Friar Daily Reflection
Love of God
In today’s first reading from Deuteronomy Moses tells us what God wants of us, namely, reverence and love: “And now, Israel, what does the LORD, your God, ask of you but to fear the LORD, your God, and follow his ways exactly, to love and serve the LORD, your God,...
The Feast of St. Clare of Assisi
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...
There is only One
Today’s first reading is from the Book of Deuteronomy, the fifth and final book of the Torah, presenting Moses' farewell speeches to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Structured as a renewal of the Covenant, Deuteronomy restates the Law given...
The Key and The Rock
It seems there was a great deal of confusion and diversity of opinions about who Jesus was even within that first community of faith, the first disciples and apostles. Jesus spent several years with the disciples dedicated to preaching, teaching, healing, miracles,...
Listen to Him
The Feast of the Transfiguration is one of those Gospel scenes that almost overwhelms us with beauty. Jesus, radiant with divine light. Moses and Elijah appeared in glory. The mountain enveloped in a cloud—the biblical sign of God’s presence. And the Father’s voice...
Focusing on Jesus – Courage, Confidence, and Faith
My family has a cottage on a small lake in Upstate NY, in the Adirondacks. There are a lot of watercrafts at the camp: ski jets, kayaks, sailboats, and motorboats. It would be very rare for one of us to take a boat out onto the lake during the night. It is just too...
Hungry People
In both readings today we have stories of hungry people. In the first reading from Numbers the Israelites lament and complain because they have no food but this “disgusting” manna. They would even been willing to return to the “good old days” in Egypt! “Would that...
Yom Kippur
In today’s first reading from the Book of Leviticus Moses instructs the Israelites about the various holy days or “festivals of the Lord.” So, we hear about the Jewish feast of Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread that follows right after Passover. The most...
Fishing
In today’s Gospel we come to the end of the Parable Chapter in Matthew’s Gospel. The Evangelist has collected various parables that Jesus told throughout his ministry into Chapter 13. In today’s Gospel Jesus tells the Parable of the Fishnet, a parable that would...
What we treasure
In our gospel for today, Jesus gives two short parables today—simple, vivid, and deeply challenging. They’re about people who find something so valuable that they are willing to give up everything else to possess it. One finds a treasure in a field. Another finds a...