Friar Daily Reflection
Centering in God
Often the incident in today’s Gospel is used to justify taxes or it is used to promote a separation of religious values and duties from civil values and duties. But neither of those interpretations is at the core of Jesus’ statements. The Pharisees and the Herodians...
Being Fully Alive
It is but a simple, single verse from our first reading (2 Peter 1:2-7): God “...has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because...
Meeting of Joy and Blessing
What is the most important thing in your life? What is the main guide in our life? Those are very big questions that we often do not take time to answer. Most people tend to center their lives on themselves and getting the things that they want out of life. Mary and...
Aliens and Sojourners
Last week I traveled to a cemetery close to Boston for the burial of a friend. Then I took advantage of the long holiday weekend to visit my hometown and family in the Adirondack Mountains. Spring is a time of explosive life in the mountains: new growth on the trees,...
Glory or Humility
The disciples, perhaps like most of us, tend to “half-hear” what Jesus is teaching. In today’s Gospel, for example, Jesus teaches that his way is the way of humility, the way of the Cross: “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed...
So Great a Gift
Following from yesterday’s readings, today we continue with Peter’s first letter. Previously, Peter had challenged believers to experience the joy of such a great faith. His admonishment was to be attentive to the faith received that is more precious than gold. Be...
Refining Gold
Our opening reading today is from the 1st Letter of Peter. In just two short verses, the author provides a summary of the main themes and an outline of the whole letter: (1) God gave us a new birth, (2) this birth leads to a hope, (3) which is based on Jesus’...
A Light in the Darkness
This morning in the parish we are celebrating a school Mass in which we celebrate the children of 2nd grade who recently celebrated their First Holy Communion, the students being inducted into the Jr. National Honor Society, and the “Ceremony of Light.” The ceremony...
Poor in Spirit
In today’s first reading James has some challenging and even harsh words for the rich: “Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.” The problem is not possessions or riches per se but how they have earned these riches and what they have done with...
Whose Side Are You On?
Today people seem to like to choose a side and exclude and even refuse to listen to those with whom they disagree. They watch only the news channels that agree with their position and refuse to listen to anyone else they think might be against them. Such people...