1st Reading: Gen 3:1-8
Gospel: Mk 7:31-37

Again Jesus set out; from the country of Tyre, passed through Sidon and skirting the sea of Galilee, he came to the territory of Decapolis. There a deaf man who also had difficulty in speaking was brought to him. They asked Jesus to lay his hand upon him.
Jesus took him apart from the crowd, put his fingers into the man's ears and touched his tongue with spittle. Then, looking up to heaven, he groaned and said to him, "Ephphetha," that is, "Be opened."
And his ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak clearly. Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone, but the more he insisted on this, the more they proclaimed it. The people were completely astonished and said, "He has done all things well; he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak."

The story of Adam and Eve is presented in a mythical form. To treat it as if were literal truth is, among other errors, to do a great injustice to the Book of Genesis, which was intended as a myth or an allegory, teaching lessons rather than relating historical facts. A specific and concrete act of rebellion by a particular human couple doesn't seem to be a plausible explanation of the sinful nature of human beings, or of the disorder we see all around us in the world today.
Evolutionary biology allows us to find that we are human beings with natures that allows us to be reshaped, so that we can share in God's life. In adapting ourselves to serve goodness, we show we're capable of being reshaped to the higher demands of God; demands which culminate in the command: "Be perfect! Be Christ-like!" Cooperate with God as He reshapes us to share in His life. We only have to ask and God will reshape us to be His companions. Through Christ, God is telling us great moral truths, perfect and complete versions of the various moral truths that arose in the course of evolution.

1st Reading: Gen 2:18-25
Gospel: Mk 7:24-30

Jesus went to the border of the Tyrian country. There he entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there, but he could not remain hidden. A woman, whose small daughter had an evil spirit, heard of him and came and fell at his feet. Now this woman was a pagan, a Syrophoenician at birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. Jesus told her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." But she replied, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the crumbs from the children's bread." Then Jesus said to her, "You may go your way; because of such a reply the demon has gone out of your daugher." And when the woman went home, she found her child lying in bed and the demon gone.

For the last two thousand years or so, Eve has represented the fundamental character and identity of all women. Whoever she might be and whatever her accomplishments, no woman can escape being identified with Eve. This perception of Eve has endured with remarkable tenacity, and persists today as a major stumbling-block in attempts by women to correct gender-based inequalities between the sexes. But, it has also been argued successfully that Genesis is not inherently partriarchal.
The argument is that, far from being a secondary or dependent being, Eve was in fact the culmination of creation. The order of creation, in which Adam was created first and Eve second, indicated hierarchy; and, therefore Adam's superiority ignores the fact that the animals were created before him. If Adam is superior to the animals, then the hierachy of creation should be reversed and Eve should be seen as God's ultimate creation. At the time of creation, inequality between Adam and Even entered only as a consequence of disobedience. In other words, inequality between the sexes was not originally part of the divine plan. It, therefore, follows that attempts by woman today to restore equality are in keeping with God's original plan.

1st Reading: Gen 2:4b-9, 15-17
Gospel: Mk 7:14-23

Jesus called the people to him again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and try to understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can make that person unclean. It is what comes out from within that makes one unclean. Let everyone who has ears listen." When Jesus got home and was away from the crowd, his disciples asked him about this saying and he replied, "So even you are dull? Do you not see that whatever comes from outside cannot make a person unclean? Since it enters, not the heart but the stomach and is finally passed out." Thus Jesus declared that all foods are clean. And he went on, "What comes out of a person is what defiles, for evil designs come out of the heart: theft, murder, adultery, jealousy, greed, maliciousness, deceit, indecency, slander, pride and folly. All these evil things come from within and make a person unclean."

Let's imagine Adam in his state of innocence, uncomprehending of what is being told to him, and certainly uncomprehending of the possible consequences of his actions. Now, flash forward the present time where good and evil are much in the news. The accounts of good and evil, put before us, presume our knowledge of good from evil. But, they often lack the nuance we might find useful in trying to distinguish right from wrong.

We recognize that not everything "good" is good; nor is everything called "evil" not good. There is a fundamental tendency to define "good" as that which is in the interest of the self and to define "evil" as that which stands in the way of self-interest. Good and evil are polar opposites of the best and worst of human behavior. So, how do we know what is good from that which is evil? Our faith as Christians charts the course for us and elucidates the dynamic conflict between good and evil that confronts each and every human being. Only by striving always to do good and avoid evil can we achieve a healthy, happy life, walking hand-in-hand through that life with God.

1st Reading: Heb 7:25-8:6
Gospel: Mk 3:7-12

Jesus and his disciples withdrew to the lakeside and a large crowd from Galilee followed him. A great number of people also came from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, Transjordan and from the region of Tyre and Sidon, for they had heard of all that he was doing. Because of the crowd, Jesus told his disciples to have a boat ready for him, to prevent the perople from crushing him. He healed so many that all who had diseases kept pressing towards him to touch him. Even the people who had evil spirits; whenever they saw him, would fall down before him and cry out, "You are the Son of God." But he warned them sternly not to tell anyone who he was.

