Today’s Gospel describes the first commissioning of the Twelve Apostles. Jesus actually sends his disciples twice, once in today’s reading (10:1-7) and the second time in the so-called the “Great...
Twelve Apostles
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Friar Reflection
Reap the Whirlwind
In today’s first reading, the Northern Kingdom of Israel is being warned about the choices they have made and are making - and the consequences of those choices should they continue. As a whole,...
Hope
Amid his daughter’s sickness the synagogue official had hope. His faith formed the central part of his life. He organized everything around that center point of faith. His faith and hope pushed him...
The Public Sinner
When we think of Jesus’ miracles, we usually think of the curing of sick people, the calming of the storm, or the raising of the dead. Today we see another miracle. Matthew was a tax collector for...
God or King?
In today’s first reading the prophet Amos is accused of treason against the Israelite king Jeroboam by the priest Amaziah: “Amos has conspired again you… For this is what Amos says: Jeroboam shall...
Doubting Thomas or Believing Thomas?
Today is the feast of the apostle Thomas, popularly known as doubting Thomas. Why? Because as we hear in today’s Gospel Thomas declared: “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my...
The Storm: Terror or Faith
Once again Jesus shows his disciples and us who he really is. In a boat on the Sea of Galilee suddenly surrounded and overwhelmed by a storm, the disciples who as fishermen, would have known the...
Voices that Disturb
If you lived in the northern part of Israel some 750 years before Jesus, you were living during the reign of King Jeroboam II. The economy is good, the neighboring countries are envious of your...
By the Rivers of Babylon
Today’s Responsorial Psalm is the heart wrenching lament: “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” The cause of this great lament in described in the first reading from...
The Rock
Well, this is it! Today we come to the end of the Sermon the Mount after almost three weeks of listening to excerpts from Matthew’s three full chapters. These last words of Jesus to end his Sermon...
False Prophets
In today’s Gospel Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mount. In his Sermon Jesus teaches what it means to be his disciple and what we as his disciples are called to do. At the beginning of his...
The Path and The Gate
Now that I am over 60 years old my ankles and knees don’t function correctly anymore. So, I tend to choose my exercise or walking paths with care. No more mountain paths with mud, stones, and fallen...