In today’s Gospel Jesus promises his disciples to never leave them alone. God’s presence will continue to be with them in the person of the Holy Spirit: “I have told you this while I am with you....
Friar Reflection
The Way
Jesus says goodbye! Today’s Gospel is part of Jesus’ Farewell Discourse in John’s Gospel. As part of his “Last Will and Testament” Jesus tells his disciples and us what is central or most...
The Courage to Share Faith
The first disciples were transformed by the experience of the risen Christ in their lives. These ordinary neighbors – young adults or older adults, men, women, tax collectors, fisherman, day...
Remain in His Love
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.” (John...
St. Matthias
According to the Acts of the Apostles, chosen by God through the apostles to replace Judas Iscariot following the latter's betrayal of Jesus and his subsequent death. His calling as an apostle is...
Belonging
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...
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...