Friar Daily Reflection
A Word of Exhortation
In today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles Paul gives the homily (“word of exhortation”) during a Sabbath synagogue service at Antioch in Pisidia. The synagogue service was much like our Liturgy of the Word of Mass. There are prayers and hymns and then...
The Light
Jesus’ comments in today’s Gospel reading were made at the time of his triumphal entry into Jerusalem just before his passion, death, and resurrection. He was surrounded by a large crowd of enthusiastic disciples who each saw him in their own way as a new prophet, a...
Voices
In the gospel reading for today we heard Jesus tell some bystanders who wanted Jesus to plainly say that he was the Messiah. Jesus replied: “But you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them...
The Good Shepherd
Shepherds were very common in Jesus’ time and in the area where Jesus went about preaching and teaching. So, it made sense to use them as concrete images for his teaching. In the Old Testament Jewish Kings and other political and religious leaders were describes as...
The Call of St. Paul
Today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles is the story of St. Paul’s call or conversion. We have three accounts of Paul’s conversion in Acts (9:1-18; 22:3-16; 26:2-18) as well as Paul’s own description of his experience on the road to Damascus: “For you...
The Bread of Life
In today’s Gospel Jesus once again solemnly declares: “I am the bread of life.” Jesus himself gives the gift of eternal life to those who come to him and believe in him. Jesus fulfills our deepest longings as he has proclaimed just a few verses earlier: “I am the...
The Will of the Father
When I was in college I had my favorite hamburger chain. It had bigger burgers, more toppings and it was made to order. When I would come home every three years from Peru for vacation in the States, everyone knew that whoever picked me up at the airport had to take me...
Bold St. Stephen
The Acts of the Apostles is an astounding and inspiring testimony of faith of the first Christian community in Jerusalem. Today we look at St Stephen, the first martyr. His preaching was bold and direct. He calls the people to conversion. He points out to the people...
The Work of Gop
Today’s Gospel is the beginning of what is commonly called the “Bread of Life Discourse.” In this discourse Jesus declares: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” (John 6:34). This discourse...
Fighting God
In today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear the sage advice of Rabbi Gamaliel, a Pharisee and renowned teacher of the law in Jerusalem. He was also the teacher of St. Paul as he himself testifies later in Acts: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in...