What does it mean to be related to Jesus? In today’s Gospel Jesus puts this question to the crowd: “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Jesus replies that whoever does God’s will is related...
Who Is My Mother
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Friar Reflection
The Verdict
This summer we have taken time to consider the first reading from daily Mass. The reading from the Prophet Micah is well matched to the Gospel in which the scribes and the Pharisees are asking for a...
The Feast of St. Bonaventure
In many ways St. Bonaventure is a Saint for the times in which we live - when divisions are ripe and the unity of a nation is being sorely tested. In the years while St. Francis was alive, the...
Come to Me
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened.…” Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel have often been a source of comfort and strength to those facing suffering and even death. Jesus invites each of us...
You Have Revealed It to The Childlike
When I went to Peru, I had a nine-month plan set-up for my deacon internship – nine months to learn Spanish and then return to the USA to work with one of our Latino parishes. When we were in the...
The Gift of Hospitality
Trappist: Living in the Land of Desire is Michael Downey’s portrait of the community of Trappist monks living The Rule of Saint Benedict at Our Lady of Mepkin Abbey outside Charleston, South...
Shrewd as Serpents, Simple as Doves
In today’s Gospel Jesus sends his apostles out on a mission. The Greek word apostolos means one who is sent. Jesus sends out these apostles to continue and expand his mission. To become an...
The Heart of Christian Life
This week in the reading from the Old Testament, we have been listening to the message of Hosea. Israel had entered a time of relative prosperity and forgot its covenant relationship with God. They...
Mercy and Justice
Recently, the first readings in daily Mass have been from the prophets; last week was Amos and this week we hear from the prophet Hosea. If you would like to read a short introduction to Hosea, you...
In Need of More Shepherds
This passage tells us about the things that moved Jesus the most. He was moved by compassion by the worlds pain. He was moved by compassion for the worlds sick, for those who are blind, for those...
Kind and Merciful
In today’s Responsorial Psalm we proclaim: “The Lord is gracious and merciful.” As this psalm brings out clearly, Jesus was not the first to proclaim a God of mercy and compassion, since it is...
Mercy not Sacrifice
In today’s Gospel Jesus calls us to go and study the Scripture: “Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’” Jesus is asking us to read, to study, and to pray over...