Friar Daily Reflection
The Harder Deal?
How many times have you heard today's Gospel of the landowner who went out to hire laborers for his vineyard? Most often we hear it as a contrast between God's generosity and our sense of fairness. Sometimes it's the ‘it's never too late’ homily. Both are good ways...
Riches As Our Goal
I have often wondered why the disciples were so startled by Jesus’ statement that being rich and being Christian are generally incompatible. None of them were rich. Why were they so disturbed by this statement? Why was Jesus’ encounter with the good, young, rich man...
The grace of restlessness
A young man approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” (Mt 19:16) Jesus answered the young man. “When the young man heard [Jesus’] statement, he went away sad…” (v.22) In the online notes , the US Catholic Bishops note that...
Mission and Witness of Covenant
We continue to hear the prophet Ezekiel condemn the people of Israel for their infidelities. Through the protection and action of God, Israel grew from a being an abandoned, discarded, and enslaved into having the dignity and shining beauty of a queen. But the people...
Forgiveness
How many times? Peter’s question to Jesus in today’s Gospel is probably a question all of us have asked. “Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?” While Peter thinks he is being generous Jesus tells him...
The Glory of God in the Faith Community
It is good to read the Old Testament with Christian optics to be able to understand who Jesus is as the savior. But if we don’t go further to understand the Old Testament culture, we will lose much of what is being said there. When I was in the seminary, in a class on...
One walked away sad. One inherited.
Peter said to Jesus, “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve...
Dying we are Born to Eternal Life
It is quite natural to have a little fear or anxiety as we think about death and particularly as we think about our own death. The Peace Prayer of St. Francis helps us to understand and even embrace the mystery of death: “For it is in giving that we receive, it is in...
Taking up the cross
In today’s gospel when Jesus says: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Mt 16:24-25) - what did you hear? Because...
Transfigure Us, O Lord!
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Today’s Gospel describes Jesus’ transfiguration this way: “his [Jesus’] face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.” Jesus’ divinity shines forth to Peter, James, and John. God the...