These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
As the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” The proposal was acceptable to the whole community. (Acts 6:1-7)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/043022.cfm
The creation of the Seven (referred to much later in church history as “deacons”) was to respond to a language problem in the early church between the Greek-speaking and Hebrew-speaking members. It is fascinating that those who are named as the Seven all have Greek names. Perhaps the church knows that to speak one’s language helps in spreading the gospel.
One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” (Jn 6:1-15)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/042922.cfm
Poor Andrew! The lack of faith on the part of church leadership is never surprising. Saint Catherine of Siena in the 14th century did her best to convince church leadership to lead. Despite all the failures of leadership in her day, Saint Catherine never gave up on the church.
The one who comes from above is above all. (Jn 3:31-36)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/042822.cfm
The question about where Jesus is from is answered in a very simple way in the Fourth Gospel: Jesus is from above, from God. And so the one whom God sends is the one who speaks the words of God. This is precisely what the Fourth Gospel community believes. And so the instructions of the Mother of Jesus to the waiters at the Wedding Feast of Cana are appropriate for all would-be disciples: “Do whatever he tells you.”
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. (Jn 3:16-21)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/042722.cfm
The heart of the gospel . . . and the challenge as well. If God so loved the world, then perhaps we need to do a better job of loving our sisters and brothers instead of condemning them.
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. (Mk 1:1-11)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/042522.cfm
All four gospels are anonymous. The names in the titles were added later by the church. The Gospel According to Mark is one of the oldest. We know that “Matthew” and “Luke” had a copy of “Mark” in front of them when they wrote their gospels. So what we celebrate today is not so much a person (because we really don’t know who wrote this gospel), but rather the gospel that person wrote. It is unfortunate that for the feast of the gospel the lectionary-makers chose a passage that is definitely NOT from the hand of the gospel writer we call “Mark.” The passage in the lectionary for today is an addition to the gospel added much later by the church to make the Marcan gospel harmonize with the other gospels. We continue to pray for Ukraine.
