Being God’s Hope Thoughts on the First Readings- Joe Feast of Christ the King Daniel 7:13-14 Following Jesus is more than thinking Jesus was a good and wise man. It’s more th...
To Be Hope For Our World Thoughts on the First Readings 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time –Joe Daniel 12:1-3 Ever since Christians realized that our faith wasn’t simply a variant ...
Moving From Fear To Awe Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Deuteronomy 6:2-6 We hear those words repeatedly in church. The beginning of wisdom, ...
Mass Celebrates Our Union In God Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Jeremiah 31:7-9 Among people whose livelihoods depend on thinking about such...
The Point Is Love, Not Suffering Thoughts on the First Readings – Joe 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Isaiah 53:10-11 From the beginning people have been bad and deserve to be p...
God Gives Us Faith – Not Solutions Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Wisdom 7:7-11 “Gentlemen, hold your faith tightly but your opinions ...
Believing in God Is Believing In People Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Genesis 2:18-24 People matter; people make a difference. That simple idea l...
We Search In Faith Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Wisdom 7:7-11 “Gentlemen, hold your faith tightly but your opinions loosely. And may God h...
To Pray Is To Hope Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Wisdom 2:12, 17-20 My mother had two sayings that she uttered when particularly exasperated with...
Faith’s Sorrow Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Isaiah 50:5-9 “I’m not concerned with whether you’re sorry or not. I’m concerned that yo...
Asking Is Believing Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Isaiah35:4-7 My friend was showing his four year old son a book of photos of galaxies whe...
The Gift Of Appreciation Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 Last week I suggested that developing a sense of amazement or...
The Prayer of Amazement Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe 21th Sunday in Ordinary Time Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18 The verses omitted between the beginning and end of this portion...
Prayer: Doing Ourselves A Favor Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Proverbs9:1-6 “My life is hectic; I’m on the go constantly. I suppose I shoul...
A Journey Of Trust Thoughts on the First Readings – Joe 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1Kings 19:4-8 There is a story that takes place during the Hebrews’ travels from Egypt to...
Focus On What Matters Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Exodus16:2-4, 12-15 Everyone wants to live in a land of milk and honey but nobody wants...
A Hope Without Bounds Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2Kings 4:42-44 Despair may not be the best word to describe folks’ reactio...
Moving Beyond Shepherds Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Jeremiah23:1-6 The image of the shepherd is a staple of Jewish and Chris...
In Praise Of Prophets Thoughts on the First Readings –by Joe Frankenfield 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Amos 7:12-15 Amaziah, priest of Bethel, said to Amos, “Off with y...
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Thoughts on the First Readings -by Joe Frankenfield Ezekiel 2:2-5 As the LORD spoke to me, the spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I hear...
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23-24 God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the li...
Loving The God In Front Of Us Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist Isaiah49:1-6 I have two friends, both Catholic. The firs...
Acknowledge It: God Acts Through Us Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time Ezekiel 7: 22-24 We’ve celebrated Jesus’ resurrection and as...
A Gift That Nourishes Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ Exodus 24:3-8 “What happens when you go do communion,” I once ask...
Wanted: A God For Adults Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield Feast of the Holy Trinity Deuteronomy4:32-34, 39-40 “Who are you to tell me how I should think about...
A Necessary And Liberating Humility Thoughts on the First Readings – Joe Frankenfield Pentecost Sunday Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11 Many Catholics are wrestling with our troub...
A Faith For Others Thoughts on the First Readings – Joe Frankenfield 7th Sunday of Easter Acts 1:15-17, 20-26 “The Catholic hierarchy has been disinviting people like me, and...
We Give Authority Carefully Thoughts on the First Readings – Joe Frankenfield 6th Sunday of Easter Acts10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 There is a prized item that most authorities wou...
The Courage To Love Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield 5th Sunday of Easter Acts of the Apostles 9:26-31 “I’m afraid; I’m simply afraid.” That’s how the young m...
We Give As God Gives Thoughts on the First Readings – Joe Frankenfield 4th Sunday of Easter Acts of the Apostles 4:8-12 “I don’t need your advice. I don’t need your criticism...
Faith Lives Within History Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield 3rd Sunday of Easter Acts of the Apostles 3:13-15, 17-19 Recently a friend told me of a kindness t...
Wherever We Are, We All Teach Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield 2nd Sunday of Easter Acts of the Apostles 4:32-35 One result of the current debacle facing Cath...
The Promise God Won’t Let Die Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield Easter Sunday Acts of the Apostles 10:34, 37-43 Ask any Christian school child what Easte...
Jesus: The God We Need To Know Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield Palm Sunday Isaiah50:4-7 “What difference does it make whether Jesus is God or not. He was an ...
Which God Do We Choose Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield Fifth Sunday of Lent Jeremiah 31:31-34 Years ago a parishioner told me of things he had done in the pa...
Avoid A Too-Small God Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield Forth Sunday of Lent 2Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23 Most folks tend to think of God as the biggest, strong...
Commandments Of Promise Thoughts on the First Readings –Joe Frankenfield Third Sunday of Lent Exodus20:1-17 You shall not kill – unless you’re in a war, someone is attacking ...
A Living Faith Is A Changing Faith Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe Frankenfield Second Sunday of Lent Genesis22:1-2, 9, 10-13, 15-18 The story of God asking Abraham to kill his...
A God Like Us Isn’t God Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe Frankenfield First Sunday of Lent Genesis9:8-15 God is all loving. God is angry. God is harsh. God is forgiving. I...
The Kingdom Is A Group Project Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe Frankenfield 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time Isaiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24-25 All of us trying to follow Jesus want the ...
Right Or Wrong: It Matters Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe Frankenfield 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time Leviticus13:1-2, 44-446 Communities have long equated God’s will with what t...
The Church’s Essential Service Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe Frankenfield 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time Job 7:1-4,6-7 It’s easy to talk about loving others and being comm...
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 gr...
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...
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...
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 feel...
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, near...
God Is Here Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe Frankenfield Christmas Day 1 Isaiah 52: 7-10 “I am worried about my grandson leaving for college. He’s young and immature. He doesn’...
Everyday Messiahs Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe Frankenfield Third Sunday in Advent Isaiah 61: 1-2, 10-11 Late one recent evening I stopped in a local store to pick up severa...
God Busy Here Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe Frankenfield Second Sunday in Advent Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 Early one morning when I was very small, my mother and I stood looking ou...
Striving For The Politics Of God’s Promise Thoughts on the First Readings -Joe Frankenfield First Sunday in Advent Isaiah 2:1-5 Between the visions of a prophet and the assum...
