6th November 2020
Chapter Thirteen starts with Jesus foretelling the destruction of the temple. He then sits on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple with Peter, James, John and Andrew. He warns them to be on guard as he discusses the signs of the end of the age.
Jesus talks about the coming of the Son of Man after first warning of the false christs and false prophets who will perform signs and wonders to try to lead the elect astray. Jesus makes it clear that nobody knows the day or hour when the Son of Man will come: “Stay awake for you do not know when the master of the house will come”.
Reading Mark in Advent is an 18-part podcast series that sees us upload a chapter of Mark’s Gospel each weekday of the season.
With a global pandemic sweeping the world and lockdowns and restrictions placed on our everyday living – not to mention patterns of worship and prayer – this is very much “the Word in Lockdown”.
But the Word of God is never locked down, isolated and contained. As Pope Francis says:
“The word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12); it does not die, nor does it age, but it remains for ever (cf. 1 Peter 1:25). It stays young in the presence of all that passes away (cf. Matthew 25:35) and preserves those who put it into practice from inner aging.”
5th November 2020
For Chapter Fourteen, we have two podcasts to proclaim the Gospel.
We learn, at the start of the chapter, that the chief priests and scribes are plotting to kill Jesus but are wary of doing so before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
A woman anoints Jesus with ointment of pure nard in Bethany and we learn that Judas, one of the twelve, will betray Jesus.
Jesus shares the Passover with his disciples in the upper room and institutes the Lord’s Supper.
We end this podcast reading with Jesus foretelling Peter’s denial:
“Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
Reading Mark in Advent is an 18-part podcast series that sees us upload a chapter of Mark’s Gospel each weekday of the season.
With a global pandemic sweeping the world and lockdowns and restrictions placed on our everyday living – not to mention patterns of worship and prayer – this is very much “the Word in Lockdown”.
But the Word of God is never locked down, isolated and contained. As Pope Francis says:
“The word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12); it does not die, nor does it age, but it remains for ever (cf. 1 Peter 1:25). It stays young in the presence of all that passes away (cf. Matthew 25:35) and preserves those who put it into practice from inner aging.”
4th November 2020
The second podcast completing Chapter Fourteen of St Mark’s Gospel, focusing on verses 32-72, starts with Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane.
Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested. He is brought before the council and many stand and bare false witness against him.
Chapter Fourteen concludes with Peter denying Jesus as was foretold earlier in the day.
Reading Mark in Advent is an 18-part podcast series that sees us upload a chapter of Mark’s Gospel each weekday of the season.
With a global pandemic sweeping the world and lockdowns and restrictions placed on our everyday living – not to mention patterns of worship and prayer – this is very much “the Word in Lockdown”.
But the Word of God is never locked down, isolated and contained. As Pope Francis says:
“The word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12); it does not die, nor does it age, but it remains for ever (cf. 1 Peter 1:25). It stays young in the presence of all that passes away (cf. Matthew 25:35) and preserves those who put it into practice from inner aging.”
3rd November 2020
As with the previous chapter, we have two podcasts to proclaim the Gospel for Chapter Fifteen.
Here we focus on verses 1-21 as Jesus is bound and handed over to Pontius Pilate.
Pilate scourges Jesus and delivers him to be Crucified having first pardoned the murderer Barabbas.
Jesus is mocked and clothed in a purple cloak – a crown of twisted thorns pushed down onto his head. He is stripped, spat on and led out for crucifixion. Simon of Cyrene helps carry the cross.
Reading Mark in Advent is an 18-part podcast series that sees us upload a chapter of Mark’s Gospel each weekday of the season.
With a global pandemic sweeping the world and lockdowns and restrictions placed on our everyday living – not to mention patterns of worship and prayer – this is very much “the Word in Lockdown”.
But the Word of God is never locked down, isolated and contained. As Pope Francis says:
“The word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12); it does not die, nor does it age, but it remains for ever (cf. 1 Peter 1:25). It stays young in the presence of all that passes away (cf. Matthew 25:35) and preserves those who put it into practice from inner aging.”
2nd November 2020
We pick up the second part of Chapter Fifteen at the foot of the cross as Jesus is Crucified at Golgotha.
