Friar Daily Reflection
Through One Man: Sin and Death
In today’s first reading our selection from The Letter to the Romans moves on from its prior focus on Abraham as a model of trust/belief/faith even when he has moments of doubts. Moving ahead to Chapter 5, St. Paul now takes on the matter of sin and death. Paul’s...
Trusting and Human Imperfection
Today’s first reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, one of the most challenging and complex of all the New Testament books - and addresses an equally complex character in the person of Abraham. Known for his unwavering faith in God he is a person who is not...
Fishers
There are four people in today’s Gospel with Jesus. Simon and Andrew who were fishermen. Plus, the sons of Zebedee, James and John who were also fishermen. They had spent their whole lives studying and practicing the fishing business. They knew about fishing: when to...
Key of Knowledge
Once again, we find Jesus at odds with the Pharisees, scholars and doctors of the law. Today he is particularly hard on the religious leaders and at the end of their encounter they decide to plot against him. The key to the Law in the Old Testament was to draw the...
From Unmarked Graves to the Light
The Lord said: “Woe to you Pharisees!… You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.” (Luke 11:42). Back in the day, I would often go with friends to the movie theatre. I am forever fascinated by the movie previews they select. I always think that the...
What is Visible
Today’s first reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, one of the most challenging and complex of all the New Testament books. After opening his epistle, Paul provides a summary of covenant history in just a few verses. For what can be known about God is...
Vocation or Call
Today we begin reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans. This letter is a very rich but also a very complex letter. Ultimately it is well worth the effort of “wrestling with Paul” as Paul reflects on vocation or calling, the Gospel, justification, and true Christian...
Prince of Demons
In today’s Gospel Jesus has literally been demonized by some opponents after he has just performed an exorcism. His opponents cannot deny that he has performed a healing and exorcism that was just described in the previous verse: “He was driving out a demon that was...
Persistent Prayer
Jesus teaches about “persistence” in prayers in today’s Gospel. He gives the example of a friend who will give loaves if not because of “friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.” Jesus is not teaching that we need to...
God is still waiting
Today’s first reading is again from the Book of Jonah. From yesterday’s reading, we recall: “10 When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.” (Jonah 3:10)...