Audio Divina

Second Sunday of Lent: As Jesus calls disciples, his transfiguration shows and tells who he is, and why all who claim to follow him must listen to him.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for the 2nd Sunday of Lent, Year B.

Gospel Reading: Mark 9:2-10

This week’s readers are Dino and Julia

Narrated and Produced by Br Jeff Miller SDB

For more information visit:
www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

"If you want to... Of course I want to!"

The opening cycle of Jesus' miracles comes to a close in this encounter with a leper, who is ostracised from society and regarded as ritually impure.

The sick man recognises Jesus' authority, convinced that Jesus can heal him. Jesus' response breaks through the evil of ill-health and of man-made taboos.

Jesus does not want to be known simply as the local miracle worker from Capernaum - he came to break down divisions, to bring joy, health, goodness, and to lead all of those who call themselves followers of Jesus to the same mission.

In various ways, our struggling world continues to cry out for help. May our response always be "Of course I want to!"

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for The 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B.

Gospel Reading: Mark 1:40-45

This week’s readers are David and Promise

Narrated and Produced by Michael Gartland

For more information visit:
www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

The Kingdom of God Must Go Elsewhere:

Jesus remains closely associated with the town of Capernaum as the goodness and healing of the Kingdom of God that comes in his words and deeds impact upon Simon Peter's mother-in-law.

Taking her by the hand, and allowing her to serve a meal not only restores her to health, but breaks through the many socially determined taboos associated with women at that time. Miracles multiply, and those possessed by demons are freed.

Jesus' authority sweeps all evil away, but he must withdraw to share with the source of all that he is and does - God. But the disciples want to go back to Capernaum.

They are becoming famous! Jesus will not go back. The Gospel and the Kingdom of God must spread further. For this purpose Jesus came into the world.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for The 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B.

Gospel Reading: Mark 1:29-39

This week’s readers are Georgina and Michael

Narrated and Produced by Michael Gartland

For more information visit:
www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

An Authoritative Teaching That is New:

No longer alone, Jesus teaches in the Synagogue in Capernaum. All wonder at the newness and authority of his teaching. Then he teaches in a different way. He overcomes the presence of evil in the demon possessed man, reducing the demon to silence, even though the demon knows that Jesus is "the Christ of God." The people recognise that this is also a "new teaching." Jesus shows that he is bringing in the Kingdom of God by overcoming the power of evil my his more powerful divine presence, in word and in deed.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for The 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B.

Gospel Reading: Mark 1:21-28

This week’s readers are Rose and James

Narrated and Produced by Michael Gartland

For more information visit:
www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

A Vocation that Costs no Less than Everything: Bursting onto the scene alone, Jesus announces that the Kingdom of God is at hand. His first action is to call others to follow him. As he journeys towards a destiny that only God can determine, he asks that others join him as followers. They must come after him. Leaving all that their peers would regard as the sign of their great success as fishermen at the Lake of Galilee, they will be associated with Jesus in bringing the Word of God and the Kingdom of God to others. They will act as God's fishermen, empowered by their association with Jesus.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for The Baptism of the Lord, Year B.

Gospel Reading: Mark 1:7-11

This week’s readers are Jen and Joseph

Narrated and Produced by Michael Gartland

For more information visit:
www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

What is it that You Expect from Jesus?: Like all the Gospels, John opens with the call of the first disciples. The Baptist points away from himself, directing his disciples to the Lamb of God. The first disciples seek him out, and he asks them what they are looking for in him.

They have their own answers and expectations. They are not wrong, but they still have a long way to go in their journey as disciples. Jesus will not be the Messiah they expect, but the one who has come to do the will of his Father, and to draw us into that challenging world.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for The 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B.

Gospel Reading: John 1:35-42

This week’s readers are Mika and Mapolo

Narrated and Produced by Michael Gartland

For more information visit:
www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

My Son The Beloved: The Baptism of Jesus leads us from our celebration of the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus, to reflection upon the ministry among us that lies ahead of him. The Baptist introduces Jesus, who has not yet appeared in the story, as the more powerful one who baptises in the Spirit. At the baptism the heavens open and a voice announces who Jesus is. The divine communicates with the human: Jesus is the beloved Son of God. Someone from God will exercise his messianic ministry among us. We are called to be part of the presence of God among all people that necessarily generates a cross. The divine and the human intersect.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for The Baptism of the Lord, Year B.

Gospel Reading: Mark 1:7-11

This week’s readers are Jen and Joseph

Narrated and Produced by Michael Gartland

For more information visit:
www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

A Child Reveals God to the World: Within the Christmas cycle we meet the wise men from the East who are not Jews but know that a King has been born. Their obedient journey brings them to Jerusalem, where they learn that the Scripture says the child will be born in Bethlehem. The wise men represent the world outside Israel who enter God's design, recognise and honour the newborn King. Obedience to the ways of God leads to the revelation of God to the whole world.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for The Epiphany of the Lord, Year B.

Gospel Reading: Matt 2:1-12

This week’s readers are Jennifer and Isaac

Narrated by Michael Gartland

Produced by Michael Gartland and Ashley Trethowan

For more information visit:
www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

Unshakable Trust in the Ways of God:

Mary and Joseph respond without question to the Law of Israel as they present their first-born in the Temple. They are told that their child brings Israel's story to a turning point, bringing salvation to Israel and all other nations. However, suffering lies ahead.

