One year, when Valentine’s Day fell on a Sunday, the pastor of a small parish had an idea to mark the occasion. As couples came into church, ushers would present each wife with a rose. During...
Gratitude not Jealousy
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Friar Reflection
Eye of the Needle
In today’s Gospel we have the famous expression: “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again, I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass...
What must I do?
The question of the young man in today’s Gospel is a question, I am sure, all of us have asked at one time or another: “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” Jesus gives what seems to...
The Assumption
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven is the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her earthly life. This belief is part of the treasury of the Roman Catholic...
The God of Mercy
Today’s Responsorial Psalm has the refrain, “His mercy endures forever.” It is an important refrain that we need to keep repeating because as we pray these words, we are not only talking to God but...
Forgiven
When was the last time you made a dumb, embarrassing, costly mistake and you were not only forgiven but helped to make things right? Was there a time when your frustration caused you to lash out,...
The Feast of St. Clare of Assisi
Today across the Church universal and especially among the Franciscan communities, we celebrate the Feast of St. Clare of Assisi. It is a very appropriate Gospel chosen for the feast day. In the...
Love and Hate
“Whoever loves their life loses it, and whoever hates their life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.” Hate yourself! At first this seems to be what Jesus is demanding in today’s...
Paying Attention
Would that acquiring our funds for paying taxes were simply a matter of taking an afternoon off and going fishing. Wouldn’t that be nice! I think today’s Gospel is one of those accounts which people...
Transfiguration
This had to be a special moment in the lives of the disciples. They had been with Jesus for some time and had experienced the ups and downs of Jesus’ ministry. The miraculous cures, the messages...
Peter – the Rocky Rock
Saints never have a bad day, never do anything wrong, they are “goody two-shoes.” At least that is what I thought growing up and why I had such a difficult time identifying with saints. They were...
Crossing Over
I am sure each one of us has our own story of a time when we came to that bridge too far and we didn’t cross over. Didn’t cross over, couldn’t cross over, refused to cross over – these are very...