Friar Daily Reflection
Sign of Jonah
It is natural to seek signs to bolster and strengthen our faith. Sometimes the signs are not what we expect and can be difficult and challenging to accept. St. Paul reflects on the challenge and even the scandal of the sigh of the cross. “For Jews demand signs and...
The Heart as Dwelling
In today’s gospel we witness an encounter between Jesus and the people after Jesus had driven a demon out of an afflicted person. At the end of the dialogue, Jesus offers a parable: “When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching...
Stupid Galatians!
In today’s first reading St. Paul calls the Galatians “stupid” not once but twice. “O stupid Galatians! Who has bewitched you…Are you so stupid? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?” Galatians, descendants of the Celtic tribes, were...
Jesus Prays
Today’s Gospel is the story of Jesus praying and in turn teaching his disciples to pray. Today’s Gospel begins: “Jesus was praying in a certain place…” Throughout his Gospel Luke notes how Jesus spends time in prayer especially before times of crisis or before...
Becoming Martha
In today’s gospel I think poor Martha is sometimes made to be the foil of the story. We easily remember the ending. Mary has chosen “the better part” and poor Martha is left worried and anxious about many things. In our minds, Mary becomes the model disciple while...
Mercy – All Out Loving
What must I do to inherit eternal life? The purpose of the question in today’s Gospel proposed by a religious scholar is to make Jesus look bad, seem a heretic, or put him in public disgrace. It is important to note that this is not a person who is authentically...
God’s Answer
Today’s first reading continues Job’s encounter and dialogue with God. Job is forthright and bold in his challenge to God. In today’s reading God in turn answers and challenges Job. God puts a series of questions to Job which ultimately silence Job: “Then Job...
The Message for the Road
Once again today we look at the sending of the disciples out onto the road to proclaim the presence of the Kingdom of God. This is not just the original twelve apostles but a larger number of disciples – 72. Once again, we see that Jesus sends his disciple out very...
Eyes Front
“Eyes front” was something heard quite often during my naval career. As a plebe at the US Naval Academy the expression was “keep your eyes in the boat” an expression that originates from traditional maritime and rowing culture, where a coxswain or crew leader would...
God’s Messengers and Care For Us
Today we celebrate the feast of the Archangels, Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel. In the 1990s just before the turn of the millennium, New Age spirituality and angels suddenly became very popular. Whenever I visited the States during that time the stores were full of...