After the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus has gone into the hills alone to pray, while his disciples begin to cross over the Sea of Galilee ahead of him. Jesus has walked across the sea to join his disciples, who cannot comprehend what is happening and who Jesus truly is [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | The Martyrdom Of John the Baptist | Herod The Tetrarch | Herodias | Sin And Evil In The Bible | A Roman Client King
Herod the tetrarch, Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, was a client ‘king’ of the Romans. He is highly alert to the in/stability of his region and to his own position within the Roman authority. We may imagine that the fear of a popular leader amassing a following and potentially threatening authority contributed to the arrest of John the Baptist, this in addition to the reason we are given in the Gospel, which is that John had told Herod how immoral he was being in marrying his brother’s wife Herodias [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | Exorcism | The Man Possessed By Devils And The Herd Of Swine | In The Country Of The Gadarenes | Neighbours In Jesus Christ
Our Lord Jesus’ visit to this particular part of the coast of the Sea of Galilee is brief. In today’s reading, Jesus alights in an area which is largely non-Jewish, as is evident in the huge herd of pigs that is here. It seems quite alien territory. We are reminded of just how very different communities existed in relatively close proximity around Galilee (also known as: The Sea of Tiberias; Lake Gennesaret), and we might think of how between those different communities there would be distrust, dislike, silence, even outright hatred. It is very beautiful to see Jesus passing between communities, and especially outside of his own Jewish community. There is a lesson for all time here against sectarianism. We are reminded that Jesus’ message is offered to all, perhaps especially when we find ourselves in strange lands [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | The Scribes Accuse Jesus | Sin Against The Holy Spirit | Devils, Sin And Blasphemy | Sins Forgiven
As Jesus’ popularity grows, so too do those opposing voices ranged against him. Jesus has worked saving miracles, and now the scribes come from Jerusalem declare that this has not been holy work but rather diabolical. This sounds to modern day listeners to be absurd, although we might wonder at Jesus’ manner as he exorcised demons, and bear in mind that his friends and family thought he had lost his wits and was beside himself. Certainly, the intention of the scribes is to find fault and seize on anything they can to try to vilify Jesus. They are looking to reject the good news and are happy to pervert the truth if they feel by doing so they may harm Jesus [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | Jesus’ Friends’ And Relatives’ Concern For Jesus | Christ’s Urgent Mission To Convert | The Word On Fire
There are times elsewhere in the Gospels when Jesus’ enemies accuse him of being possessed by a devil. In today’s very short Gospel reading, we listen to how Jesus’ friends are worried for him, to the point where they wish to save him from himself, thinking that he has gone out of his mind – that he is mad [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | Jesus Chooses Twelve Apostles | Evangelical Life With Jesus | Ordination And Conversion | Living God
Jesus chooses his core group of disciples, the Apostles, who will live and travel with him and to whom Jesus will impart his deepest and most extensive teachings. While Jesus speaks mysteriously, in parables, to the majority of his listeners, the Apostles will be privy to the hidden meanings of his words, the parables explained, albeit they will often fail to understand or be able to accept what Jesus tells them [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | Jesus Heals In Galilee | Jesus Of Nazareth | Son Of God | Miracles Of Christ | True God From True God
Mark’s Gospel tells us that, astonishingly quickly, Jesus has become the focus of a vast popular movement. He is preaching in Galilee, and his listeners have come all the way from Judea, from Jerusalem, and from Jordan, Tyre and Sidon. It is an international crowd, and these really are great distances. Jerusalem is over 100 kilometres from Lake Galilee, at its nearest point and as the crow flies. That’s a good few days on foot, and no package tour pilgrimage [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | Jesus Heals A Man With A Withered Hand | Faith Healing | Prayer And Miracles | The Sabbath
By now, and at such an early stage in Jesus’ ministry, the Jewish religious establishment is coming to fear and to hate Jesus. The Pharisees watch him, like malign, predatory spirits, looking to see fault and ready to pounce on any incriminating evidence. They have already closed their hearts against Jesus. To the Pharisees, Jesus represents a threat – to their own prestige – and an affront to their religious dogmas [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | Pharisees | The Law Of The Sabbath | Jesus The New David | Lord Of The Sabbath | Gospel Faith
In today’s Gospel verses, Jesus teaches that the Pharisees have got it all wrong in relation to the Sabbath. While God gave the Sabbath to man as an opportunity to rest and to devote himself to divine worship, the Pharisees have choked the meaning of the Sabbath in a mass of legalese, turning it from being a time of joy into a time of anxiety and empty observance [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | New Wine In Old Bottles | Fasting | Jewish Custom | Christ The Bridegroom | The New Covenant
