A choice is put before us in today’s Gospel: the way of the cross or the way of earthly honor and glory. Jesus continues in today’s Gospel to teach his disciples that he is to be a suffering...
The Greatest
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Friar Reflection
The Messiah
Beware when you hear someone say: “I have it all figured out, I understand it completely.” I always find that right after I have “mastered” a subject I realize there is much more that I do not know...
Enduring Mercy
If you’ve been following the posts about the daily readings from Genesis we have covered the creation story, the rebellion in the Garden of Eden, Cain’s murder of Abel, and the first part of the...
Divine Regrets
Yesterday’s post was a bit of speculation about our ideas of original sin, rebellion from the authority of God, the biblical account, and their interface with science - specifically genetics. The...
The Rebellion Spreads
Last Friday the first reading, from Genesis, recounted the story of “original sin.” It is an event known by various monikers, among which are: “the fall of man,” “the fall from grace,” “paradise...
Children and Dogs
Jesus’ words addressed to the Syrophoenician woman in today’s Gospel are very harsh: “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” ...
Unclean Foods
Jesus’ teaching in today’s Gospel would have shocked many of his fellow Jews. When he teaches that “everything that goes into a person from the outside cannot defile” they would have been shocked...
Purpose and Chaos
The first readings from daily Mass for the first two days of this week are taken from Genesis, Chapter 1 into the opening verses of Genesis 2. It is a familiar story to all from children to...
In the Beginning
Today’s first reading begins with the beginning: “In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty...
Love of God
The author of Hebrews brings his work to a conclusion with an exhortation to love: “Let mutual love continue.” Throughout this work the author moves between exhortations, “love one another,” and...
Repentance
In today’s Gospel Jesus sends out the Twelve to expand his mission of healing and repentance. Jesus calls the Twelve and sends (apostello) them out on mission. The vocation or “calling” of these...
Perseverance
Today’s first reading is taken from Hebrews 12 beginning with verse 4. This long passage of exhortation that follows needs to be understood in the context of yesterday’s reading which included...