One of the most striking perspectives that St. Luke expresses in the Acts of the Apostles is contained in the following words: And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. (Acts 14:27) It is a subtle notion, but one to which we need to pay attention. Paul and Barnabas did NOT report...
Today's reading from the Acts of the Apostles relates the incident in which the citizens of Lystra confused Paul and Barnabas for the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes. I admit that I have often chuckled a bit at the incident. I have studied the mythologies of various cultures because of the role they play in literature. When I was a high school teacher, I always set aside time to acquaint the...
One of the favorite melodies of Dame Joan Sutherland, often used as an encore at recitals, is the familiar "Home, Sweet Home." When we welcome guests, we often hear ourselves saying, "Make yourself at home." Another famous song from the music "West Side Story" is "There's a Place For Us." To be sure, each of us longs for a place in which we can find comfort and solace away from the frantic...
We take something of a break from the ordinary readings of the Easter Season today as we remember and celebrate a feast in honor of St. Mark, Evangelist. St. Mark's Gospel is the oldest of the four which the Church has placed in the canon of the New Testament and bears the marks of the coming persecutions which will begin in Rome under Emperor Nero. More than any other Gospel, St. Mark...