Path To Sunday

In Mark 6:7-13, Jesus sends out the Twelve, instructing them to rely on God’s providence as they engage in discipleship and evangelism. This gospel reflects the broader theme of God’s eternal plan and our role in it. While the Catholic Church is known for its doctrines, people often don’t realize that the doctrines provide boundaries to a field of faith, where a believer has room to run. For instance, the Assumption of Mary allows interpretations of whether she was taken up body and soul before or after death, symbolizing trust in God’s plan beyond our understanding. Yet the point is still the same: Christ’s victory over the power of sin and death that he extends to his Immaculately conceived human mother.

Reflecting on Mark 6:1-6, where Jesus is called “the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon,” prompts an exploration of Mary’s perpetual virginity. Protestants often use this passage to question the Catholic belief. However, the Annunciation in Luke 1 provides insight. When the angel Gabriel tells Mary she will conceive Jesus, she responds, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” This response suggests her vow of perpetual virginity, despite being betrothed to Joseph.

In Aramaic and Hebrew, there was no specific word for “cousin,” so “brother” was commonly used for various relatives. This linguistic nuance clarifies why Jesus’ relatives are called “brothers” in the Gospels.

Today’s Gospel story is an example of what some scripture scholars call a “Markan sandwich.”We have the story of the woman afflicted with a hemorrhage in between the two halves of the story of the little girl who died and was brought back to life by Jesus. What links the two stories is the number 12: the little girl was twelve years old, and the woman had a hemorrhage for 12 years. One story enlightens the other.

In the case of the woman with the hemorrhage; such a flow of blood would have made her ritually impure and unable to participate in the life and activities of the temple and synagogue. Effectively, she was spiritually “dead” for twelve years.

One of life’s most challenging questions is why God allows suffering. We often ask why God permits cancer, the loss of a child, or personal hardships like losing a job or home. While a complete explanation is complex, today’s Gospel offers us a perspective. Mark 4:35-41 emphasizes that while Christ saves us, God still permits struggles and suffering for our spiritual growth and to deepen our love for Him.

Observing the world’s suffering and injustice suggests a fundamental problem that cannot be resolved merely through education or social programs. Sin, or the rejection of God’s love, has introduced death and suffering into the world.

In Sunday’s readings, we explore the Kingdom of God, a term often used but not always fully understood. Many people equate the Kingdom of God with heaven or an eternal life with God, but often miss its broader implications. Historically, during Jesus’ time, the phrase ‘Kingdom of God’ evoked varied responses. The Sadducees saw it as a shadowy existence, while the Pharisees anticipated a revived Kingdom of Israel led by a messianic descendant of King David.

Jesus, however, presented a different understanding. As King, not merely through earthly descent but as God incarnate, He spoke of a heavenly kingdom that transcends physical space.

Many people have wondered what Jesus meant, in the Sunday Gospel reading, when he said: “all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” God wants our salvation; thus he forgives our sins. The prerequisite for receiving that forgiveness, however, is repentance. Without acknowledging our sins, how can we recognize that we need God’s mercy? Once we have recognized our need, it is then the act of repentance in which we open our hearts to receive that mercy.

On this feast of Corpus Christi, we reflect on the profound mystery of the Eucharist, where bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. In the first reading from Exodus, we hear of Moses sealing the covenant between God and the Israelites with a sacrifice. Moses sprinkled the blood of the covenant on the people, symbolizing their relationship with God. This foreshadows the new covenant Jesus would establish with his disciples at the Last Supper, as we hear in the Gospel of Mark.

Jesus, knowing he would soon offer himself as the ultimate sacrifice, shared a final meal with his disciples. He took bread, blessed it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body.” He then took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.” These words echo the covenant rituals of the Old Testament, but with a new and eternal significance.

The Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—is a profound mystery that reveals the very nature of God as love. When we say “God is love,” we are not just describing an attribute of God but expressing His fundamental essence.

One key to understanding the Trinity is the concept of personhood. In contemporary language, “person” typically refers to an individual human. However, in theology, it refers to identity, “who” someone is, not “what.” Angels are not humans, yet each is a person. Furthermore, while Jesus is simultaneously God and man, he is not two different persons. Jesus is not a divine person and a human person. Who is Jesus? He is the Son, the second person of the Trinity; he is a divine person. As such, he has always been God, yet, he added a human nature or human existence to himself, one day in time.

Thus, Jesus is one person, the divine person of the Son, who exists two ways at the same time: as God and as man. Jesus is not a human person; he is a divine person. Personhood and nature, as in human nature, are two different things. Furthermore, we distinguish person from personality. While Jesus is a divine person (answering the question of “who” did all that), he is still 100% human, and thus still has a human personality. Personality pertains to what we like or dislike, what we find funny or the foods we like.

Pentecost Sunday is sometimes referred to as the birthday of the Church. On this day, fifty days after the glorious resurrection of the Lord, the Church (those called out by God) is given the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and His sevenfold gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. These powerful gifts are given not for our own selfish use, but to build up the Body of Christ, the Church.

The Holy Spirit is also called the Paraclete, which has various meanings. Among them are, “advocate,” “witness,” and “consoler.” St. Ignatius of Loyola wrote of desolation and consolation, the states of moving either away from God or toward Him. Such consolation originates in the Holy Spirit.

In Mark 16:15-20, Jesus instructs his disciples to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” This commissioning is the foundation of the Church’s mission, which is to carry the message of salvation to all corners of the earth. The word “mission” comes from the Latin word “missionem,” which means “to be sent.” This reflects the nature of our call—to be sent by God, the ultimate sender, to fulfill a specific task.

Reflecting on the mission of the Church, we are reminded of our role in this divine mission of love and redemption.