Comments from the men

In response to the reading of Mark 8:1-36, the men commented especially about the Twelve. Here are some of the comments:

1. Sal: They received help from the Holy Spirit within because they needed to get sight and to act.
2. Scott: They had recently fed 5000 and were now in the same situation and were STILL clueless.
3. Joe: Peter was still stuck in that double line of thought,
   1. Jesus is the Messiah, and
   2. he wants Jesus to kick the Romans out.

Peter only understands half of it. Let's keep reading Mark's gospel and see what we can see.

Grace of repentance

What plunder does Jesus reclaim?

1. The enemy, "the strong man," cannot steal our chance for heaven.
2. Deacon Alfonsus Magnus reviewed Romans 8:38-39. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
3. We discussed the process of repentance and Sal spoke up about the thief on the cross next to Jesus. Even at the last moment, God's power to save was 100% available to the "good" thief.
4. Sal also brought up an example from Bishop Fulton Sheen.

It makes one think: Just how powerful IS the Holy Spirit?

CCC 539

The evangelists indicate the salvific meaning of this mysterious event: Jesus is the new Adam who remained faithful just where the first Adam had given in to temptation. Jesus fulfils Israel's vocation perfectly: in contrast to those who had once provoked God during forty years in the desert, Christ reveals himself as God's Servant, totally obedient to the divine will. In this, Jesus is the devil's conqueror: he "binds the strong man" to take back his plunder. Jesus' victory over the tempter in the desert anticipates victory at the Passion, the supreme act of obedience of his filial love for the Father.