Darkness spreads over the whole land until the ninth hour when Jesus cries out: “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Jesus breathes his last as the women who followed him to Jerusalem look on from a distance.
Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, asks Pilate for the body of Jesus. He takes him down from the cross, wraps him in a linen shroud and lays him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. Joseph rolls a large stone against the entrance.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.
Reading Mark in Advent is an 18-part podcast series that sees us upload a chapter of Mark’s Gospel each weekday of the season.
With a global pandemic sweeping the world and lockdowns and restrictions placed on our everyday living – not to mention patterns of worship and prayer – this is very much “the Word in Lockdown”.
But the Word of God is never locked down, isolated and contained. As Pope Francis says:
“The word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12); it does not die, nor does it age, but it remains for ever (cf. 1 Peter 1:25). It stays young in the presence of all that passes away (cf. Matthew 25:35) and preserves those who put it into practice from inner aging.”
1st November 2020
We come to the eighteenth and final podcast of our Reading Mark in Advent series.
After the agony of Our Lord’s crucifixion and death, we conclude with Jesus’s glorious Resurrection.
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went at sunrise on the first day of the week to the tomb so that they might go and anoint Jesus.
But the stone was rolled back and a young man tells them not to be alarmed and that Jesus has risen. He sends them to tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus has gone before them to Galilee.
Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene and two of the disciples who were walking in the country.
He then appears to the eleven themselves and issues the Great Commission.
“Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
The disciples went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.
Reading Mark in Advent is an 18-part podcast series that sees us upload a chapter of Mark’s Gospel each weekday of the season.
With a global pandemic sweeping the world and lockdowns and restrictions placed on our everyday living – not to mention patterns of worship and prayer – this is very much “the Word in Lockdown”.
But the Word of God is never locked down, isolated and contained. As Pope Francis says:
“The word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12); it does not die, nor does it age, but it remains for ever (cf. 1 Peter 1:25). It stays young in the presence of all that passes away (cf. Matthew 25:35) and preserves those who put it into practice from inner aging.”
13th April 2020
We continue our ‘Reading Matthew in Lent’ series today by reading Chapter 28 of St Matthew’s Gospel.
Early on Sunday morning the women go to the tomb and are met by an angel who tells them that Jesus is risen from the dead and instructs them to meet Jesus in Galilee. The disciples go to the mountain in Galilee where Jesus instructed them to ‘make disciples of all nations’ and he promised ‘I am with you always, to the end of the age’.
10th April 2020
We continue our ‘Reading Matthew in Lent’ series today by reading Chapter 27 of St Matthew’s Gospel.
Jesus is taken before Pilate who shows him to the crowd. They call for Jesus to be crucified and he is led to Golgotha where he is mocked by those around him. Joseph of Arimathea takes the dead body of Jesus and buries it in a tomb.
9th April 2020
We continue our ‘Reading Matthew in Lent’ series today by reading Chapter 26 of St Matthew’s Gospel.
Before the events of Jesus’ passion and death his feet are anointed in the house of Simon the Leper. Following supper with his disciples at which he gives himself Jesus goes to Gethsemane to pray and there is he is arrested. He is brought to appear before Caiaphas and the Council.
8th April 2020
We continue our ‘Reading Matthew in Lent’ series today by reading Chapter 25 of St Matthew’s Gospel.
Jesus’ last parable is about the last judgment which he pictures as the division of sheep and goats. He asks what people have done to help the poor and the needy – those who have helped the least have welcomed Jesus.
7th April 2020
We continue our ‘Reading Matthew in Lent’ series today by reading Chapter 25 of St Matthew’s Gospel.
Jesus tells two parables about the coming of the Son of Man. In the first ten virgins wait at a wedding feast to escort the bridegroom. In the second a master goes on a journey, before he goes he gives his servant money (talents), when he comes back he sees what his servants have done and judges accordingly.
6th April 2020
We continue our ‘Reading Matthew in Lent’ series today by reading Chapter 24 of St Matthew’s Gospel.
Jesus talks to his disciples on the Mount of Olives about the ending of the age and the coming of the Son of Man. He warns them to stay awake and be ready for no one know the day or the hour.
