Word on Fire Reflection

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus judges the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He says, “On the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.” One of the greatest dangers in the spiritual life is to fall into the trap of auto-salvation, the conviction that one can save oneself … Read moreWednesday, August 30, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, today’s Gospel tells of the passion of John the Baptist, and it suggests to me “the Herod principle” that I like to apply to contemporary atheists. The Gospels tell us that Herod Antipas arrested John the Baptist because the prophet had publicly challenged the king. Herod threw John into prison, but … Read moreTuesday, August 29, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus launches a blistering attack on the scribes and Pharisees.  The Son teaches, heals, preaches to, and forgives those who feel far from the mercy of God. He is the hand that the Father stretches out to sinners and to those who are lost. And by the same … Read moreMonday, August 28, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” In response, the disciples say, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” But what all of those readings—reflective of the popular consensus—have in common is that … Read moreSunday, August 27, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus turns his sharp eye and withering critique on the many ways that religious leaders fall into corruption. What precisely is bothering Jesus? Some religious leaders get their kicks from burdening people, laying the law on them heavily, making demands that are terrible, exulting in their own moral … Read moreSaturday, August 26, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus says that the whole law depends on love of God and love of neighbor. I want to reflect on the love of neighbor. For many, to love is equivalent to being a nice guy, or in Flannery O’Connor’s formulation, “having a heart of gold.” Now, there is … Read moreFriday, August 25, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in a conversation with Jesus in today’s Gospel, Nathaniel (usually identified with the Apostle Bartholomew) makes the earliest New Testament profession of faith in Christ’s divinity: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God.” Faith is the virtue upon which Christianity rests and is the capacity to see beyond the senses to … Read moreThursday, August 24, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the landowner who hires people at various times of the day and then pays everyone the same. Now consider the fact that these workers represent us and the landowner God. From our perspective, there is plenty of injustice, plenty of inexplicable inequity, plenty … Read moreWednesday, August 23, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, the Lord explains why it’s hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Don’t think in terms of some specific measurement of wealth. Think in terms of a frame of mind. A rich person is convinced that joy will come from filling up the ego. … Read moreTuesday, August 22, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, a young man comes to Jesus and asks, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” This honest and searching question symbolizes the universal longing of the human being for moral integrity. As such, it is not primarily a question regarding rules, commandments, and prohibitions but … Read moreMonday, August 21, 2023