Fr Paul Gooley reads today’s Gospel from Mark (3: 13-19) in which Jesus went up on a mountainside and summoned those he wanted, so they came to him, and he appointed twelve as companions and to proclaim God’s Kingdom. Fr Paul says the names of the Twelve vary in different accounts of the [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads today’s Gospel from Mark (3: 7-12) in which large crowds from all over the country follow Jesus everywhere and unclean spirits that saw him, fearfully recognised him as the Son of God. Fr Paul says Jesus withdraws to the lakeside, where the great crowd gathers which, Matthew will use [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads today’s Gospel from Mark (3: 1-6) in which Jesus cures a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. Afterwards, Fr Paul shares a little about the life of St Anthony, whose memorial we celebrate today. Fr Paul says St Anthony is the originator of the monastic life. He [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads today’s Gospel from Mark (2: 23-28) in which Jesus says to the Pharisees, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, so the son of man is master even of the Sabbath”. Fr Paul says in Mark’s account this story is subtly different from the more [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads today’s Gospel from Mark (2: 18-22) in which Jesus is questioned about his followers not fasting, when the disciples of others are. Fr Paul says today’s reading comes from Mark’s collection of several confrontations between Jesus and the Pharisees in Galilee. The Pharisees were absolute sticklers for observance of [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads today’s Gospel from Mark (2: 13-17) in which Jesus stuns the Pharisees and the teachers of the law by keeping company with tax collectors and sinners. Fr Paul says the Gospel story today starts with a piece of local lore and, also, a puzzle. The piece of local lore [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads today’s Gospel from Mark (2: 1-12) in which Jesus cures the paralysed man who was lowered down through the roof of the house where Jesus was teaching. Fr Paul says the healing of the paralytic is a double cure because he is cured of both sin and disease. Mark [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads today’s Gospel from Mark (1: 40-45) in which a leper appeals to Jesus saying, ‘If you want to, you can cure me.’ Fr Paul says Mark in this Gospel shows the warmth of Jesus’ humanity and his concern for the leper. The leper had no right even to approach [...]
Fr Paul Gooley reads today’s Gospel from Mark (1: 29-39) in which Jesus heals many people including the mother-in-law of his disciple, Simon-Peter. Fr Paul says the snippets gathered in the Gospel reading give us a sample of Jesus’ activity in Capernaum, a little fishing village on the edge of the Lake of [...]
Fr Paul Gooley begins by explaining the cycle of readings we hear on Sundays and on weekdays and then he reads today’s Gospel from Mark (1: 21-28) in which Jesus commands an unclean spirit to ‘Be quiet!’ and to come out of person it was possessing. Fr Paul says this story goes one [...]