In today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles God tells Paul: “Do not be afraid.” This phrase is found often in the Scripture and even in the hymn “Be Not Afraid” that we hear often at...
Do Not Be Afraid
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Friar Reflection
Choosing
In today’s Gospel Jesus calls his disciples to live in the joy of his love and he reminds them that he was the one who chose them. He was the one who broke into their lives interrupting the sadness...
Existence
St. Paul was an excellent evangelizer. He arrives in Athens and would have been identified by the locals as an immigrant, foreigner, outsider, tourist, and Jew. When he arrived in Athens, he took...
The Paraclete
“But now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for...
Parting of Ways
Christianity roots are in Judaism. Jesus and all the apostles, including St. Paul, were all Jewish. As good Jews they would make the yearly pilgrimage to the Jerusalem Temple for the Feast of...
Burdens and Necessities
In the first reading today, the apostles and elders, after prayer and discernment, send a message to the Gentile believers. And at the heart of that message is this line: “It is the decision of the...
Joy
We have been listening to Jesus’ farewell words to the apostles at the Last Supper. These are his last catechesis. He speaks about his passion, death, and resurrection. It seems that at that moment...
The Essentials
The first reading today begins with a very strong claim: “Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved.” That is not a small disagreement; it is a statement about...
Peace
The Easter season is a time to renew ourselves in the basic Christian virtues that grow out of our experience of the risen Christ in our daily lives. St Paul calls the basic virtues faith, hope, and...
The Advocate
In today’s Gospel Jesus makes a promise to his first disciples and to all of us. His promise is to send the gift of the holy Spirit. Right before today’s Gospel Jesus promises that he will never...
Mary and Service
Today we start the month of May which is dedicated to Mary. May is a time of Easter joy. May is a time of beauty where spring is in full swing with all the new flowers starting to bloom and the...
A Word of Exhortation
In today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles Paul gives the homily (“word of exhortation”) during a Sabbath synagogue service at Antioch in Pisidia. The synagogue service was much like...