Friar Daily Reflection
One Personal Conversion
Francis had what today we would call a primary school education. He had studied enough at the local parish school to know how to read, write, add, and subtract to be able to work in his family’s cloth business. He embraced all the cultural norms and practices of his...
For God is with you
The first reading is taken from the Book of Zechariah. The historical background of the Book of Zechariah is closely tied to the post-exilic period of Israel’s history. After the Babylonian Empire conquered Judah and destroyed Jerusalem in 587 BCE, many Israelites...
True Greatness
In today’s Gospel Jesus’ disciples ask him this question: “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” They are probably expecting or hoping that he would name them! Instead, he names a child, a “little one,” as the greatest. To be great one must be humble. ...
Angels
Today is the feast of the angels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Angels function as messengers and mediators between God and humans. Sometimes they function as “accuser” or prosecuting attorney as we hear in today’s first reading from the Book of Revelation: “Now...
Time
We have all heard the saying “Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” The prophet Haggai in today’s first reading challenges some of his fellow Jews who have put off the work of rebuilding the Temple. “The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of...
Returning to the Lord
The first readings for the beginning of this week are taken from the Book of Ezra - a book that might not be familiar to you. Here is “the big picture”: The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah are two of the historical books of the Old Testament that tell the story of the...
Rejoicing in the House of the Lord
In yesterday’s first reading we read that King Cyrus of Persia has freed the Israelites from captivity in Babylon, allowing them to return to Jerusalem along with all the sacred items taken from the Temple in Jerusalem some 40 years prior. Their instructions were to...
House of God
Today we begin reading from the Book of Ezra. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah describe the return of Israel from the Babylonian exile and the rebuilding of the Temple or the House of God in Jerusalem. The First Temple, built by King Solomon, was destroyed by the...
Obsessions
In today’s first reading we are warned against “a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes. From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions, and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds.” (1 Tim 6:4-5) When you hear those words again, what...
Evangelist
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Matthew, the evangelist. As we hear in today’s first reading each of us has been given a “measure of Christ’s gifts.” These gifts are given for the common good and for building up the Body of Christ: “And he gave some as Apostles,...