What were James and John thinking?

They had already heard Jesus’s chastisement of the 12 who were arguing about who was the greatest. Jesus said then if one wishes to be first, he shall be last of all and the servant of all. Now they are asking for places of honor when Jesus comes into his glory. This, after he had already predicted his passion three times!

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time B18

Scholars often say the passage we read from Mark’s Gospel today represents a turning point in Mark’s narrative. Up to this point the disciples have heard Jesus preach and teach, witnessed his healing and other miracles, and gotten excited thinking he’s someone special and we have been chosen by him.

Now he asks them a question: Who do people say that I am? After giving him the answers which include John the Baptist come from the dead, Ezekiel who was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot and would come back to announce the coming of the Messiah, and any one of the prophets, he then asks: But you, who do you say that I am? A pivotal question that requires them to pierce through the opinion of others and declare what they have learned up to now.

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, B18

The author of The Letter of James has as one main themes is “faith without works is dead”. He sets before his readers an example: “For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Sit here, please,’ while you say to the poor one, ‘Stand there,’ or ‘Sit at my feet,’ have you not made distinctions among yourselves …?”¹ Whom would you like to associate? With someone who is dressed in the latest fashion, has clean hands and combed hair; or, someone like Pigpen from the Peanuts (Charlie Brown) comic strip who radiates a very earthy look and accompanying aroma?

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time B18 

Elijah had just shown God’s power over the prophets of Baal. And then he killed them, all 450! This didn’t sit well with Jezebel, the Queen of Israel, since she worshipped Baal. So she threatened to do the same to Elijah, i.e., kill him. Elijah had had it with this prophesying stuff. He was doing all the right things for God and felt that God was hanging him out to dry. He ran away to the desert and prayed for death. God heard his prayer and answered differently. Instead God offered him nourishment, called him to walk further to Horeb, a.k.a. Mount Sinai, where God would appear to him; and, after choosing Elisha to be his successor taking him up to heaven in a fiery chariot. “According to the story, the one thing God did not do for Elijah was allow him to die.”

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, B18

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks who went for a walk in the forest. Pretty soon she came upon a house. She knocked and, when no one answered she walked right in. At the table there were three bowls of porridge. Goldilocks was hungry. She tasted the porridge from the 1st bowl and exclaimed “This porridge is too hot!” She next tasted the porridge from the 2nd bowl and said “This is too cold.” She finally tasted the porridge from the 3rd bowl and happily said “This is just right.” After eating she felt tired. So she walked into the living room where she saw 3 chairs. She sat in the 1st and exclaimed “This chair is too big.” She went to the 2nd, sat down and said “This is too big too.” Finally she sat in the smallest chair and sighed “This is just right.” But as soon as sat down, it broke!!! She was feeling very tired by this time, so she went upstairs to the bedroom. She lay down in this 1st bed but it was too hard. She tried the 2nd and it was too soft. Then she lay down in the 3rd bed and it was just right. If you want to read the end of the story, go to the library.