Province of St. Albert the Great, USA

A Word of Hope

8 July • Inheriting the Vineyard

In today's Gospel, Jesus sees the needs of the world and is not discouraged or overwhelmed. Jesus responds by noting to his disciples that the great needs bode a great harvest if they would be willing to be sent into the vineyard. You and I are not simply called to be God's friends, but to be the rightful inheritors of God's work in saving the world. The only question is will we join in?

00:00 Introduction – Word of Hope with Brother Joe Trout
00:05 The Compassion of Jesus
00:17 Feeling Powerless in a Troubled World
00:49 Jesus’ Call to Action
01:07 Sending Out the Disciples
01:13 Our Christian Calling
01:18 St. Catherine of Siena and Stages of Spiritual Growth
01:30 Beyond Friendship with God
01:40 Becoming a Son of God
01:52 Sharing God's Love with the World
02:08 We Are Not Powerless
02:25 Pray to See Your Role
02:39 You Can Make a Difference

Every day the Chicago Dominicans offer "A Word of Hope" video to bolster our faith through these trying times. We welcome any feedback you have at hope@opcentral.org . You can see them all below, or you can see other preaching by a particular person by clicking on his name, and you can have them emailed to you each morning by signing up for our email service:

26 Sept • Reignite your faith

Sep 26, 2024 by Fr. Greg Heille, OP

Saints Cosmas and Damian knew that their martyrdom would spread sparks far and wide to ignite the faith of the Christian community and thus embraced their faith. Let their example and their prayers reignite your own faith this day. Even though all things might seem hopeless, they are not for nought with the help of God.
25 Sept • Healing and preaching the Good News

Sep 25, 2024 by Fr. Greg Heille, OP

As Jesus preached, he also healed, and when he sent his disciples out to preach, he sent them to heal as well. Thus we can ask ourselves if we heal others as we preach the Good News?
24 Sept • Grow your family

Sep 24, 2024 by Fr. Brendan Curran, OP

Jesus said that whoever does the will of God is his mother and brother and sister. Can we extend our own notion of family to embrace all of God's people? Wouldn't that make for a better world?
23 Sept • Let your light shine

Sep 23, 2024 by Fr. Brendan Curran, OP

Jesus tells us to that no one lights a candle and puts it under a bushel basket. Do you let your light shine, so that others may see the glory of God working through you?
22 Sept • The first shall be last

Sep 22, 2024 by Fr. Louis Morrone, OP

While Jesus was teaching his disciples that he had to die, they were more concerned with who among them was the greatest. Jesus pointed out this disconnect and challenged them: ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’
21 Sept • You never know where life will lead

Sep 21, 2024 by Fr. Brian Walker, OP

On this Feast of St. Matthew, we are called to look at how his life went in such a different direction because Jesus called him to follow. God has surprise blessings for all of us, and we cannot know how our life will unfold. But we can look at it and be amazed and say "Thank you."
20 Sept • Faith in what you cannot prove

Sep 20, 2024 by Fr. Brian Walker, OP

Paul encouraged the Corinthians to believe in the resurrection of the dead. We cannot prove this to anyone, but we believe in it, and we can feel that it is true in our heart. This is the way of faith, and it gives us hope.
19 Sept • Seeing the person in front of us

Sep 19, 2024 by Fr. Dominic Holtz, OP

A sinful woman wept at Jesus' feet, washing them with her tears. Jesus saw God's grace and forgiveness working in her, the Pharisee with whom he was dining only saw her sinfulness. Do we see God's grace working in those around us and in ourselves, or do we just notice the sins?
8 Sept • Love is the highest gift

Sep 18, 2024 by Fr. Dominic Holtz, OP

Paul tells us that the greatest gift of the Holy Spirit is the gift of love (charity), which is the capstone of every other gift.
17 Sept • Together we are the Body of Christ

Sep 17, 2024 by Fr. James Marchionda, OP

Paul reminds us today that though we are many different parts, together we are the one Body of Christ. So we do not approach God individually, but as a part of the Church. Let us celebrate the gifts God has given each of us as well as gifts God has given others, so together, we can be more than any of us are individually.
16 Sept • Members of the One Body of Christ

Sep 16, 2024 by Fr. James Marchionda, OP

Paul upbraids the Christian community at Corinth for allowing division among its members when celebrating the Lord's Supper. Do we let our personal preferences get in the way of fostering unity in the Church even today?