In today’s Gospel verses, as yesterday and tomorrow, Jesus finds himself in conflict with some of the Jewish religious leaders. Today, the issue is fasting. It seems Jesus and his disciples are not following received custom [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | Behold The Lamb Of God | Come and See! | Disciples Witness Jesus | Christian Vocation
‘Behold the Lamb of God.’ Throughout the Bible, we are called to know and to develop our relationship with the Lamb. It is in Genesis the Lamb is first mentioned, provided by God as a sacrifice to take the place of Isaac. Through the history of Jewish ritual, a lamb is offered in sacrifice, for expiation, reparation, sanctification. The prophets speak of a meek, tame lamb, sheared without opening its mouth. In the Book of Revelation, or Apocalypse, the full meaning of the Lamb will be revealed, as the king, the Spouse, the lamp, the temple, the place of our eternal dwelling. The Lamb spans all history. And John the Baptist has already, in John’s Gospel, recognised and declared Christ as the Lamb of God who will take away the sins of the world [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | Jesus Heals The Paralytic Man | Faith And Christian Healing | Jesus Forgives Sins
The words of Jesus to the paralytic man on his bed might have seemed strange and even, at first, insensitive: the paralytic has been brought to Jesus seeking to be healed, and Jesus says to him: ‘Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.’ This could hardly be what the paralysed man might have been expecting [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | The Kingdom Of God And The Kingdom Of Satan | Jesus The Exorcist | Audio KJV
Jesus has performed miracles and his redeeming power over the devils which possess people is clearly apparent; Jesus’ power over evil is manifest. The people marvel, and yet their hearts are hardened to the truth of Jesus. Rather than see with their eyes and understand, they reject the truth of Christ. They retreat to within the evil that holds them captive, which prevents them from seeing the truth of Jesus. They mutter and grumble and gossip, actively seeking to suggest the worst possible and false interpretation of what they have witnessed. They have seen the work of absolute good. They choose to accuse this good of being evil. They do not rise to the message of Christ [ .. ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | God So Loved The World | Good And Evil | Jesus The Light Of Truth | Christian Faith | Audio KJV
Through the time of Lent, we recall the Exodus. We recall the release of the then chosen people of God from their slavery in Egypt and their time in the wilderness on their way to the promised land, during which time God provided for them [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | Jesus Announces His Glorification | Jesus’ Crucifixion Is Near
Jesus’ Passion is near. It is almost time for Jesus to permit himself to be crucified. It is true to this that the Greeks, non-Jews, have come to seek Jesus and to hear his word. Jesus’ mission, to come to earth to save everyone, is becoming fulfilled [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | The Calling Of The First Disciples
The first two disciples called by Jesus are disciples of John the Baptist. It is he who looks to Jesus and directs his disciples to look and so behold the Lamb of God. They are sent by John, through being told by him to recognize Jesus. John shows them the way to Jesus – as ‘the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord.’ [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | The Finding Of Jesus In The Temple | The Hidden Life Of Jesus At Nazareth
The infancy narratives of Jesus are more than mere history. Luke’s accounts of Jesus’ infancy constitute a theological and Christological prologue to his Gospel. Many great truths of the Gospels are here prefigured. We may think of the Jesus’ infancy narratives given to us in Luke as a beautiful gateway, through which we enter to encounter the Gospels as a whole. This would certainly be appropriate to the spirit of our celebrations of Christmas, when we rejoice that God has answered our calls to be with us, as we celebrate the great mystery of the Incarnation [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | The Purification Of Mary And The Presentation Of Jesus In The Temple | Simeon’s Prophecy | Jesus Was Jewish | Up Family And Faith
The first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke are more than history, as we now understand the term. The narrative captures core truths of the events which took place upon the birth of Jesus. They serve as a mirror in which we discover the meaning of the birth of Jesus and recognize that Jesus came to fulfil the promise of the Old Testament. They reflect the longing of the human heart as we find out about Jesus. To the Christians of Luke’s time, the infancy narrative of Luke’s Gospel offered a lesson in how to persevere in adversity as the Old Law gave way to the New. The attitude of Mary is a model to us all, as we welcome Jesus into our own lives. We marvel just as Joseph and Mary marvelled. Mary’s obedience teaches the way [ … ]
