Deep End

The Deep End invites readers to come on a journey through the story of Mark’s Gospel, and follows on from the first two books in this series which explored Luke and Matthew. Through a series of reflections on the Sunday Gospels of Year B, it offers a fresh perspective for anyone who wants to explore how the Word of God is relevant for today.

The first of the Gospels to be written, Mark urges readers to remain faithful during difficult times. Mark’s community were likely being persecuted because of their faith in Jesus; the community was struggling, crumbling, with many giving up their Christian faith. Mark’s Gospel is written to console them, but it also has a critical view of those who claim to be disciples of Jesus; Mark is clear that following Jesus involves self-sacrifice and service for the sake of God’s Kingdom. As a result, it is not the disciples who are the heroes of this story but a cast of minor characters who shine through the narrative, unexpectedly demonstrating a greater understanding. True discipleship is the gradual unfolding of greater insight or ‘seeing’. Mark invites us all to see more clearly.

From the outset Mark proclaims Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, but he is not the Messiah that people were expecting. Mark proclaims a crucified Messiah, something that was a scandal to Jesus’ contemporaries, Mark’s readers, and perhaps to us today. Jesus profoundly models a different way, transgressing boundaries and fast becoming a threat to the establishment. Mark’s Gospel is not for the faint hearted, written to challenge and disturb, it tells the story of what it really means to be a follower of Jesus.

The book includes tips for prayer and meditation to nourish ourselves throughout the liturgical year, as well as practical suggestions for living out our faith in the modern world. Following on from our inclusion of the Season of Creation in previous editions, we continue to focus on the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.

As we navigate Mark’s Gospel, we hope to address the question of how this Gospel is relevant for everyday life in all its complexities and in doing so, offer a nourishing spirituality grounded in the Word of God.

Tríona Doherty is a journalist, writer and editor. She has worked in regional journalism for more than ten years, most recently with the Westmeath Independent, and is a former editor of Reality magazine. Tríona has carried out editing for Redemptorist Communications, CatholicIreland.net, Messenger Publications and the Carmelite Institute of Britain and Ireland. She also works with Good Shepherd Ireland to help promote their work with asylum seekers, refugees, and vulnerable women and children. Originally from Kells, Co Meath, Tríona lives in Athlone with her husband and eight-year-old son.

Jane Mellett currently works as the Laudato Si’ Officer for Trócaire. Prior to this she was a Parish Pastoral Worker for the Archdiocese of Dublin and has worked in the area of pastoral ministry for over ten years. A native of Carlow, Jane is a qualified spiritual director, yoga teacher and retreat facilitator. Jane also completed a Masters in International Development in 2010 (Kimmage Development Studies Centre, Dublin). She writes for a number of publications including the Laudato Si’ column in The Irish Catholic and has contributed articles to Reality and Messenger magazines. In 2018 Jane walked 1,000km from Italy to Poland, as part of the Climate Pilgrimage, carrying the message of Laudato Si’ from Rome to the United Nations climate conference (COP24).