Province of St. Albert the Great, USA

A Word of Hope

30 April • From Pope Pius V to Pope Francis: Go Out & Evangelize!

On April 30th, as Dominicans remember Pope St. Pius V and the Church mourns Pope Francis, Fr. Luke Barder, OP, delivers a Word of Hope reflecting on the call to go out and evangelize. This homily connects the bold actions of the apostles in the first reading (Acts) and Jesus's own mission ("God so loved the world" from John) to Pope Francis's vision for a Church that reaches beyond itself. Discover inspiration from these witnesses as the Church reflects on Pope Francis's legacy and looks toward the coming of a new pontiff.

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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:

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.
2 Sept • The humility to be open to learn

Sep 2, 2024 by Br. Joseph Trout, OP

The people of Nazareth thought they already knew Jesus, and so could not accept that he was more than they thought. We can discover amazing things by being open to being taught by God rather than holding on to our small ideas.
1 Sept • The religion God wants

Sep 1, 2024 by Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP

The readings today are all about what proper religious observance looks like: following God's law in caring for the vulnerable people in their afflictions. This is a simple message, but one that often gets overlooked in religious discussions.
31 Aug • Don't bury your faith

Aug 31, 2024 by Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP

In Jesus' parable of the talents, he warns us that if we seek to protect our faith by hiding it away we will loose it. Our faith is meant to be lived, and shared, and questioned and then it will grow.
30 Aug • Our faith makes sense, if you take the time to learn

Aug 30, 2024 by Fr. Samuel Hakeem, OP

In his First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul promises us that God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom. There are many things in our faith that do not make sense at first pass, such as the mystery of the Eucharist, but we can study and learn and thus deepen our faith by understanding it better. Reason enhances faith, it does not oppose it, but not without spending time learning.
29 Aug • Stand against the flow

Aug 29, 2024 by Fr. Samuel Hakeem, OP

On this Feast of the Beheading of St. John Baptist we remember that our faith is often counter-cultural. Do we have the courage, as did John the Baptist, to speak that word of faith that might convert others?
28 Aug • Attending to the mundane

Aug 28, 2024 by Fr. Greg Heille, OP

On this Feast of St. Augustine, who gave the Dominicans its Primitive Rule of Life, we are challenged to examine what day to day mundane chores of life help us to go forth into the world in love and service?
27 Aug • What is important to us?

Aug 27, 2024 by Fr. Greg Heille, OP

On this Memorial of St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine, we are confronted with the question of what is important to us and how do we attend to it?
26 Aug • Facing affliction

Aug 26, 2024 by Fr. Brendan Curran, OP

The Apostle Paul praised the Thessalonians for their steadfastness of faith in the midst of persecution, and we hear of Christina, who today, lifts up hope in the midst of tragedy.
25 Aug • The story of Gilberto and Laetisia

Aug 25, 2024 by Fr. Brendan Curran, OP

In response to Paul's quoting of Genesis that in marriage, the two become one flesh, we hear the story of Gilberto and Laetisia, an immigrant couple who struggled but became a beacon of hope to others in Chicago's West Side.
24 Aug • Think before you judge

Aug 24, 2024 by Fr. Brian Walker, OP

When Jesus was prejudged by Nathaniel, Philip challenged him to "come and see." Do we prejudge others, or are we open to seeing others for what they are and thinking for ourselves?
23 Aug • St. Rose of Lima

Aug 23, 2024 by Fr. Brian Walker, OP

On this Memorial of St. Rose of Lima, her example of service and mindfulness of the needs of others reminds us that, according to Jesus, the love of neighbor is the second highest commandment and intimately tied to the first.
22 Aug • We will all be royalty in heaven

Aug 22, 2024 by Fr. Dominic Holtz, OP

Jesus likened heaven to a wedding banquet to which all were invited. As we celebrate the memorial of the Queenship of Mary, we are reminded that we will all be royalty in heaven.
21 Aug • God's kingdom is based on generosity

Aug 21, 2024 by Fr. Dominic Holtz, OP

Jesus said that it will be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get to heaven. Besides external wealth, are there obsessive personality traits that we need to shed in order to follow Christ more closely?
20 Aug • What do you need to shed?

Aug 20, 2024 by Fr. James Marchionda, OP

Jesus said that it will be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get to heaven. Besides external wealth, are there obsessive personality traits that we need to shed in order to follow Christ more closely?
19 Aug • Ask God what more you need to do

Aug 19, 2024 by Fr. James Marchionda, OP

A rich young man who kept the commandments asked Jesus what else he needed to do to have eternal life. This is a good question to ask God. Try it and see if perhaps you should give up something or take something on. At least you will know....
18 Aug • Through our choices, we can collaborate with God

Aug 18, 2024 by Br. Ed Van Merrienboer, OP

God invites us to join in the work of salvation by offering us wisdom and grace in the Eucharist, but we have to choose to partake of these gifts if we want to be coworkers in creating the Kingdom,
17 Aug • The touching and simple faith of children

Aug 17, 2024 by Br. Ed Van Merrienboer, OP

Jesus said to let the little children come to him, because the kingdom of heaven belongs so such as them. Children can have a very profound and simple trust in God that can be our guide when we feel our faith flagging.
17 Aug • Beyond sour grapes

Aug 17, 2024 by Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP

In ancient Israel there was a saying, "Fathers have eaten green grapes, thus their children’s teeth are on edge." Children often reap the consequences of their parents actions, but God wants to banish this saying because with repentance and grace, God can always open up new possibilities.
16 Aug • The union of marriage

Aug 16, 2024 by Fr. Yamil A. Samalot Rivera, OP

Marriage is a vocation that is not for all, because it demands radical union of soul and body with another, but this also makes it a powerful sign of the union that God wants for all of humanity in the end.
15 Aug • Mary's Assumption into Heaven anticipates our own

Aug 15, 2024 by Fr. Yamil A. Samalot Rivera, OP

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today we celebrate Mary's Assumption into Heaven, which we believe to be a foreshadowing of our destiny if we live as she did—totally identifying with her son to help bring salvation to the world.
14 Aug • Finding common ground

Aug 14, 2024 by Fr. Charles Bouchard, OP

Jesus recommends a process of correcting our brothers and sisters in which we first go to them alone, then, if they do not agree, bringing in one or two more , and only later bringing in the whole church is he or she does not listen. We could use this kind of prudence in our own day in dealing with our polarized politics. We should start our conversation with those with whom we disagree by finding common ground where we can agree, and then moving forward from there.

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