The Friar Podcasts - preaching prayer and spiritual reflections

Are we merciful more? Or do we judge more? Do we forgive more? Or do we condemn more?

For the full transcript go to https://thefriar.org/2024/02/26/what-do-you-do-more-homily-for-mon-feb26/

On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.

It is not just Abraham who has faith, so too does Isaac. It is not the case that Isaac was the unwilling victim here, but just as Abraham trusted fully in God at this point in his life, so too does Isaac.

For the full transcript go to https://thefriar.org/2024/02/26/faith-of-isaac-and-abraham-sun-feb25/

On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.

Today's readings bring to mind a very important word for us to kind of know the meaning of and understand. The word is virtue. It's a philosophical word, actually, that comes to us primarily through the philosopher Aristotle.

For the full transcript go to https://thefriar.org/2024/02/26/virtue-is-more-than-value-homily-feb23/

On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.

I learned years ago words matter. I don't know if you know the word for French fry, in Spanish, but French fries in Spanish is "las papas fritas." It's a feminine word, "papa," "potato." The Pope, however, is not a feminine word. The Pope is "el papa."

Full transcript at https://thefriar.org/2024/02/22/potato-pope-the-power-of-words-feb22/

On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.

Where is God? This first reading from Isaiah is, I think, so, so beautiful, and says so much about what it means to be a person of prayer. "Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be."

For the full transcript, go to https://thefriar.org/2024/02/20/where-is-god-homily-for-tuesday-feb20/

On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.

In the Old Testament, there are 4 specific covenants. The first one, the covenant of Noah. Then there's the covenant with Abraham, then Moses, then David. Of course Jesus is the ultimate covenant, as he is both the promise and the fulfillment.

For the full transcript go to https://thefriar.org/2024/02/18/the-covenant-homily-for-sunday-february-18/

On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.

Either or? So, Thursday I talked about the notion of freedom as license that a lot of people think that, or at least there are people that think, that freedom is really about being able to do whatever we want to do. And that's really license. Because we could be free to do, as I mentioned in yesterday's example, the sad and tragic shooting in Kansas City.

Full Transcript at https://thefriar.org/2024/02/17/its-not-either-or-homily-for-friday-feb16/

On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.

When we think of the word "freedom," we often define it as doing whatever I want. That's not freedom. That's license. True freedom is about becoming. Becoming the person God has made us to be.

For complete transcript, go to https://thefriar.org/2024/02/15/what-is-freedom-homily-for-thurs-feb15/

On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.

I want to really get us thinking about the season of Lent, but particularly through the eyes of Lent being a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Full transcript at https://thefriar.org/2024/02/11/prayer-fasting-almsgiving-homily-sun-feb11/

On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.

Life is suffering, but God is comfort. These readings help us to see that even though life is tough, Jesus remains the source of our peace and support. Job finds support in God, and Jesus, even after influencing the whole town reminds us of the power and importance of prayer.

Full transcript at https://thefriar.org/2024/02/04/life-is-suffering-christ-is-victory-feb4/

On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.