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Friar Reflection

Discerning the Light

Discerning the Light

In today’s Gospel, Matthew deliberately situates the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry in a very particular place: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali… Galilee of the Gentiles.” This is...

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Testimony

John the Baptist’s role in John’s Gospel is to be a witness and to give testimony.  In the Prologue to the Gospel, we hear: “He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe...

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Mary, Mother of God

Today as we celebrate a New Year, we look to Mary, the servant of the Lord and the Mother of God.  Mary was part of God’s eternal plan which comes to fulfillment in the fullness of time as Paul...

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The Beginning

It all begins with God, and it will all end with God.  This is the theme proclaimed in today’s Gospel from the Prologue to John’s Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,...

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What we love

What we love

St. John’s words in today’s reading are at once tender and challenging. He begins not with correction, but with reassurance: “I am writing to you, children, because your sins have been forgiven for...

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Maybe in my lifetime

Maybe in my lifetime

Today’s gospel from St. Luke is the narration of the Presentation in the Temple. The presentation that was required 40 days after Jesus’ nativity to complete Mary's ritual purification after...

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The Days of Promise

The Days of Promise

I hope you have been following the readings here during the final week of Advent. These have been the gospel readings: Friday: the “annunciation” of the birth of Zechariah, the father of John the...

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The Magnificat

Today’s Gospel is the “Canticle of Mary” also called the Magnificat (from the Latin “to magnify, to praise”).  Mary gives praise and thanks to God for calling her to be the mother of Jesus, to be...

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How?

In today’s Gospel Luke tells us the story of the Annunciation of the birth not of Jesus but the Annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist.  The angel appears to the priest Zechariah as he was...

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