Dominican Friars

Province of St. Albert the Great, USA

A Word of Hope

11 Oct • Through Awe to Action

Reflecting on Saturday of the 27th week in Ordinary Time and today’s short Gospel: a woman praises Mary, and Jesus replies, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” This brief talk explains why mere awe or admiration—notably at miracles, saints, or beautiful worship—can separate us from Jesus if it isn’t transformed into imitation and action. Using Jesus’ teaching about gathering and scattering, Brother Joe urges listeners to replace empty wonder with obedience, community, and lived discipleship. Ideal for Catholics preparing for Mass, Scripture reflection groups, and viewers wanting practical spiritual encouragement.

#HearAndObserve #WordOfHope #GospelReflection #Catholic #Discipleship #FaithInAction #Blessed #Scripture #BrotherJoeTrout

Timestamps:
00:00–00:10 — Intro: Word of Hope (Saturday, 27th week)
00:10–00:40 — Gospel setup: woman interrupts while Jesus is speaking
00:40–01:10 — Jesus’ response: “Blessed are those who hear and observe”
01:10–01:40 — Context: casting out demons — gather vs. scatter; beware of mere awe
01:40–02:10 — Why awe can separate us (beauty, saints, worship without imitation)
02:10–02:35 — Call to action: let awe become imitation and obedience
02:35–02:50 — Practical invitation: follow Christ and enter his blessedness
02:50–02:55 — Closing blessing

A Word of Hope with dove

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:

20 Nov • Divine interruptions

Nov 20, 2023 by Fr. James Marchionda, OP

When a blind man heard that Jesus was coming, he started calling out. People told him to stop, but Jesus called him over and healed him. Do we let ourselves be bothered by the cry of the poor?
19 Nov • Used faith

Nov 19, 2023 by Fr. James Marchionda, OP

In the parable of the talents, Jesus teaches that whatever faith or talents God has given us is meant to be used, not hidden away or kept to ourselves.
18 Nov • A God of Mercy?

Nov 18, 2023 by Fr. Yamil A. Samalot Rivera, OP

Jesus told his disciples the parable of the unjust judge who nonetheless rendered justice for the persistent widow out of fear. Is our image of God even worse than that of the unjust judge? What king of faith do we have in God?
17 Nov • How will this end?

Nov 17, 2023 by Fr. Yamil A. Samalot Rivera, OP

Jesus told parables about the Kingdom of Heaven to get people to put their lives in context. Are we living a life that is leading us to heaven?
16 Nov • Finding God in the ordinary

Nov 16, 2023 by Br. Ed Van Merrienboer, OP

Jesus told us not to look around for the Kingdom of God because it was among us. We need to see the Kingdom still around us each day in the ordinary events of life.
15 Nov • Praise God's gifts in creation

Nov 15, 2023 by Br. Ed Van Merrienboer, OP

On this feast of St. Albert the Great, patron of the Province, we remember how he studied and reveled in every aspect of creation. May we be so passionate about finding traces of the Divine Wisdom in creation.
14 Nov • Working through the aches and pains

Nov 14, 2023 by Fr. Brian Walker, OP

The Book of Wisdom tells us that God formed us to be imperishable, but as we get older and get aches and pains, we certainly don't feel imperishable. We need to work through the aches and pains and changes in our life to keep building up what is imperishable: the Kingdom of God.
13 Nov • Coworkers in the vineyard of the Lord

Nov 13, 2023 by Fr. Brian Walker, OP

Do we see the people around us as co-workers in the vineyard of the Lord, or as opponents because they hold different views? Let us ask God to increase our faith, so we can see their goodness.
12 Nov • The Communion of Saints

Nov 12, 2023 by Fr. Louis Morrone, OP

Jesus tells us to stay awake, for we know not the day nor the hour when God will call us home. But we know when that happens we will have a chance to be reunited with all who have gone before us.
11 Nov • Today, God or mammon?

