Our first reading today, 1 Peter 1:10–16, comes near the beginning of the letter and follows Peter’s reflection on the living hope Christians have through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It has...
Holy Living
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Friar Reflection
Mary, Mother of the Church
Today we celebrate both Memorial Day and the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. Following on the Feast of Pentecost yesterday we continue to reflect today on the mystery of...
One in Christ
As Christians we live in communion with God. Our baptism makes us part of God’s life. We are grafted into the life of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, just as a gardener grafts a new branch...
Pharisees
In today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles Paul defends himself before the Jewish Sanhedrin. He claims he is on trial for his belief in the resurrection: “My brothers, I am a Pharisee,...
Sent With Joy And Truth
Today we see Jesus at the Last Supper with the apostles in Jerusalem imparting his last catechesis, prayer, and blessings on them. Being a farewell message, you would think it would have to be a...
The High Priestly Prayer
Over that last two weeks and more we have heard passages from the Gospel of John that together are known as the “Farewell Discourse.” The discourse covers four chapters and often seems to be...
Widows and Orphans
The words of today’s Psalm reveal something essential about the heart of God: “The father of orphans and the defender of widows is God in his holy dwelling. God gives a home to the forsaken.” This...
Do Not Be Afraid
In today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles God tells Paul: “Do not be afraid.” This phrase is found often in the Scripture and even in the hymn “Be Not Afraid” that we hear often at...
Choosing
In today’s Gospel Jesus calls his disciples to live in the joy of his love and he reminds them that he was the one who chose them. He was the one who broke into their lives interrupting the sadness...
Existence
St. Paul was an excellent evangelizer. He arrives in Athens and would have been identified by the locals as an immigrant, foreigner, outsider, tourist, and Jew. When he arrived in Athens, he took...