“Woe” is a word that makes a frequent appearance in the Bible. In the twenty-third chapter in the Book of Jeremiah (NABRE), the LORD wishes woe on those misleading his people. In the twenty-third chapter of the Gospel According to Matthew (NABRE), Jesus repeatedly condemns the scribes and Pharisees, each …

In the sixth chapter in the Gospel According to Mark (NABRE), Jesus sends the Twelve out two-by-two after giving them authority over demons, and specific instructions about what to take and what not to take with them. The message they’re told to preach is one of repentance. This sending out …

The Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians and the Gospel According to Mark both address the concept of power, strength, or ability. While these concepts can seem separate in translation, a single Greek root connects power made perfect through weakness with Jesus’ inability to perform works. The Second Letter …

In the eighth chapter in the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians (NABRE), we encounter an especially difficult concept to nail down—grace. The text describes gracious acts of people and of God. The idea of grace is extremely broad in English. What do we mean when we describe an …

In the Gospel According to Mark 4:35–41 (NABRE), Jesus calms the sea. After having done so, he rebukes his followers for having been afraid. They respond to this event by being filled with fear or awe. There’s an interesting interplay in this passage between different types of fear responses that’s …

In the fifth chapter in the Second Letter to the Corinthians (NABRE), Paul contrasts being at home in our body with being at home with the Lord. As we read this passage, it’s useful to bear in mind what Paul means by home in this context. While Ancient Greek has …

In the book of Genesis 3:15 (NABRE) we encounter: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.” This passage contains God’s first statement to the serpent after the fall of humanity …

While we would expect to find themes of Eucharist or bread and wine central in the readings for the celebration of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, instead we see the Church focusing on the idea of covenant in all three readings. The Hebrew word …

The fifteenth chapter of the Gospel According to John (NABRE) contains Jesus’ commandment to his followers: “love one another as I have loved you.” The word here translated as love, ἀγαπάω (agapao), is the verb form of the Greek agape, which often is used to describe God’s love for humanity. …

The fifteenth chapter of the Gospel According to John (NABRE) describes the work of Jesus Christ building his Church using the image of pruning a vine. This powerful and significant image addresses the idea of qualifying or earning a place in God’s kingdom. Within this image, the Greek text contains …