The Friar Podcasts - preaching prayer and spiritual reflections

Today's gospel provides an outline to the pathway of becoming a disciple of Jesus. First, we learn about Jesus and the things he does. Then, when Jesus appears and Bartimaeus the blind man learns of it, he cries out for the Lord. Then, Jesus asks, "What do you want me to do for you?" Bartimaeus has a ready answer: "I want to see." Not only is he searching for a physical restoration of sight, which he receives, but something more -- an understanding of what it means to follow Jesus.

Readings for Today.

A document for the entire list of daily intentions.

The Liturgical Guide for the Celebrations.

To pray the rosary live (11am central, 17h00 GMT). Look for the Upcoming Events Column on the right side of the page. You can also pray an audio version using one of the audio versions at the end of this post.

For a guide on how to pray the rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Dominican Rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Lasallian Rosary, click here.

Today's Reflection:

The pandemic resulted in a loss of work for many. As societies locked down to protect against the disease, for many businesses it was too much to continue to employ as many people as they had before the pandemic. The loss of work often brings with it the stress of worrying about basic needs, and the loss of the sense of dignity that comes from work. Moreover, there was also the problem of some people being blamed as lazy in the midst of not being able to find a job.

For the unemployed, there is often the concern and stress that comes from the need to care about family. For unemployed parents, there is the concern about whether or not they will be able to care for their children. There can be the lack of understanding of the difficulties that come from these stresses. Those who are unemployed can find they are also impacted with embarrassment and shame because of their circumstances.

Every crisis brings with it new opportunities. This is not just for those who suffer, like the unemployed, but all of us. As we see people out of work, we can be given the opportunity to hear God’s call anew for us to be more generous and helpful. With the help of government assistance, some have been able to start new businesses and to discover new ways to create and provide for their family. As we continue this Rosary Marathon, let us pray for all the unemployed.

Today's Intention:  For all the unemployed.

A document for the entire list of daily intentions.

The Liturgical Guide for the Celebrations.

To pray the rosary live (11am central, 17h00 GMT). Look for the Upcoming Events Column on the right side of the page.  You can also pray an audio version using one of the audio versions at the end of this post.

For a guide on how to pray the rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Dominican Rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Lasallian Rosary, click here.

Today's Reflection:

We know that work is about more than just a way to put food on the table. It is a way we find and see our own dignity. We gain a sense of satisfaction when we do a job well. And having a job can provide a sense of worth for anyone. The pandemic really turned the world upside down for work.

Suddenly people were working from home. For others, it was worse. They lost their jobs. How would they pay their rent? How would they afford food? When would they be able to get another job? The sheer stress from these circumstances, as well as potentially caring for loved ones (or themselves) who were sick and even died, became simply too much for some. This rosary marathon is a grace-filled way to pray for a return to normalcy. We long for those days when we could go about life, even with its difficulties, in a way where we might again find the balance between work and social activities. As we continue this Rosary Marathon, let us pray for all workers and entrepreneurs.

Today's Intention:  For all workers and entrepreneurs.

A document for the entire list of daily intentions.

The Liturgical Guide for the Celebrations.

To pray the rosary live (11am central, 17h00 GMT). Look for the Upcoming Events Column on the right side of the page. You can also pray an audio version using one of the audio versions at the end of this post.

For a guide on how to pray the rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Dominican Rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Lasallian Rosary, click here.

Today's Reflection:

I am an educator. When the pandemic shut down schools for in-person learning, it was done for most “on a dime.” And the reality is, if most of us were honest, the quality of what it was we could provide was not up to par. But it was not just that teachers lacked resources to do well, there were so many factors impacting students. Some families did not have adequate internet access, and some did not have access to internet at all. For others, parents who were essential workers needed to go to work in person. This sometimes left older siblings both babysitting younger siblings and going to school. As the economy faded, students at home were needed to go out and work themselves.

