Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Mark (8: 27-33) in which Jesus, as he and his disciples were visiting villages around Caesarea Philippi, asked them ‘Who do people say I am?’. Fr Paul says today’s reading is the turning-point in Mark’s Gospel. Up until now the stories we have heard have all shown [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Mark (8: 22-26) in which Jesus helps the blind man at Bethsaida see clearly. Fr Paul says the positioning in the Gospel of this restoration of a man’s sight is really symbolic: it is placed immediately before Peter is granted the clarity to see who Jesus is. [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Mark (8: 14-21) in which Jesus warns the disciples to be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod. Afterwards Fr Paul shares a little about Saints Cyril and Methodious whose memorial we celebrate today.Fr Paul says Methodious was born in Thessalonica and [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Mark (8: 11-13) in which the Pharisees question Jesus and ask him for a sign from heaven. Fr Paul says the little passage we’ve heard today is really puzzling. The request for a sign comes four times in the Gospel. It is only in this particular [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Mark (8: 1-10) in which Jesus takes pity on a large, hungry crowd which has been with him for three days with nothing to eat. Fr Paul says both Mark and Matthew give two stories of the wonder of Jesus feeding the crowds. It is possible [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Mark (7: 31-37) in which Jesus heals the deaf man who had an impediment in his speech, saying ‘Ephphatha’, which means ‘be opened’. Afterwards, Fr Paul shares a little about St Scholastica, whose memorial we celebrate today. Fr Paul notes Scholastica was born in Nursia in [...]
Gospel Reflection for Thursday – 5th Week of Ordinary Time (9 February) The astute Syro-Phoenician woman Our Gospels return after the fierce storm which caused extensive damage to Fr Paul’s office in Port Macquarie. Today Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Mark (7: 24-30) in which a pagan woman, by birth a [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Mark (6: 53-56) which notes that as soon as Jesus and his disciples arrived by boat at Gennesaret Jesus was recognised, people begged him to let the sick touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. Afterwards Fr Paul shares [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Mark (6: 30-34) in which Jesus says to his disciples, ‘You must come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while’.Fr Paul says at both beginning and end of this section of the Gospel we are reminded that the foremost duty [...]
Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Mark (6: 14-29) which tells of John the Baptist being beheaded at the order of King Herod. Fr Paul says the story of the Passion of John the Baptist is told by Mark with more attention and sympathy than by either of the other two synoptic evangelists [...]