Based on 1 Corinthians 11:17-26, 33
15 Sept • Solid in His Faith

Sep 15, 2024 by Fr. Bob Keller, OP

Peter confesses Jesus as the Messiah, but then rebukes him when Jesus predicts the suffering and death he must endure. Jesus is solid in his faith and so can accept the violence of others and respond in love. Peter is not solid in his faith. Are we? If we follow Jesus, we will not be ashamed when the world bullies us, or taunts us, or inflicts violence upon us, and we, like Jesus, will respond with love.
14 Sept • The cross, a sign that violence is best counteredred with nonviolence

Sep 14, 2024 by Fr. Bob Keller, OP

On this Feast of the Exultation of the Cross, we are pushed to ponder why we should celebrate this violent means of death. One thing it teaches us is that by dying this way, Jesus shows us a better way to counter the violence we see in the world by not responding in violence, but through inner strength, keeping our eyes on God's plan and responding to all things with love.
13 Sept • Follow and become like Jesus

Sep 13, 2024 by Fr. Jordan DeGuire, OP

Jesus asked his disciples to follow him and learn to be like him. We do not have to be perfect disciples when we start, we simply need to keep learning from the one teacher, Jesus, and to lead others to follow him as well.
12 Sept • Loving your enemies is not easy

Sep 12, 2024 by Fr. Jordan DeGuire, OP

Jesus told his disciples that they must love their enemies, just as God is kind even to the wicked. This is no easy thing for us, but we can start by recognising that we are already loved, and thus can reflect that love to others. Then, we can practice by loving others with an open hand, or in secret expecting nothing in return.
11 Sept • Blessed are you!

Sep 11, 2024 by Br. Ed Van Merrienboer, OP

In Luke's version of the Beatitudes, we learn that God loves those who are materially poor, and Jesus challenges us to do something to help them here and now and to live with integrity.
10 Sept • Better to be cheated than to quarrel with one another

Sep 10, 2024 by Br. Ed Van Merrienboer, OP

When the Christian community began cheating one another and fighting among themselves, Paul called them to remember that they left that quarrelsome life behind when they became justified in the name of Jesus.
9 Sept • St. Peter Claver and the law of love

Sep 9, 2024 by Fr. Yamil A. Samalot Rivera, OP

Jesus was criticized for healing on the sabbath, but the law of love is the highest law and must come first and foremost. This dedication is shown in the life of St. Peter Claver, SJ who cared for enslaved people in the New World.
8 Sept • Break the barriers that hold back mercy

Sep 8, 2024 by Fr. Yamil A. Samalot Rivera, OP

In healing a deaf man who was not Jewish, Jesus broke down barriers to God's mercy. May we also not look to the law but at how best to share God's love to those who need it most, whomever and wherever they are.
7 Sept • Honor the intent of the law

Sep 7, 2024 by Fr. Paul Whittington, OP

The Pharisees criticized Jesus because his disciples picked grain to eat on the sabbath, and Jesus proclaimed himself lord of the sabbath. Following Jesus is more important than following the letter of the law.
6 Sept • Appreciating those whom God has put in our lives

Sep 6, 2024 by Fr. Paul Whittington, OP

St. Paul tells us that he does not care about being judged by any human tribunal. The only judgement that counts os God's. Do we judge other people or worry how they judge us?
5 Sept • Lift your expectations of God and yourself

Sep 5, 2024 by Fr. Charles Bouchard, OP

After a long night of catching nothing, Jesus miraculously provided his new disciples with a miraculous catch of fish. Sometimes we can be discouraged by low expectations for ourselves and for the world, but we are encouraged to trust that God's expectations for us are high, and that our expectations of ourselves and God should be even higher.
4 Sept • Can we work together for the good?

Sep 4, 2024 by Fr. Charles Bouchard, OP

Paul admonished the Christian community at Corinth because they let their differences become divisions, so that they could no preach the Good News effectively. Can we work through our differences this political season so that we might choose the candidates that will best unite us, rather than further divide us?
3 Sept • Should I worry about demons?

Sep 3, 2024 by Br. Joseph Trout, OP

In Luke's Gospel we hear of Jesus expelling demons. Is demonic possession real, or was it just some form of mental illness? What we can certainly say is that if demons are real, we don't have to worry about them if we trust in Jesus, because Jesus has power over all.

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