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...
Order and Purpose
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Friar Reflection
The Beginning
For the next two weeks our first reading will be taken from Genesis (Chapters 1-11), the first book of our Bible. The first book of the Bible begins, appropriately enough, with the “beginnings:”...
Building Character
Today is the Feast of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr. We know more about the devotion to Saint Blaise by Christians around the world than we know about the saint himself. We do know he suffered...
Presentation in the Temple
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. As we hear in today’s Gospel Mary and Joseph, as good and pious Jews, bring Jesus up to the Temple in Jerusalem to...
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...
Restoration of Life and Faith
In today’s Gospel we hear of the curing of Jairus’ daughter and of the woman with the hemorrhage. The earliest examples of Christian art are found in the catacombs. There is a painting of the...
For Many, A Missed Encounter and For One, Healing and Mission
The man from the tombs was so sick and disorientated that he had no relationship or understanding with other people nor with himself. He could only live among the dead in the cemetery doing injury...
Light: A Service for Others
Jesus emphasizes his teachings today with these comments: “Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.” and “Take care what you hear”. So obviously he wanted to place special importance on these...
The Conversion of St. Paul
Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle. It is an event which we associate with the expression “knocked off your high horse.” It is an association cemented in...
The New Sacrifice: Behold, I Come to Do Your Will, O God
In the first reading Paul proclaims that God does not want burnt offerings and sacrifices from us. This statement would have been shocking to many in Israel who based their faith on keeping the laws...
A House Divided
In today’s gospel Jesus proclaims, “...if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” (Mark 3:25). The gospel says it I believe it, my experience reveals it to be true,...
Shepherds and Kings
January 20th Children's Mass | Ezekiel 34:11-16 and Luke 15:1-7 This coming Sunday is Word of God Sunday when the Catholic Church celebrates the great gift of the Bible. We celebrate the stories...