First Communion | Catholicism And Christianity | The Children At Mass | Spain | God And Vocation | Tomàs’ Gospel
On the square: a church with no regular priest. Still, the church was open, that first exploration, and it was clean, loved and well-maintained. Prayerful, you might say. The interior walls new brick. Simple and holy. Two women were making arrangements with the flowers and such like and they looked at me blankly then upon enquiry in Spanish they told me there was to be a Mass on Sunday [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses Advent & Christmas | The Nativity Of The Lord | Christ Is Born | The Shepherds Hear The Good News | Christmas Midnight And Dawn
Jesus is born into what must have been, for Mary and Joseph, the most trying, indeed tedious, of circumstances. Who of us likes filling in a tax return? And we don’t usually have to travel to a different city to do so, let alone know that our taxes are dictated by a foreign and conquering power [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses Advent & Christmas | The Magnificat
In this, the Magnificat, Mary’s soul overflows with joy as she contemplates the wonderful blessing God has bestowed on her, surpassing indeed the gifts to any other person in history. Through her obedience and humility, Mary has been magnified herself by the Lord, such that we now recognize her greatness and call her blessed – each day, indeed, as we recite or sing the canticle as part of evening prayer [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses Advent & Christmas | Virginal Conception Of Jesus | Emmanuel | God Is With Us
According to Jewish law, couples became engaged around one year prior to marriage, and this engagement was most solemn and binding – an act of divorce would be needed to break the relationship. It is during this period that Mary is found to be with child of the Holy Ghost. She has done nothing wrong, she is a virgin, Christ’s conception is miraculous, but on the surface of things this was a terrible state of affairs, for Mary and Joseph also [ … ]
Virgin Birth | Parthenogenesis | Conception | Jesus | Mary | Joseph
The story of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, as recorded in the New Testament’s Gospel of Luke, is a central event in Christian belief and is an important part of the Christmas holiday. According to this account, Jesus was born to a virgin named Mary, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph. Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth, but they were required to travel to Bethlehem for a census. While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable, because there was no room for them in the inn [ … ]
Miracle Of Love | Jesus In The Eucharist A Miracle | Miracles Of Healing | Old Testament Miracles | Signs | God | Audio KJV
In the Bible, a miracle is an event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore attributed to a divine agency. Miracles are often seen as [ … ]
What Were The Different Sources Of The Torah – The Pentateuch? | How Was The Torah/Pentateuch Written?
The Torah, also known as the Pentateuch, is the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. It is a central text in Judaism and is also revered by many Christians. The Torah is thought to be a composite text, made up of multiple sources that were written by different groups of people over a period of time and were later compiled and edited into their final form. The process of compiling and editing these sources is known as the documentary hypothesis [ … ]
Why Is Christmas Celebrated 25th December? | Jesus’ Birth | Nativity | Pre-Christian Winter Solstice | Death / Rebirth
As Christians, we celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day, observed on December 25th each year. While the date of Jesus’ birth is not known, and is not in the Bible, the celebration of Christmas Day on December 25th has been a tradition since at least the 4th century. It is thought that the early Christian church may have chosen this date in order to co-opt the celebrations of the winter solstice and other pre-Christian holidays that were observed around this time of year [ … ]
Miserere Mei | Psalm 51/50 | KJV King James Bible Psalms | Have Mercy Upon Me | Audio Bible
Traditionally ascribed to King David, upon the discovery of his adultery, this psalm represents and enacts a perfect act of contrition, from the awareness and acknowledgement of sin, through acknowledgement of God, to celebration and renewal in faith with God [ … ]
Confession | The Sacrament Of Reconciliation | We Confess Our Sins To God | Forgiveness Of Sin | Jesus | Faith Healing
Christian confession is an act of admitting one’s sins and seeking forgiveness from God through Jesus Christ. It is a practice that is central to the Christian faith and is rooted in the belief that sin has separated humanity from God and that confession is necessary for the restoration of that relationship [ … ]
Saint John Chrysostom
Saint John Chrysostom was born into a wealthy family in Antioch, which was then one of the largest and most cosmopolitan cities in the Roman Empire. He received an excellent education in rhetoric and philosophy, which prepared him for a career in law or public speaking. However, he was drawn to Christianity and eventually decided to become a monk [ … ]
Christian Prayer | Jesus In The Bible Teaches How To Pray | Healing Prayer | Miracles | How Do I Pray? | Teach Me To Pray
