events of the life of Jesus that were valued in the early church. The account of his mentioning the two great commandments was included. It was a central part of the message and life of Jesus.

 Sometimes people claim that contemporary Catholicism is “watered down” with all this talk about love. Too sentimental, they say. Wishy-washy. All this love talk can make the demands of Jesus seem easy, even trivial, they claim. Of course, some aspects of contemporary culture do paint a rather syrupy and emotional description of love. Love can mean just a good feeling.  

 But what does the gospel say about love? For starters, there is the passage that says that love means that you give up your life for another. Or when Jesus is asked about love of neighbor, he tells the story of the Good Samaritan. And don’t forget Jesus saying that the Good Shepherd is described as giving his life for his sheep. Is that wishy-washy?

 When Jesus mentions the importance of love in the two great commandments, he is expressing the most challenging demands of the gospel. They summarize his whole life. Genuine love of God and neighbor is difficult. As the first commandment notes, loving God calls for the response of our whole heart, soul, mind and body. Truly loving our neighbour, especially those we live with and meet every day, requiresour loving efforts (not just feelings) day after day. Placing the commandments of love central to our religious faith does not make life easier. It’s the hardest thing we will ever do.    

David M. Thomas, Ph.D.

The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for the home 

October 28, 2018 – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 10:46-52

Sometimes students find it hard to ask a question. They don’t want to bother the esteemed teacher. Sometimes children have difficulty in asking for things from parents. Sometimes people remain silent although they really need a helping hand from a friend. Sometimes men don’t ask for directions because they don’t want to appear inept. We seem to assume that asking for help is a sign of weakness. Grow up and be independent, we are taught. Don’t be a beggar. Don’t be dependent on others.

If we are among those who don’t ask questions, seek advice, or ask for help when needed, we will not understand today’s gospel story. It’s about a blind beggar who persisted in asking Jesus for help, even against the warnings of others.

Clearly, the man was desperate. He once had vision, but lost it. How terribly hard it must have been. Most likely he was unable to work. So he did what others in his situation did. He begged. Learning that Jesus was close by, he cried out, “Jesus, have pity on me.”

The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for the home 

October 21, 2018 – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 10:35-45

How many times did Jesus have to remind his closest followers about what was most important for him – and them? In today’s gospel we have a typical example of their misunderstanding. Of all things, they seemed really concerned about their upward mobility in the Kingdom of God. Pope Francis has had to deal with a similar misunderstanding when he reminded bishops about the dangers of what he called “careerism.”

In today’s gospel we meet the sons of thunder, James and John, asking that Jesus reserve for them a very high place in God’s Kingdom. Jesus was willing to do that for them provided they could do what was required for such places. When he told them what this was, they were both surprised and bothered.

The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for the home 

October 14, 2018 – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 10:17-30

It seems like commercials involving financial advice or investment are on TV all day long. Of course, money is important as is wise use of it. In fact, today’s gospel might be thought of as a lesson in fiscal wisdom. Jesus himself offers us today a lesson in divine economics. The title of his presentation might be this: How can we invest wisely so as to insure our future happiness? Most of us know this gospel. Maybe that’s because money matters seem to stick with us. Money talks, we say.

Recall the highlights of the story. A good man of some means came to Jesus wanting to know what he might do to be a better person. He wanted to be more involved in the Kingdom of God that Jesus was initiating. Let’s say that he wanted to get in “on the ground floor.” He already knew about the ways of the world. He also wanted to know about God’s ways.

The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for the home 

October 7, 2018 – 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 10:2-16

Need water? Go to Mars! That was one of the latest scientific findings coming our way. We live during a time of wondrous scientific discoveries about our universe. Our beloved universe. Our treasured world. Does that sound familiar? It should. These are words coming from Pope Francis who now enjoys more popularity in our country than any of our political leaders. Perhaps more than all of them put together!

Scientists tell us that the physical forces of the universe are quite complex yet perfectly attuned to create life in us and in all the wonderful beasts of the jungle, the ocean depths and in our own backyard. God, we have come to know, is an incredible architect. God’s plan for Creation is magnificent. It contains a long history we are gradually learning about. And each new lesson can lead us to deeper appreciation for the One who created it.

The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for the home 

September 30, 2018 – 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 9:38-43 ,45, 47-48

When Jesus wanted to make a point that is quite basic, he often talked about water. Water is necessary for life. Most of our body is water. Most of what we eat and drink is water. We can go for days without food, but we can hardly survive for a day or two without water. Humans over the years have lived near sources of clean water because without water, they would not survive. When Jesus wanted to describe God’s gift of eternal life, he spoke of “living waters” which are given to us by God’s Spirit. When Jesus died on the cross, the gospels note that blood and water flowed from him. Scripture scholars suggest that this relates to the sacraments of the Eucharist and Baptism. So, whenever water is mentioned in the gospels, it’s important to pay attention. Important matters are being presented to us.

Parents all have heard a child’s call for a drink of water during the night. While an initial response might be a call to the child to “get it yourself,” good parents know that this request for water is not just for a drink, but for the reassurance that comes from the parent’s immediate presence during the dark of night. They want water, but even more they want mom or dad. They want their water served with love.

The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for the home 

September 23, 2018 – 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 9:30-37

I grew up in a family with three siblings. So, four of us in all. While the term “sibling rivalry” had not yet been invented, there was nevertheless a continuous battle going on between myself and my three sisters. We each wanted to be “first,” especially where there was limited bounty to be shared. And my mom was brilliant in defusing our battle to be first by insisting on equality whenever possible.

Let me describe one of her most effective methods to achieve this. As kids, we all loved chocolate pudding. My mom would make it the old-fashioned way on the stove. Then, we took turns in pouring the steaming pudding into four bowls. Now here’s where her exceptional wisdom showed through. The one whose turn it was to divide the pudding into the four bowls was also the one who got to “choose” his or her bowl last! Meticulous measurement ensued, down to the last spec of pudding. This resulted in a situation where to be last was no better than being first. Like I said, maternal brilliance.

The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for the home 

September 16, 2018 – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 8:27-35

Do you always get exactly what you want? If you are married, did your spouse end up being exactly the one you had hoped for? What about your children? All parents have hopes and dreams for their kids. Did yours turn out in accord with those hopes and dreams? Look at your life as a whole. Most have some ideal life they hope for when young. Did yours end up realizing everything you had hoped to accomplish? If all your hopes and dreams were realized in full, you may be from another planet. I’ve never met anyone here whose high expectations were fully realized. As a saying goes, happiness is found not in getting what you hope for, but being satisfied with what you receive.

Today’s gospel describes a time when Jesus gave a lesson to his closest disciples in reshaping their hopes and expectations about God’s messiah. He wanted to make sure that when they looked for God’s anointed one (that’s the meaning of the word, Christ), they would not miss him because they were looking for someone else.

The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for the home 

September 9, 2018 – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 7:31-37

My grandson looked right at me and said, “Grandpa, you’re not listening to me. I don’t want oatmeal. I want corn flakes. Aren’t you listening?”

He was only five, but he already knew how to capture my attention. Accusation of not listening will do that. Ignoring a child’s request can be a major flaw of adults in the mind of young children. They were not yet old enough to know that their elders have at times similar thoughts. Honest listening is not easy for anyone, but it is very necessary for healthy and holy living. Even at breakfast.

All human communities, the Church included, struggle with good listening. Sometimes, there is just too much noise, too many distractions, that get in the way of listening. Sometimes we may not want to hear what’s being said. We can have what’s called “selective hearing.”