Dominican Friars
Province of St. Albert the Great, USA

A Word of Hope

5 July • Seasons of Our Lives

A Word of Hope

In our Gospel today, John the Baptist's disciples ask Jesus why they have to fast while his disciples do not. Jesus answers them that it is because he is with them that they have to feast, but that their time to fast will come. In our own lives there will be times when we need to fast and times when we need to feast, not because of our own choice, but because of where God is leading us in this season of our life.

00:00 - Introduction from Fr. Andrew Carl Wisdom
00:17 - Gospel Question: Why Do We Fast?
00:45 - Jesus’ Answer: The Bridegroom Is Here
01:10 - A Time to Feast, a Time to Fast
01:24 - Novices Celebrate Simple Vows
01:49 - Spiritual Discernment Through Fasting
02:27 - Recognizing the Time to Feast
02:55 - Trusting the Lord’s Timing
03:17 - Blessing and Closing

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    28 May • Being part of the household of God

    Jesus tells us that if we are part of his household, we will have many mothers, brothers, and sisters and we will inherit eternal life in heaven—but we will also inherit persecution and suffering in this life. To join this family we do not have to abandon our own, but it is our truest family.
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    26 May • Delving into the mystery of God

    The Trinity—three persons, one God—is a mystery far beyond our comprehension. But rather than trying to grasp it, Jesus tells his followers to go out and make disciples from all the nations on earth in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In that encounter with a diverse group of others, all made in the image of God, we will learn more about God than we will by pondering the mystery.
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    24 May • Helping struggling families

    Building on Jesus' teaching against divorce and the Church's teaching that the family as the domestic church is the basic building block of a stable society, we are challenged to reach out to help families that are struggling, to help them draw closer to God's love.
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    23 May • What causes you to sin?

    Jesus told his followers that if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away. He did not want us to take this literally, but he does want us to take it seriously, and to ltry to let go of the things that lead us into sin.
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    22 May • Accept the gifts of others

    When it was reported that people who were not his disciples were driving out demons in his name, Jesus did not try to stop them, or get them to join his group, but told his disciples "whoever is not against us is for us." Can we acknowledge gifts of others for ministry without needing them to conform to our own theological views or become members of our own church?
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    21 May • Boast only in the Lord

    The Letter of James asks where the wars and conflicts among us come from, and then the Gospel describes an argument the disciples had about who was the greatest among them. To follow Jesus we need to serve one another in a spirit of true humility.
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    20 May • Mary, Mother of the Church

    On this memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church, we remember that Jesus gave us his mother as our mother from the cross. Mary can now be a reminder of the love of Jesus for us so that we can flourish in the love of God.
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    17 May • Jesus meets us where we are

    In a famous scene from the Gospel of John, Jesus asks Peter if he loves him perfectly, and all Peter can do is reply that he loves him as a brother. So Jesus accepts this as a starting point in order to help Peter move towards a more perfect love. In the same way, God meets us where we are in order to help us get to where we want to be.
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    15 May • We are consecrated by God

    The Apostle Paul warns to be watchful because there will come wolves to devour the sheep, while in the Gospel, Jesus asks God to consecrate his disciples in the truth, as he has been consecrated. Are there areas in your life that you need to be reminded that you have been consecrated to be a part of God's plan?
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    9 May • Who is in charge?

    Christians believe that, even though we do not see him, Jesus is still in charge and his plan will one day flood the earth with peace and justice. So we need not worry about tyrants. In the end, Jesus will prevail.
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    7 May • Growing the church

    Paul carries on preaching despite opposition in Philippi, while the disciples are sad at Jesus' departure. The first is an example of staying the course, which was good, and the second was an example of not wanting to change, which was bad. In the spiritual life, change is good when it supports growth and a greater ownership of the ministry of preaching the Good News.
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    6 May • Using all God's gifts

    Lydia, a rich believer, invites the disciples to stay with her in her home and they accept. She is just one example of many benefactors that assist the apostles work, just as they assisted Jesus' work. To further the Good News, we need to avail ourselves of the gifts of all God's people, not just some.
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    5 May • The mystery of love

    We are called to love one another, and often this opens us up to suffering. But the mystery of the cross and resurrection of Jesus reveals that this suffering, which is painful, will be transformed into something beautiful, and so we can embrace it.
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