Prayer is a form of communication between a person and a higher power. It can take many forms, from a casual conversation to a formal ritual, and can involve petition, thanksgiving, and confession. Prayer can be silent or spoken, individual or communal, and may be directed to God, a saint, an angel, or any other object of worship. Through prayer, an individual expresses their innermost thoughts and feelings to the divine, seeking comfort, guidance, and strength. Prayer can be used to foster a connection to the spiritual realm, bring a sense of peace, and help one cultivate a sense of purpose and meaning in life [ … ]
The Ten Commandments | The Third Commandment: ‘Keep Holy The Lord’s Day’
The third commandment of the Ten Commandments, ‘Keep holy the Lord’s day,’ is a call to set aside time on a regular basis to rest from one’s daily work and to focus on the worship and service of God. This commandment is often understood to refer to the Christian Sabbath, which is traditionally observed on Sunday, the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ [ … ]
The Ten Commandments | The Second Commandment: ‘You Shall Not Take The Name Of The Lord Your God In Vain’ | King James Audio Bible | KJV
The second of the Ten Commandments, ‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain,’ is a call to reverence and respect for the divine name and for the faith it represents. The second commandment prohibits the abuse of God’s name, i.e., every improper use of the names of God, Jesus Christ, but also of the Virgin Mary and all the saints [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses | Jesus Christ The King | Parable Of The Wise And Foolish Virgins
Christ prepares to be crucified. This may seem very strange as we look forward to Advent, and these really are the events of Holy Week. And yet this declaration of Christ’s coming again can be seen as a wonderful culmination of the Church year. Christ’s promise of resurrection and eternal life marks the summit of Christian faith. The declaration of Christ the King, our knowledge Christ is King, is a wonderful thought to carry through the coming weeks of Advent as we prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth [ … ]
Daily Bible Verses For Lent | The Sign Of Jonah | Circumcision Of The Heart | The Evil Generation Seek A Sign
The crowds gather to see and to hear Jesus. Among them, as Matthew relates in his Gospel (Matthew 12: 38-42), are the scribes and Pharisees, who ask for a sign from Jesus to prove his divinity. Jesus refuses to confirm his preaching with dramatic signs. It is his teaching Jesus wishes the people to hear. Through seeking to taunt Jesus, and through their unbelief, the scribes and the Pharisees express the hardness of their hearts. Christ is present to them and they refuse to see. Christ is speaking to them and they refuse to hear. Through the Gospel, we have witnessed Christ’s miracles. And we are called to hear his word. ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.’ [ … ]
Ash Wednesday | Our Lady Vulnerata | Extracted From The Gospel According To Tomàs | A Novel
Duly, we are ashed. Communion follows. Adedokun, serving, puts it all together, takes it all apart. Our thoughts rest, solemn, as we aren’t asked to sing our way out of it. It is one of the good times. Quietly, just sitting like that, it’s pretty good. Dry. All careful-minded. It seems they must see we are taking it the way it is meant to be – solemnly [ … ]
A Bishop’s Lenten Homily | Extracted From The Gospel According To Tomàs | Part 2
Then at ten-past-ten we go upstairs. Visiting teachers often prefer this space.
There is natural light and fresh air. Today, we sit on chairs only, gathered around close, with no desks in the way of us. His Grace works from a flip-book. A set-piece. He sits always gently bobbing – the quiet thrill of it. The flip-book has clearly seen previous use. And big Clarks shoes and fade-to-black socks… There is a quiet examination of consciousness. I confess… Then we say a Hail Mary. Some part of what the Archbishop says to us is this:
‘What I should like to do today is to pose to you possibly the most important question, which is this: How can we ready ourselves for the experience of Easter? [ … ]
A Bishop’s Lenten Homily | Extracted From The Gospel According To Tomàs | Part 3
On Tuesday, His Grace turns to the theme of Jesus’ hidden years. His Grace asks the students to consider questions concerning what really happened: ‘Who, for instance, was Joseph? Was [ … ]
A Bishop’s Lenten Homily | Extracted From The Gospel According To Tomàs | Part 5
On Thursday, there is more lost-history to contemplate. More Christian life unknown. Certainly, His Grace tacitly withdraws some measure of the veil of – more creative years. Though what he has to say does not overtly contradict received Church teaching.
His Grace moves the beginnings of Christian faith – the Church – as from stunned remains: Jerusalem razed – as our first generations looked back onto it.
This nexus of salvation-history – all history pointed forwards-backwards either way in faith in Jesus. As, in intervening centuries, disparate communities scatter through what is becoming a wreckage of Empire, spiritual waste, gather their scraps, and they begin to communicate. Truth-recalled – reverse-transcribed like RNA like a retrovirus – penetrated into the pagan world laid out for it – became life [ … ]