Who are my mother and brothers?

Posted on January 24, 2015 by Friar Musings

The reading from today’s gospel (with a few extra verses) and St. Francis of Assisi’s answer to the question.

²⁰ Jesus came with his disciples into the house. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. ²¹ When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” … ³¹ His mother and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to him and called him. ³² crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers* [and your sisters] are outside asking for you.” ³³But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and [my] brothers?” ³⁴And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. ³⁵[For] whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3) Continue reading →

Come and See Where you Belong

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Friar Musings

Do you remember last week’s gospel? It was Mark’s account of the Baptism of the Lord. This week we shift to the Gospel according to John and see Jesus moving from the waters of the Jordan to his first encounter with would-be disciples. We know they are going to say ‘yes’ and follow Jesus. Still, I have wonder what they were thinking, feeling, and ultimately, why did they say “yes.” We are told that Andrew believed he had found the Messiah. Still, I wonder what was going on inside – the hopes, the expectations, what it was like to meet Jesus…. and so much more. Continue reading →

Merry Christmas

Posted on December 25, 2014 by Friar Musings

Photo courtesy of Lucy Cason
Greccio, Italy

Pope’s Homily from Mass with Abuse Victims

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Friar Musings

From my Franciscan brother, Fr. Dan Horan, OFM

St. Anthony of Padua

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Friar Musings

When we Franciscans arrived at Sacred Heart in 2005, we were quite surprised to find that one of the clerestory windows (the ones up high in the nave vault) was Saint Anthony of Padua, a Franciscan contemporary of St. Francis of Assisi. In fact, we Franciscans still have a brief letter, in Francis’ own hand, written to Anthony. Most people know St. Anthony of Padua as the patron saint of lost and stolen articles, but have you ever wondered why he is that particular patron saint? Continue reading →

‘It Is Finished’ — An excerpt from ‘The Last Words of Jesus’

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Friar Musings

From my Franciscan brother, Dan Horan, OFM.

Passion Sunday: crucified

Posted on April 12, 2014 by Friar Musings

The King Is Scourged and Mocked (27:26-31a) The Gospel reading for Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion is quite lengthy and so will not be included here. It can be found at the USCCB website: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/041314.cfm

Where the religious trial ends by mocking Jesus as the Christ, the secular trial ends with Jesus being mocked as king with a scarlet cloak (a soldier’s cape) parodying the emperor’s purple robe, a reed representing a royal scepter, and the crown of thorns. Jesus is thus enthroned as king, and offered the homage of kneeling which a Hellenistic ruler required. In this scene Matthew continues to redefine what kingship means. If this scene is a coronation, then the cross will be the throne. Continue reading →

St. Francis and Fasting

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Friar Musings

Of the three traditional Lenten practices: prayer, almsgiving, and fasting, it is the last one that is perhaps the one that is hardest to extract from the historical record. This is for two reasons. First, fasting was part and parcel of medieval Christianity. Second, Francis mentions fasting, but does not expound upon its meaning directly.

The meaning and context of medieval fasting. In the OT there were two kinds of fasts, public and private. The most notable, and only one required by the law of Moses was on the great Day of Atonement, thus fasting was a penitential practice associated with reconciliation from sin. In addition, there are biblical records of public fasts being proclaimed in times of distress, lamentation, and at the prophetic insistence for various situations. The public fasts were generally connected to communal sins and lasted a day. Private fasts were generally acts of penance. Continue reading →

Francis of Assis and Prayer

Posted on March 29, 2014 by Friar Musings

When people think of St. Francis of Assisi and prayer, what most likely comes to mind is “The Peace Prayer of St. Francis,” with the memorable line: “Make me an instrument of peace…” It is a moving and noteworthy prayer, certainly in the Franciscan tradition, perhaps inspired by St. Francis, but it dates to 1912 and was first published as a poem in the French spiritual magazine, La Clochette. Later, during World War I, it appeared on the back of a holy card bearing an image of St. Francis and the association of the two became cemented in our minds. Continue reading →

Oh my gosh, did you hear….?