Friar Daily Reflection
Emmaus
In the gospel reading for today we share the story of the two disciples on that first Easter heading home discouraged by the events that had unfolded with the death of Jesus. By the time that Cleopas and his unnamed companion had walked with Jesus the seven miles from...
Lasting Joy
In the gospel reading today we encounter a well-known scene. It is Sunday morning in the first light of the day, the third day since the crucifixion. Mary Magdalene is there to complete the burial rituals to honor the corpse of Jesus - only to discover an empty tomb....
Kerygma – Proclamation
In today’s first reading from the Acts of the Acts of the Apostles, Peter and the Eleven proclaim the kerygma, the mystery of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. They first heard this Good News from the women returning from the empty tomb. When Mary...
Passover
Today’s Gospel recalls the Last Supper, the supper that Jesus celebrated with his disciples “before the feast of Passover.” The first reading brings out the meaning of the Jewish feast of Passover: “This day shall be a memorial feast for you.” The feast recalls and...
A Play in 3 Acts
Holy Week is a story told in three acts. Act 1: Love Portrayed. All Lent we have seen Love Portrayed: Jesus transfigured on the mountain top. The glory of God revealed and yet what would seem to be the final scene of the play is but the beginning. We’ve more to...
Taking a chance
Your average Catholic only needs to stand next to a born-again, evangelical Christian to understand how private we are about our life in faith. Of course, you’re thinking, “All that public praying and witnessing, that’s their thing. Our faith was more discrete, more...
Mary’s Example
In today’s Gospel Mary anoints the feet of Jesus. This event occurs six days before Passover. On Passover Jesus will wash the feet of his disciples. John the Evangelist wants us to see these two events as interrelated. John describes Mary’s actions in this way:...
Living out the Mystery
This is Holy Week during which the Church invites us to enter more intentionally into the mystery of our salvation through the celebration of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Saturday and the Vigil, and the grand celebration of Easter Sunday. This is Holy Week. But...
Persecuted Prophets
In today’s readings we hear of two persecuted prophets, Jeremiah and Jesus. Both are not only persecuted but threatened with death. Jeremiah is a reluctant but faithful prophet. When God calls him, he protests: God: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,...
A Life Changing Experience
There are moments in life that change us for the better or for the worst forever. They change our whole outlook on life and even our way of living – such as a serious sickness or near-death experience, love, studies, people from different countries or religion, a...