For educators, this presented so many challenges it was difficult to discover solutions that worked for every situation. Moreover, teachers had their own concerns about health, childcare and more. The toll all this took on educators was significant. Again and again, I hear those who taught say the same thing. They have never felt as tired and exhausted as they do now. As successful education is built on relationships, for many educators the task was the health and well-being of their students. As they feared for their own safety, public opinion often shifted against them. Parents needed to work and to have their children safe in schools. There was broad recognition that online learning was inferior to in-person learning. The hope is that teachers will be able to focus on what they do best next year: teach. As we continue this Rosary Marathon, let us pray for all teachers, students and educators.

Today's Intention: For all teachers, students and educators.

A document for the entire list of daily intentions.

The Liturgical Guide for the Celebrations.

To pray the rosary live (11am central, 17h00 GMT). Look for the Upcoming Events Column on the right side of the page. You can also pray an audio version using one of the audio versions at the end of this post.

For a guide on how to pray the rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Dominican Rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Lasallian Rosary, click here.

Today's Reflection:

Before the pandemic, I have to admit that I did not really think much about many jobs, professions and services. They were just those things that faded into the background of places I passed along the way. Selfishly, I took many of these essential services for granted. Isn’t it that way with many things in life?

It is often not until something is missing, or external circumstances force us to be concerned about other things that we can notice these things we take for granted. Suddenly those who worked in supermarkets or pharmacies became more especially important. Receptionists who checked us in for certain appointments were noticed in a new way. People who kept buildings and places we depend upon being open and operating were now being noticed. Teachers who educated children and those who provided care for children were now appreciated in a new way. I have to confess I never really thought before the pandemic about what types of services were essential. I did not think much about so many professions that I had taken for granted. But these essential workers, so often forgotten were suddenly important. I am not naïve. After the pandemic, I fear I will be just as likely to forget those essential workers who do so many things that people need. As we continue this rosary marathon, let us pray for all those who provide essential services.

Today's Intention: For all those who provide essential services.

A document for the entire list of daily intentions.

The Liturgical Guide for the Celebrations.

To pray the rosary live (11am central, 17h00 GMT). Look for the Upcoming Events Column on the right side of the page.  You can also pray an audio version using one of the audio versions at the end of this post.

For a guide on how to pray the rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Dominican Rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Lasallian Rosary, click here.

Today's Reflection:

The job is one of the most challenging of all professions. Life and death decisions made in split seconds. Never knowing if a car stop is a routine ticket or a brush with death or worse. There certainly has been a lot of attention given to policing and those officers who abuse their power. But what of the ones who work day in and day out to help keep us safe? What about making sure police officers have the training and resources they need?

Similarly, those who battle fires and are often the first to arrive on the scene of a person with poor health have a job that is not easy. In many instances, their role as firefighters is not a full time job, but something that time and again takes them out of the ordinary part of their life not knowing what lies ahead.

And when people are denied rights and are oppressed, it can be military personnel who provide the safety and order necessary so that people can thrive. Often far from home, and in unfamiliar places, they are called to face hostile forces desiring their death. The pandemic has made each of these positions challenging. Each person in these professions was on the “front lines of a pandemic” and overwhelming handled all the stress and challenge with grace and difficulty. Going about one’s job and doing it the right way fails to make the news. As we continue this Rosary Marathon, let us pray for all law enforcement and military personnel and for all firefighters.

Today's Intention: For all law enforcement and military personnel and for all firefighters.

A document for the entire list of daily intentions.

The Liturgical Guide for the Celebrations.

To pray the rosary live (11am central, 17h00 GMT). Look for the Upcoming Events Column on the right side of the page. You can also pray an audio version using one of the audio versions at the end of this post.

For a guide on how to pray the rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Dominican Rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Lasallian Rosary, click here.

Today's Reflection:

I am a little worried about the United States. We seem to have lost the ability to consider the needs of others before our own. In moments of crisis, we used to come together. During World War I, there were victory gardens and war rations. There was the work of the American Red Cross and Liberty Loan drives. Similar activities occurred during World War II. Items such as gasoline, butter, sugar and canned milk were rationed to be diverted to the war effort. Women entered the work force and war bond rallies were conducted to finance the war. “This patriotic effort was so instrumental in pulling the country together and helping win the war that it is often credited for empowering American soldiers and leaving the enemy awestruck.”

