In today’s Gospel is Jesus’ most difficult and challenging teaching. It was difficult in the 1st century, and it is difficult in our time, especially today as we remember the terrorist attack of...
Love Your Enemies
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Friar Reflection
Seek What Is Above
Today’s first reading from Colossians exhorts us to “seek what is above” in other words, to seek and do the will of God. We know the will of God because through our baptism we are already “living”...
One Night of Prayer – Explosive Action: 12 Apostles, Healing, Preaching, and Curing
Once again, the Gospel relates to us a typical day in the life of Jesus at the beginning of his public ministry. And once again, we see the importance of prayer in his life and consequently in our...
Family Stories
Today you might ask a new neighbor or a new parishioner, “Where are you from?” It is a normal question. Growing up in the South it was equally likely for someone to ask, “Who are your people?”...
Jesus and God
In today’s first reading from Colossians Paul is probably quoting from a very early Christian hymn. This hymn sings and teaches us about Jesus and therefore about the one true God. First, we hear...
Deep Water
The life of professional fishermen does not change much. There is the repetitive flow of the seasons and the work of casting nets, repairing nets, and hauling fish. Peter, James, and John knew all...
Preaching, Healing, Prayer, and Then…
It is interesting to see how Jesus started his public ministry. In Luke’s Gospel after his baptism by John and the temptations in the desert, Jesus begins his public ministry in his hometown of...
The Day of the Lord
“The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2) – so proclaims our first reading. I have to admit “like a thief in the night” is a disturbing simile. But the...
Fulfilled in your Hearing
Today our Gospel begins a largely continuous reading from the Gospel of Luke at the weekday masses. Today’s Gospel is often referred to as Jesus’ inaugural or programmatic address. He attends the...
The Heartbreak of John the Baptist
In today’s gospel we heard the well known account of the beheading of John the Baptist. I have to admit, I wonder if John should have played the long game. He didn’t need to call out King Herod. It...