Friar Daily Reflection
Much Debate
Controversy and debate are not something new in the church. As we hear in today’s first reading even in the earliest church there was “much debate.” Luke begins this chapter by presenting the reason for this debate: “Some who had come down from Judea were...
Pruning the Branches
The gospel today is talking about vineyards. Vineyards are like a garden - sort of. Unlike a garden where you can grow all kinds of flowers and vegetables, vineyards grow one thing: grapes - and usually for making wine. I don’t have a “green thumb” but I can...
Peace
In John’s Gospel just before his passion, death, and resurrection, Jesus prepares his apostles for his imminent physical separation from them with prayer, peace, and a sign of sacrificing service. Today we hear his words about peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace...
St. Catherine of Siena
Today is the Feast Day of St. Catherine of Siena, along with St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of Italy! As a feast day, there are readings specific to the occasion, taken from the First Letter of St. John and the Gospel of Matthew - and these are well chosen...
In my Father’s house…
Today’s gospel also happens to be, in part, the gospel for this coming Sunday - the 5th Sunday of Easter (Year A). The gospel contains the verse we all remember from the King James translation version: “In my Father’s mansion, there are many rooms.” As grand as that...
Evangelist
There are many theories about St. Mark’s life and journeys. But we do know that the Gospel of St. Mark is the earliest of the four Gospels. One of the oldest traditions about Mark says that he traveled with St. Peter and wrote down Peter’s catechesis and discourses,...
Light
Light and darkness are important themes in John’s Gospel right from the beginning up to the end. Today Jesus says very clearly that his mission is to bring the light to those who are in darkness. It only takes one small candle to give enough light to dispel the...
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...
God Made Me Do It!
In today’s first reading we continue to hear the story of the conversion of a Gentile, named Cornelius. Peter’s outreach to non-Jews causes some controversy for the early church who saw themselves as a Jewish sect, that is, Jews who believed that Jesus was the...
Conversion
In today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles we hear the first of three different accounts of the conversion of St. Paul (Acts 9:1-20; 22:3-16; 26:2-18). Paul was a zealous persecutor of the early church but became a zealous Christian. Paul encounters...