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Viewing entries tagged with 'jesus'
Empowered for mission
Posted by Br Kieran Fenn on 18 May 2012 | 0 CommentsEmpowered by the Spirit to continue Jesus' mission
May 20th The Ascension. The Great Commission. The Ascension is the ending of Jesus’ earthly existence and the moment for his return to his Abba/Father. The great commission of these verses consists in the statement about Jesus’ authority, the command to make disciples, and the promise of Christ’s abiding presence until the fullness of God’s kingdom comes. Thus it summarizes the three major themes of Matthew’s Gospel: Supreme and universal authority has been given to Jesus by his heavenly Father. Therefore he far surpasses every other human being and deserves all the exalted titles given to him. The disciples are to share their discipleship with all people (not simply their fellow Jews) and to hand on Jesus’ teaching to them.
The Sunday gospels
Posted by Br Kieran Fenn on 11 May 2012 | 0 CommentsOops! A little delay. Here are last Sunday's Vine and Branches and this Sunday's challenge to be disciples of Jesus
Forgive and be forgiven - the path to health: This Sunday's gospel
Posted by Br Kieran Fenn on 16 February 2012 | 0 Comments7th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mark 2:1-12. This passage is a healing miracle wrapped around a controversy story concerning Jesus’ (and the church’s) authority to forgive sin.
Forgiveness of sin paves the way for recovery of health. The reaction of the scribes is the very human one of seeing that on human lips a declaration of forgiveness is blasphemous, while to command a paralysed man to get up and walk is ridiculous, since it lies beyond human capacity to make each command effective. For Jesus who calls on the power of his Abba, both are possible.
Outcasts no longer are now included - Sunday's gospel
Posted by Br Kieran Fenn on 10 February 2012 | 0 Comments6th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mark 1:40-45: Again we see Jesus confronting the ‘uncleanness’ associated with demonic control of human life.
This ‘leprosy’ (any skin infection rather than our understanding of Hansen’s disease) was the one illness regarded as punishment from God with extreme social and religious exclusion as prescribed. Yet this leper approaches Jesus in defiance of all the barriers placed against his action. The power to heal leprosy belongs to God alone, and the only issue is whether Jesus ‘wants to’. Again we see the flow of healing is from Jesus to the unfortunate leper, and not infection flowing in the opposite direction.