The Voice Of God Is Everywhere Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe Frankenfield 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Who speaks for God? When I was a child, my grandmother told me that my mother and father spoke for God. In grade school, the sisters told me that the priest spoke for God. High [...]

We Listen For The Voice Of God Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe Frankenfield 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Jonah 3:1-5, 10 In recent comments for a Commonweal article Luke Timothy Johnson, a respected scripture scholar, observed that every theologian’s first question has to be, what is God doing in the world? I’d add, that’s [...]

The God In Front Of Our Noses Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe Frankenfield 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time I Samuel 3:3-10, 19 My dad wore reading glasses. One day he couldn’t find them. He searched the house high and low certain that someone, probably my mom, had moved them from their usual place. Complaining [...]

Faith’s Focus Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe Frankenfield Feast of the Epiphany Isaiah 60:1-6 Once arriving home from school for the holidays I was overcome by rare feelings of generosity and asked my mother how I could help her get ready for the festivities. Casting an amused look around the pre-Christmas chaos she quipped, [...]

Giving God’s Image Room to Grow Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe Frankenfield Feast of Mary, the Mother of God Numbers 6:22-27 The young woman in my office was upset, nearly in tears. “My professor said I was stupid and naïve for believing in God. It felt like he was accusing me of believing in [...]