Today, though, it seems our ability to come together, or to sacrifice for each other seems to be lacking. The wearing of masks, a common sense sacrifice to protect, became instead a source of division. Rather than show concern for each other, we fought about whether making sure people had basic needs met was a right. Rather than seeing immigrants and migrants as people in need, too often we recoil in fear and become selfish.

But there are still those volunteers who seek to make a difference without thinking of their own needs. They see others in need and the help. They recognize they have more than they need and they give. They do not forget the story of the widow’s mite and make great sacrifices for those in need. They are not afraid to take the risk of helping another. Fortunately for all our divisiveness, there are still people who seek to volunteer and help others. There are people who, like the Good Samaritan, are able to have hearts moved to pity and to help others. As we continue the Rosary Marathon, let us pray for all volunteers.

Today's Intention: For all volunteers.

A document for the entire list of daily intentions.

The Liturgical Guide for the Celebrations.

To pray the rosary live (11am central, 17h00 GMT). Look for the Upcoming Events Column on the right side of the page. You can also pray an audio version using one of the audio versions at the end of this post.

For a guide on how to pray the rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Dominican Rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Lasallian Rosary, click here.

Today's Reflection:

When Cain kills Abel, when asked where Abel was, Cain replies famously, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” We are familiar with the question, but maybe not so familiar with the answer. When the question is, “Am I my brother’s keeper?’ the answer is “Yes!” Yes, we are responsible for each other’s well-being.

But just as Cain and Abel occurred in a sinful world, so too we still live in a sinful world, where people are not given all they need physically, emotionally or spiritually. Fortunately there are people called by God who continue to help people in the many ways they need assistance.

Among these are social workers, those dedicated individuals who seek to help and to make connections to others, with the goal of helping all people to thrive. I can only imagine that social workers have days where they wonder if there will ever be enough people who provide resources so that the vocation of social work is no longer needed, because everyone has everything they need in the physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Still, the pandemic has exposed the effects of our sinfulness yet again. The poor suffer more and more. They have fewer medical and mental health resources. They lack basic needs so that they and their children can thrive. The disruption of school caused by the pandemic has not only made learning more difficult but has further isolated those in need. The loss of jobs made basic items like food difficult to obtain. And in the midst of all this, social workers seek to help others navigate these difficult situations. As we continue this Rosary Marathon, let us pray for all social workers.

Today's Intention: For all social workers.

The readings for today.

In the first reading, Paul is saved by creating division. In the gospel, Jesus prays for unity. How is it these two readings can go together? Because both Paul and Jesus are acting in accordance with God's will.

A document for the entire list of daily intentions.

The Liturgical Guide for the Celebrations.

To pray the rosary live (11am central, 17h00 GMT). Look for the Upcoming Events Column on the right side of the page. You can also pray an audio version using one of the audio versions at the end of this post.

For a guide on how to pray the rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Dominican Rosary, click here.

For a guide on how to pray the Lasallian Rosary, click here.

Today's Reflection:

My first job in high school was working at a pharmacy. I stocked shelves, cleaned commodes, filled the furnace with water (which I forgot about, needing to turn it off, then forgot to turn it back on) and waited on customers. One thing I learned about pharmacies is that for many, pharmacies represent the first stop (and sometimes only stop) for medical advice. So a pharmacist is not simply someone who counts pills or measures doses, a pharmacist is one who provides care and concern for those who seek advice about their health.

This advice and help was not limited to prescriptions. Pharmacists offered advice on over the counter medications, pain relief, and more. In the small town where I grew up, these services were quite valuable and important. If I was helping in the back (where the pharmacy was) I encountered more people who were sick. They needed more concern. Some needed care when they learned the price of the drug they needed.

I mention this story because it can be easy to forget that whether they staff a local pharmacy or are involved in significant research, the role of a pharmacist is one of service. The same is true for those women and men who are health care professionals. Even though they too often deal with people at their worst due to illness, at the same time the ones who stand out are those who are kind and gracious during these times. The work of pharmacists in keeping us safe, the care provided by other healthcare workers can be such a reflection of God’s loving care for us. As we continue to pray this Rosary Marathon, let us pray for all pharmacists and healthcare personnel.

Today's Intention:  For all pharmacists and healthcare personnel.