VEYM LEAGUE OF CHAPTERS
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in our Gospel today, the Lord offers one of the greatest, most “slap you in the face” challenges he ever offered. “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother . . . and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” There is the great spiritual principle that undergirds the entire … Read moreSunday, September 4, 2022
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, again and again in the Gospels, Jesus is portrayed as violating the sacred command to rest on the seventh day. For example, he often cures on the Sabbath, much to the dismay of the protectors of Jewish law. And then in today’s Gospel, after his disciples pick grain on the Sabbath, … Read moreSaturday, September 3, 2022
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, people ask Jesus why he doesn’t encourage fasting among his followers. Jesus’ answer is wonderful: “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?” (That’s a typically Jewish style, by the way, answering a question with another question.) This great image of the wedding … Read moreFriday, September 2, 2022
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, today’s Gospel gives us the story of the miraculous draught of fishes. In many ways, the whole of the spiritual life can be read off of this piece. Without being invited, Jesus simply gets into the fisherman’s boat. This is to insinuate himself in the most direct way into Simon’s life. … Read moreThursday, September 1, 2022
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in our Gospel, we see Jesus in action. He is always hurrying from place to place, on the go. Today, Luke gives us a sort of “day in the life” of Jesus. And it is quite a day! Our Gospel opens just after the dramatic expulsion of a demon in the … Read moreWednesday, August 31, 2022
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches in the synagogue at Capernaum. One of the things that he comes to do is to teach, for at the root of our troubles and our suffering is a powerful clouding of the mind. What is it like to be in the same room with Jesus? … Read moreTuesday, August 30, 2022
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, today’s Gospel tells of the death of John the Baptist. Herod had arrested John, from whom Jesus had sought baptism, and put him to death. The arrest and death of John the Baptist were signals for Jesus. Immediately after the arrest, Jesus withdraws to Galilee and commences his own ministry of … Read moreMonday, August 29, 2022
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, our Gospel today is the famous passage from Luke’s Gospel dealing with honor at a banquet. Jesus has been invited to the home of a prominent person, one of the “leading Pharisees,” and he notices how people jockey carefully for position, status, prominence. Who will notice me? Who can I impress? … Read moreSunday, August 28, 2022
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, on this day we remember St. Monica, who prayed persistently for the conversion of her son, St. Augustine of Hippo. Even though petitionary prayer—asking God for something—seems simpler and more basic than contemplation, it’s more difficult to make sense of theologically. If God is omniscient, what is the point of telling … Read moreSaturday, August 27, 2022
Bishop Robert Barron Friends, our Gospel today is the parable that compares the kingdom of heaven with “ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.” This is an image borrowed from the customs of the time. The bridesmaids would wait for the groom and, upon his appearance, accompany him. Well, … Read moreFriday, August 26, 2022