A sword will pierce Mary's heart, and Jesus' life and ministry will lead to the rise and fall of many in Israel. This family is not able to understand what all this might mean, but they do not question the ways of God.

 Mary treasures all these things in her heart, as she, Joseph and their child obediently return to Nazareth, open to whatever God may have in store for them and for their child.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for The Holy Family, Year B.

Gospel Reading: Luke 2:22-40

This week’s readers are Anna and Br Jeff

Produced and Narrated by Michael Gartland

For more information visit:
www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

The Word became Flesh: The Prologue to the Gospel of John is among the most profound passages in the Bible. It tells of the pre-existent union of love between God and the Word, the Word's saving gifts of light and life, and our ambiguous response. But the Word is Jesus Christ who dwelt among us, showing us the wonderful presence of God's saving truth. Those who accept that truth become children of God.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for Christmas Day, Year B.

Gospel Reading: John 1:1-18

This week’s readers are Pauline and Dominic

Narrated by Michael Gartland

Produced by Michael Gartland and Ashley Trethowan

For more information visit:
www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

Swaddling cloths and a manger on the road: Luke's account of a birth of Jesus, as with the appearance of John the Baptist, is fixed in a given time and place. But it is surrounded by the symbols of swaddling cloths, only used for a king, a manger, from which Israel should be nourished, recognition by the simplest of people, the Shepherds, and the heavenly proclamation of God's glory. Jesus is born on a journey, for a journey.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for Christmas Eve, Year B

Gospel Reading: Luke 2:1-14

This week’s readers are Miranda and Luc

Narrated by Michael Gartland

Produced by Michael Gartland and Ashley Trethowan

For more information visit:
www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

Accepting the Word of God: 

The final Sunday of Advent points toward Christmas Day with a Gospel reflection on the Annunciation to Mary of Nazareth. One of the most beloved Christian images of Mary, we need to recognise that she struggles to accept what God is asking of her.

In the first moment she is dumbfounded, wondering what this might mean. Then she asks a perfectly logical question - how can this be? Only when she recognises God's active presence, making the impossible take place, does she utter her famous acceptance of God's word.

Mary of Nazareth leads the way in our journeys of faith that move from puzzlement, to logic, and sometimes to an eventual acceptance of what God wants from us.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for 4th Sunday of Advent, Year B.

Gospel Reading: Luke 1: 26-38

Gospel read by Ed and Raqael 

Narrated and produced by Michael Gartland

For more information visit:

www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

I am not the Christ: 

The Roman liturgy devotes two Sundays to the figure of John the Baptist to help us prepare for Christmas. In the Gospel of John he is presented as being "sent by God", the only character in the Gospel who has this status and thus renders authentic witness to Jesus.

He does it negatively, by refusing to accept the messianic roles that the leaders of Israel would like to pin on him: the Christ, Elijah, the Prophet.

He insists: "I am not"! In this way he prepares for someone who will repeatedly insists: "I am he"! He points beyond himself to someone who cannot be understood in traditional messianic categories.

No matter how important the Baptist might be, the one who is to come outstrips anything he may represent. The mystery of God among us has been announced.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year B.

Gospel Reading: John 1: 6-8, 19-28

Gospel read by Lauren and Tony

Narrated and produced by Michael Gartland

For more information visit:

www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

The Witness of John the Baptist: 

The opening page of the Gospel of Mark presents two amazing witnesses to the coming of Jesus.

First of all, the voice of God calls out, through the prophecy of Isaiah, promising someone who will prepare the way of the Lord. God is coming to us in "the Lord," and his messenger will go before him.

The second witness is John the Baptist who also uses images and language to tell us that the divine is entering our story: the mightier one, someone who will baptise, not with water, but with the spirit of God.

These Advent witnesses leave no doubt about the importance of the one who is about to come to us at Christmas: this man will be the Son of God.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for 2nd Sunday of Advent, Year B.

Gospel Reading: Mark 1: 1-8

Gospel read by Matthew and Steph

Narrated and produced by Michael Gartland

For more information visit:

www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

The Two Advents of Jesus: 

Today’s Gospel reading comes from the end of Jesus' ministry in the Gospel of Mark,  repeating much of what we encountered in the final weeks of our reflections on Matthew.

Advent opens with a parable about a Master who leaves his servants to administer his household while he is away.

The servants know their Master as they wait for his return. Advent is about the two comings of Jesus. He is already among us because of the incarnation, the coming we celebrate at Christmas.

But he will come again as our judge. In the meantime, we are to always be ready for the coming of our Lord and God.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for 1st Sunday of Advent, Year B.

Gospel Reading: Mark 13: 33-37

Gospel read by Chi and Pat

Narrated and produced by Michael Gartland

For more information visit:

www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

Recognising Jesus in the Least of his Brethren: 

Closing our year of reflection upon the Gospel of Matthew, we hear of Jesus’ Lordship over the good and the evil.

In a remarkable account, we are told that we will not be judged by our achievements but by the way we have treated the least of the brethren of Jesus – those who are in most need.

The parable of the talents that we reflected on last week told us that we have been greatly gifted and our final encounter with the Word of God from Matthew's Gospel asks us to reflect on how well we have shared those gifts.

Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for Christ the King, Year A.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 25: 31-46

Gospel read by Jos and Anne-Maree

Narrated and produced by Michael Gartland

For more information visit:

www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina