Mark's gospel is often referred to as the Kingdom gospel, because it flows from the initial Kingdom proclamation found in today's reading.

 We, like the listeners in Galilee, are invited to reform and believe. Immediately following this invitation, we have two examples of what the invitation requires.

 The first fishermen immediately abandon their nets, and the sons of Zebedee not only abandon their nets, they also abandon their father. Neither our possessions nor our families must stand in the way of our following the path that will be set forth in the remainder of Mark's gospel.

Fr. Greeley's Last Book:

  We can go to Ireland for the summer, a mother and father announced to their children at this time of the year not so long ago. The response was underwhelming. The older teen said the Irish are creepy people, they talk all the time and they talk funny. Besides I want to spend summer with my friends, they’re a lot neater than Irish kids.

 It’s a great offer, the parents said. All the kids are free both on planes and in the cottage we’ll rent in Ireland.

 Cottage said the younger teen. I don’t want to live in any cottage. Is it air-conditioned in Ireland? Besides I have early football practice. You don’t need air conditioning in Ireland, said the parents and cottage is really a nice house and theirs a town near by where they sing all the old Irish songs. I don’t want to sing Irish songs, said the older grammar school kid. I want to hear rock and roll music (which, by the way is all you hear in Ireland these days too). You’ll have a grand time when you get to know Irish kids your age. I don’t want to meet any Irish kids my age said the younger. I like my friends in America. They’re a lot more fun.

 A crazy waste of opportunity, you say?

 How many opportunities have we wasted in life for reason that are pretty similar.

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Psalm 25:4-9

4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation;  for you I wait all the day long.
6 Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth, or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness' sake, O LORD!
8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

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Why Stay Catholic?
Catholic publishing eminence Leach asks, and answers, a good question that the nation’s second largest non-congregation – the church of ex-Catholics poses.
This book has a chapter about Fr. Greeley and is dedicated to him. Great read!
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