The Friar Podcasts - preaching prayer and spiritual reflections

Given at Christian Brothers College High School, Town and Country, Missouri. Believing in Jesus requires a great deal of humility. Why? Because nothing we do causes us to earn salvation. The gift of salvation is just that -- a gift freely given by Jesus that we accept or not. No act of a good work makes it possible to earn our salvation. To be sure, the good works we do can demonstrate that our faith is authentic. As for salvation, that is up to Jesus. Readings for Today

Given at Christian Brothers College High School, Town and Country, Missouri. The Pharisees knew the letter of the Law. When they complain about the law not being followed, they are often correct about the letter of the Law. What they did not always grasp was the spirit of the Law. The external actions required by the Law were to be signs of the interior conversion of the heart. Our relationship with Jesus grows when we spend time allowing the sacraments, personal prayer, fasting and serving the poor to come out of our constant desire to allow Jesus to change our hearts. Readings for Today

Given at St. Dominic Priory, Saint Louis, Missouri. The gospel is the constant challenge of recognizing that our external actions must be guided always by our internal conversion, and that these two aspects of our lives must work in tandem. External actions alone can cause us to avoid our need for conversion. Internal focus alone can cause us to be narcissistic. Jesus calls us to conform our hearts, minds and actions more closely to him. Readings for today

Given at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, University City, Missouri. There was a big "gasp" this past week when Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp all went down for a few hours. It poses the question: What keeps you from a more fulfilling relationship with Jesus? For the young man it was possessions. But it could be our job, a hobby, Netflix, Roku or Hulu, or just avoidance. Can you go beyond knowing about Jesus to knowing Jesus? Readings for Today

Given at Christian Brothers College High School, Town and Country, Missouri. Sometimes it can be hard to believe that God loves us. Maybe it is because of past sins in our lives, or even our struggles with current sins. Sometimes it is because there is so much shame and brokenness in our lives, we feel unlovable. Sometimes it is that we do not feel the love of God in our loves, we do not sense his presence around us. St. Faustina reminds us today that more powerful than any sin, brokenness or struggle is the infinite mercy of God. God loves you.

Given at Christian Brothers College High School, Town and Country, Missouri. Mass for the deceased alumni. We were made for relationship. The immediate and powerful love of parents for their children is testimony to Adam's statement "bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh." God is relational, since God is a triune community of love. We love because God first loved us. Let us seek to love more fully our God and our neighbor. Readings for Today

Given at Christian Brothers College High School, Town and Country, Missouri. How often do we wish we had been alive at the time of Jesus? Yet the reality is that we have access to the words of Jesus, and more importantly to the Word himself, Jesus. Pray with the Bible, God's word, and come to better know Christ. Readings for Today

Given at Christian Brothers College High School, Town and Country, Missouri. Ever wanted to be like James and John, and call down fire upon someone you do not like? I know I have. But, at the same time, I strive to live the kind of life described in the first reading. A life so wonderful, a witness so strong that people want the belief we have. Strive today to live your relationship with Jesus in such an attractive way you become a powerful evangelizer, drawing others into a deeper relationship. Readings for Today

Given at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, University City, Missouri. A place for everything and everything in its place. This is a motto some people live by in their lives. I do not. At least not when it comes to personal space. But this is a motto that refers to things. Too often we use this motto in relationship to people. Democrats over here, Republicans over there. Those who watch this cable news channel over here, those who watch that other cable news channel over there. We even do this in the Church. But our God is the generous outpourer of gifts. He pours out gifts to all. But when we think we are more worthy of those gifts than are other people, our hearts become fat and we fail to see God at work in the world. Readings for Today

Given at Christian Brothers College High School, Town and Country, Missouri. When I was in Rome for a class in my doctoral studies, I noticed that in almost every shop there was a picture, somewhere in the store, of Padre Pio. What is interesting is that while people recognized his holiness, often his own community did not. We can be fooled into thinking that if we follow God our lives on this earth will be perfect. But, alas, countless examples from the saints indicate that this is not true. What Padre Pio teaches us is that it is our quest for God, for a deep relationship with his son Jesus that makes all the difference. Readings for Today