Remarkably, among the first to witness to Jesus' divinity were the demons, the unclean spirits. Jesus silenced them with a word. He seemed driven by the need to show us who he really was and at the same time he was restrained by a need for silence. Maybe, the reason for his tension was prophetic, so that it might be played out in our witness now, in the charge we have been iven to be bearers of the Word, voices for the Good News. What sort of witnesses does Jesus want us to be? We are witnesses for him by imitating him: speaking a word of healing, of peace, of charity wherever we find ourselves. Shining in our joy! Telling the truth about our forgiveness as freed men and women, and then putting that forgiveness to use as healthy food for our growth in holinesss! We are witnesses for Christ by doing everthing we can for the greater flory of God, by not seeking first our own benefit but the benefit of others, and always telling the truth about our faith in Him.

1st Reading: Heb 7:1-3, 15-17
Gospel: Mk 3:1-6

Jesus entered the synagogue. A man who had a paralyzed hand was there and some people watched Jesus: Would he heal the man on the Sabbath? If he did they could accuse him.
Jesus said to the man with the paralyzed hand, "Stand here in the center." Then he asked them, "What does the Law allow us to do on the sabbath? To do good or to do harm? To save life or to kill?" But they were silent.
Then Jesus looked around at them with anger and deep sadness because they had closed their minds. And he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and his hand was healed. But as soon as the Pharisees left, they met with Herod's supporters, looking for a way to destroy Jesus.

Another Sabbath controversy for Jesus! Though some Pharisees were hoping to accuse him for violating the Sabbath law again, when Jesus saw a man with a physical ailment, he called him over. This man had a withered hand, which disabled him from working for his living; and those who were so afflicted were objects of charity. In anticipation of their criticism, Jesus explained why he should heal on the Sabbath; and then he cured the man. But the Pharisees, even when they could say nothing against his truth, yet would not yield to him. Jesus looked at the root of bitterness in their hearts, their blindness and prejudice, and was saddened by them.
Nowadays, the great healing day is the Sabbath and the healing place is the house of prayer; but our healing is spiritual and the healing power is of Christ. The gospel command is like that recorded here: though our hands are withered, yet if we will not stretch them out, it is our own fault that we are not healed. But we are assured to be healed, if only we outstretch our hands to Christ and receive his power, grace and blessings.

1st Reading: Heb 6:10-20
Gospel: Mk 2:23-28

One sabbath he was walking through grainfields. As his disciples walked along with him, they began to pick the heads of grain and crush them in their hands. Then the Pharisees said to Jesus, "Look! They are doing what is forbidden on the sabbath!" And he said to them, "Have you ever read what David did in his time of need, when he and his men were very hungry? He went into the house of God when Abiathar was High Priest and ate the bread of offering, which only the priests are allowed to eat, and he also gave some to the men who were with him." Then Jesus said to them, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. So the Son of Man is master even of the sabbath."

Here we have the disciples of Jesus picking corn on the Sabbath day, thus violating the Sabbath laws. They were questioned about this and then Jesus clarified the value of the Sabbath day by declaring, "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath." In other words, God's intent was that a day be set aside for physical relaxation and spiritual renewal for man's benefit, not for man's bondage! The Sabbath is still a diving institution; a privelege and benefit, not a task and drudgery. God never designed it to be a burden to us; therefore we must not make it so to ourselves. The Sabbath was instituted for the good of mankind, as living in society, having many wants and troubles, preparing for a state of happiness. We are not made for the Sabbath, as if the keeping of it could be of service to God, nor are we commanded to keep its outward observances, if the hurt us. Even today, the practice we follow of observing the Sabbath, or going to church on Sundays, is to be interpreted according to the rule of mercy and moderation.

1st Reading: Heb 5:1-10
Gospel: Mk 2:18-22

One day, when the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees were fasting, some people asked Jesus, "Why is it that both the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but yours do not?" Jesus answered, "How can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them and on that day they will fast.
"No one sews a piece of new cloth on an old coat, because the new patch will shrink and tear away from the old cloth, making a worse tear. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins, for the wine would burst the skins and then both the wine and the skins would be lost. But new wine, new skins!"

While the law of Moses commanded that one need fast only during the Day of Atonement, the Pharisees had made regulations that fasting should be practiced twice a week. Jesus showed that there was no need to fast unless there was a good reason to do so. What purpose would his disciples have had in fasting when he was with them, like a bridegroom at a wedding, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom to come? Would you fast during a wedding? No, for it is a time of joy and celebration.
At one time or another, we all have observed how strict adherents to a particular law are apt to blame everyone else, who does not fully come up to their own view. We should be willing to bear slander, as long as we are sure that we have done nothing to cause it. It is good in the sight of God that we attend to every reasonable part of our duty, as long as it is in its proper order and season. Any restrictions, put upon us about fasting or abstaining from meat, should be seen exactly for what they are: invitations to exercise moderation in all things!