Friar Daily Reflection
Divine Regrets
Yesterday’s post was a bit of speculation about our ideas of original sin, rebellion from the authority of God, the biblical account, and their interface with science - specifically genetics. The post offered: In a faith discussion that accepts evolution one has to...
The Rebellion Spreads
Last Friday the first reading, from Genesis, recounted the story of “original sin.” It is an event known by various monikers, among which are: “the fall of man,” “the fall from grace,” “paradise lost,” and “eating of the forbidden fruit.” In a post from that day I...
Children and Dogs
Jesus’ words addressed to the Syrophoenician woman in today’s Gospel are very harsh: “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” This woman is a non-Jew, a Gentile. She came to Jesus asking him to...
Unclean Foods
Jesus’ teaching in today’s Gospel would have shocked many of his fellow Jews. When he teaches that “everything that goes into a person from the outside cannot defile” they would have been shocked since Leviticus 11 gives a whole list of animals that are not to be...
Purpose and Chaos
The first readings from daily Mass for the first two days of this week are taken from Genesis, Chapter 1 into the opening verses of Genesis 2. It is a familiar story to all from children to grandparents and everyone in between. Some Christians take it literally that...
In the Beginning
Today’s first reading begins with the beginning: “In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.” While this is the beginning of God’s...
Love of God
The author of Hebrews brings his work to a conclusion with an exhortation to love: “Let mutual love continue.” Throughout this work the author moves between exhortations, “love one another,” and doctrinal issues, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and...
Repentance
In today’s Gospel Jesus sends out the Twelve to expand his mission of healing and repentance. Jesus calls the Twelve and sends (apostello) them out on mission. The vocation or “calling” of these Twelve is to be apostles (apostolos). An apostle is one who is sent...
Perseverance
Today’s first reading is taken from Hebrews 12 beginning with verse 4. This long passage of exhortation that follows needs to be understood in the context of yesterday’s reading which included vv.1-2: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of...
Witnesses
This past September was my US Naval Academy 50th Class Reunion. As part of that celebration, we had a memorial service. My class graduated and commissioned some 900 Naval and Marine Officers, all of whom went on to serve the nation; many of whom served a full career....