It’s a late December day in Jerusalem. Jesus is walking in the Temple area, and as usual, he's drawing a crowd during the Feast of the Dedication (better known to us as Hanukkah). The people have...
Belonging
read more
Friar Reflection
I Didn’t Want to Do It!
God made me do it! Peter defends himself in today’s first reading from Acts by claiming, “I didn’t want to do it, God made me do it!” What did Peter do? He went to non-Jews, Gentiles, and...
Habemus Papam
VATICAN CITY — Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, the Chicago-born prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops under Pope Francis, was elected the 267th pope May 8 and took the name Pope Leo XIV. He is the first...
New Life
Today at the Mass for the children of the parish elementary school, the gospel reading is taken from John 20, the scene on Easter morning when Mary Magdalene encounters the risen Jesus. As part of...
Openness to Evangelize
The joy of the resurrection profoundly changed the lives of the first disciples. That joy was explosive in them. They felt compelled to announce and share their faith experience. Today’s reading...
Bread of Life
Who is Jesus? This question is the core question of our faith and the core question in John’s Gospel. In today’s Gospel Jesus answers this question: “I am the bread of life.” Jesus has used...
The Person of Jesus
After witnessing Jesus’ many healings and even the multiplication of the loaves, the people continue to insist that they want a miraculous proof of who he is in order to obey or believe in him. The...
Martyr
In today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles we hear the story of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. The Greek word “martyr” means witness. In the beginning of Acts the risen Jesus...
Fighting Against God
In today’s first reading from Acts we hear the Jewish Pharisee Gamaliel give wise and sage advice. He advises restraint in their dealings with the early Jewish Christian Community. He refers to...
False Righteousness vs Witnessing
The apostles and first disciples were completely transformed by the experience of the risen Lord in their lives. Their joy was so explosive that they felt impelled to announce and share their...
Living in Love Beyond Reason
The Old Testament is a description of God’s continuous fidelity to his people and the people’s almost constant disobedience and their willful wandering away from him. God sent the prophets and holy...
Being Born Again
One of the questions we priest occasionally receive is about our ability to prepare people for marriage - since we were never married, or to speak to families about dynamics that arise in families -...