Nov 11, 2023 by Fr. Louis Morrone, OP

Jesus tells us that you cannot serve both God and mammon. Sometimes we need to unplug from technology to listen to God, lest we slide into serving technology.
10 Nov • Money for friends

Nov 10, 2023 by Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP

Jesus commends the unjust steward for being "prudent" with his master's money, getting himself out of his looming financial crisis. If only his own disciples could be so prudent about the looming spiritual crisis.
9 Nov • Every day grace

Nov 9, 2023 by Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP

On this Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran, we hear the vision of the Prophet Ezekiel of water flowing from the Temple turning the Dead Sea to fresh water. How can a trickle of water do this? By being constant, moment to moment, day after day, year after year. Such is God's grace to us, and such should be our gift of grace to those we meet.
8 Nov • Mercy in the midst of trials

Nov 8, 2023 by Fr. Luke Barder, OP

Jesus challenges his disciples not to look back, but to keep going whatever comes. To be Christian, we must find mercy and love in our hearts in the midst of trials, even if no one else respects that, for love and mercy is our call and our ultimate gift to the world.
7 Nov • Why try?

Nov 7, 2023 by Fr. Luke Barder, OP

St. Paul encourages us to "hold on to what is good," but sometimes, we get discouraged and don't know why we should even try. J.R. Tolkien gives voice to a reason.
6 Nov • The better reward

Nov 6, 2023 by Br. Joseph Trout, OP

Jesus tells us that when we throw a banquet we should invite the poor and the crippled who cannot repay us, because our joy will be greater when we all dine together in the Kingdom.
5 Nov • Don't just do something—wait

Nov 5, 2023 by Br. Joseph Trout, OP

From today's Psalm: "Like a weaned child on its mother’s lap, so is my soul within me." Let us all be so in the hands of God.
4 Nov • Venerable Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, OP

Nov 4, 2023 by Fr. Samuel Hakeem, OP

From the graveside of the venerable Fr. Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, OP, our own Fr. Samuel speaks of how Mazzuchelli was a shining example of a good shepherd, laying down his life for his sheep in the upper midwest.
3 Nov • Notice the little ones

Nov 3, 2023 by Fr. Samuel Hakeem, OP

On this Memorial of St. Martin de Porres, we are reminded about the second greatest commandment, to love our neighbor as ourself, and how St. Martin did that by noticing the needs of everyone around him, caring for those despised or unnoticed by others, the outcasts, and the poor.
2 Nov • Praying for the dead

Nov 2, 2023 by Fr. Greg Heille, OP

On this Feast of All Souls, we pray for those who have died—not only those who we have known, but for all who have died and are now separated from us by that thin veil of death, that we all might be united once again in the great beyond.
1 Nov • Kneading the dough of our Church

Nov 1, 2023 by Fr. Greg Heille, OP

On this Solemnity of All Saints, we welcome a new preacher and ponder how the saints call us to go out to the peripheries of our society. When we do, we discover that we are in the center of people's lives. Thus, like kneading dough, in the Church we constantly push the center out to the edge and bring the edges back to the center until we become one bread, one Body of Christ.
31 Oct • You only need a little yeast

Oct 31, 2023 by Fr. Peter Lewitzke, OP

Jesus likened the Kingdom of God to a little yeast that leavened three measures of flour. Do we trust that you and I are enough to change the world?
30 Oct • Honoring the Sabbath

Oct 30, 2023 by Fr. Peter Lewitzke, OP

Jesus was criticized for healing on the Sabbath. How do we honor the Sabbath?
29 Oct • Welcoming the alien

Oct 29, 2023 by Fr. Brendan Curran, OP

In the Book of Exodus we read: "Thus says the Lord: 'You shall not molest or oppress an alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.'" This is a difficult commandment to follow in the USA today.
28 Oct • Hope against hope

Oct 28, 2023 by Fr. Brendan Curran, OP

St. Paul tells us that we are being built together into a dwelling place of God. Sometimes we feel as if there is no hope that we can overcome the negativity of the world, but if the Holy Spirit truly dwells among us, there is nothing we cannot do.

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