VEYM LEAGUE OF CHAPTERS
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, the scribes and Pharisees make Jesus a scapegoat: they “began to act with hostility toward him and to interrogate him about many things, for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.” René Girard, the great Franco-American philosopher and social commentator, is best known for … Read moreThursday, October 19, 2023
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, our Gospel shows us what Jesus wants his followers to be doing and how they ought do it. We are a missionary church. We are sent by the Lord to spread his word and do his work. The Gospel is just not something that we are meant to cling to for … Read moreWednesday, October 18, 2023
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus declares the value of almsgiving: “As to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.” Almsgiving is valuable because we’re members of a Mystical Body—we’re implicated in each other. I can never say that your suffering is not mine or that your … Read moreTuesday, October 17, 2023
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the crowd that no sign will be given except the sign of Jonah, a vague hint of his Resurrection. The Resurrection means that Jesus of Nazareth, who claimed throughout his public life to be speaking and acting in the very person of God, and who was … Read moreMonday, October 16, 2023
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, today’s Gospel likens the kingdom of God to a king who gives a wedding feast for his son. The biblical authors couldn’t find a more apt metaphor for the coming together of divinity and humanity than a wedding banquet. God and humanity are married, and they are surrounded by joy, peace, … Read moreSunday, October 15, 2023
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus transforms a woman’s blessing of his mother into a blessing of those who obey God’s word. Jesus turned upside-down many of the social conventions of his time because he was so concerned with placing the instantiation of the kingdom of God first in the minds of his … Read moreSaturday, October 14, 2023
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, we learn of a person possessed by a demon. Jesus meets the man and drives out the demon, but then is immediately accused of being in league with Satan. Some of the witnesses say, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Jesus’ … Read moreFriday, October 13, 2023
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, our Gospel offers a wonderful promise of answered prayer: “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door … Read moreThursday, October 12, 2023
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, our Gospel today gives us an opportunity to reflect on the Lord’s Prayer, the prayer for the Christian journey. I want to consider three of the prayer’s petitions. “Father, hallowed be your name.” We’re not implying that God should make his name holy (as though it isn’t); we’re praying that we … Read moreWednesday, October 11, 2023
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, today’s Gospel inspires protests more than almost any other that I’ve preached on. “Hey Bishop, I think Martha gets a bum rap.” And for centuries the story has been read that Martha represents the “active” life and Mary the “contemplative” life. I would like to stress that the active/contemplative reading of … Read moreTuesday, October 10, 2023