Friar Daily Reflection
Living in the Vision and Fulfillment
In difficult times just before the Exile, Isaiah writes about conversion and of new times of consolation. His vision and message are based in profound hope. He is the prophet par excellence for this time of Advent – hope and confidence. In today’s reading, Isaiah...
From his roots
Our first reading gives us one of the most hope-filled visions in all of Scripture: “A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom” (Is 11:1). Why hope-filled? Because Isaiah is speaking to a people who have watched their nation...
“Lord, I am not worthy”
The words of the centurion in today’s Gospel are very familiar to us since we pronounce these words right before we receive communion: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” This centurion comes...
Standing in Hope
Over the last several weeks as we near the end of the liturgical year, the Church has chosen readings that are quite apocalyptic. The readings from the Book of Daniel and the gospels - are they meant to scare us into fearful compliance with the demands of God? The...
Thanksgiving
Today we gather to give thanks for many things, for our family, our friends and parishioners and for our country. The most important thing that we give thanks for is the gift of God’s grace incarnated or made concrete or real in our Lord Jesus Christ. In today’s...
Daniel: Wisdom and Faithfulness
We are living the last week of the liturgical year for the Church. This coming Sunday we start a new season with the beginning Advent. The reading during this last week always addresses the end times. The first reading is taken from Daniel and the Babylonia exile....
Passing Things; Permanent Things
Today’s readings place before us two very powerful images of history. In the first reading from the Book of Daniel, is the scene in the Book of Daniel when he is asked to interpret a dream of King Nebichadnezzar. In the dream there is a statue of gold, silver, bronze,...
A Poor Widow
In today’s Gospel we hear the story of a poor widow putting her offering in the Temple treasury. It seems like a simple story highlighting this widow’s great generosity. Jesus remarks: “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest.” Jesus had...
A House of Prayer
Today’s readings remind us that both the Temple and the Church are called to be houses of prayer. Today’s Gospel is often called the “Cleansing of the Temple.” In the first reading from Maccabees, we have the description of the cleansing of the Temple after it had...
Discernment
Just a very brief note of history to better understand today’s readings. In the second century before Christ, Israel was a small country sandwiched between Egypt and Syria. Alexander the Great had expanded Greek culture over a large section of the Mediterranean and...