Chapter Seven sees Jesus tell the Pharisees and scribes that they have rejected the commandments of God to establish their own traditions. He explains what defiles a person and we learn of the Syrophoenician woman's faith. Jesus casts a demon out of her daughter.
The chapter concludes with Jesus healing a deaf man.
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.”
In Chapter Six, Jesus marvels at the lack of belief shown by people in his home town of Nazareth – despite his healings. He...
In Chapter 10, Jesus teaches the Pharisees about divorce – “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” He also rebukes his...
Chapter 12 starts with Jesus speaking to the chief priests, scribes and elders in parables. He tells the Parable of the Tenants showing them...
