Word on Fire Reflection

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus begins his public ministry and calls his first disciples. When Jesus emerged publicly and began preaching the kingdom of God, he was taken to mean something very specific—namely, that the tribes of Israel, scattered by sin, were being gathered. The Israelite hope was that, in the Messianic … Read moreSunday, January 22, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, relatives of Jesus claim that he is mad. In cases like this, the basic problem is always the fearful ego. Ego-addicts know that sometimes the best defense is a good offense. If you want to protect the ego and its prerogatives, you must oppress and demoralize those around … Read moreSaturday, January 21, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, today in the Gospel, Jesus gathers his disciples. And he appointed twelve Apostles “that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach.” St. Thérèse of Lisieux tells us that she endeavored to write down her spiritual memoir at the prompting of her sister, who was also … Read moreFriday, January 20, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus cured so many people that he had to climb into a boat to escape the press of the crowd. To this day the Church carries on his gracious healing ministry.  We recall that the Apostles of Jesus simply continued what the Master did. And one of the … Read moreThursday, January 19, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus withstands the opposition of the Pharisees to heal a man with a withered hand. His healings like this one signified the arrival of the kingdom of God. When Jesus began to preach, his theme was that the kingdom of God is at hand. In his own person … Read moreWednesday, January 18, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus acknowledges that he is “lord even of the sabbath.” And the claim of the first Christians was Iesous Kyrios—Jesus is Lord. This was bound to annoy both Jews and Gentiles. The Jews would be massively put off by the use of the term Kyrios in describing an … Read moreTuesday, January 17, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, the Lord says his disciples do not fast because God is holding a great wedding banquet. You find the theme of the wedding throughout the Old Testament as a motif to express God’s covenant with his people. We’ve fallen apart in sin. We’ve gone into exile. And what … Read moreMonday, January 16, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in our Gospel today, John the Baptist gives witness to the role of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ baptism. Baptism is the moment when the Holy Spirit draws us out of this fallen world and into a new world. And with this in mind, we can understand the relationship between Baptism … Read moreSunday, January 15, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus calls Matthew to become his disciple. Jesus gazed at this man and said simply, “Follow me.” Did Jesus invite Matthew because the tax collector merited it? Was Jesus responding to some hidden longing in the sinner’s heart? Certainly not. Grace, by definition, comes unbidden and without explanation. … Read moreSaturday, January 14, 2023

Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in our Gospel today, Jesus says matter-of-factly, before healing the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Shocked, the Pharisees respond, “He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?” They were quite right, of course, which is the whole point. If you had hurt me, I could with some legitimacy … Read moreFriday, January 13, 2023