Dominican Friars
Province of St. Albert the Great, USA

A Word of Hope

A Word of Hope

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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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:

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    23 Mar • For the good of all

    In today's Gospel we get a hint that Caiaphas wants to kill Jesus in order to maintain his political power. Today our politicians sometimes try to protect their vested interest rather than working for the common good.
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    21 Mar • The Communion of Saints

    Jesus argues with the Jewish authorities that Abraham is still alive in God and looking upon this moment, and that he is one with God. This is the Communion of Saints, made possible by Jesus, and today is a day to feel our connection to those who have died but are alive in heaven.
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    20 Mar • Integrity

    Hanaiah, Azariah, and Mishael chose to be cast into the fire rather than worship a Babylonian god. People will expect us to do all sorts of things, be all sorts of people. Do we know ourselves and have the integrity to act with integrity?
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    19 Mar • How to have a happy death

    On this Feast of St. Joseph, we remember him as the patron saint of happy deaths, since he died presumably with Mary and Jesus at his side. Some planning ahead and conversing with loved ones can make your dying moments more likely to go better.
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    18 Mar • Courage and mercy

    Today's readings are full of sin, but in the first, courage and wisdom are shown to be more powerful than sin, and in the Gospel, mercy is stronger than sin. So we acknowledge sin in the world, but also that it is not the whole picture.
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    17 Mar • Turn to the cross

    This is the point in Lent when we turn with Jesus to face the cross ahead, hearing the words, "unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest."
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    13 Mar • Dive in

    The Prophet Isaiah invited those who were suffering to come out and feel God's saving power. We are also invited to dive into the river of God's grace, and to invite others to do the same.
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    12 Mar • Down the road

    Ezekiel had a vision of a trickle of water flowing from the temple, but growing greater and greater as it flowed through the world. In the same way, the recognition of the dignity and call to mission that baptism confers on all people that was affirmed at the Second Vatican Council is bearing greater and greater fruit as the years pass.
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    6 Mar • What you have seen

    In Deuteronomy we hear, "Do not forget the things your own eyes have seen." We need to remember that today, for we have all seen glimpses of the great things God has done for us in the first words or first steps of a child. It is what we have already see that should give us hope for what is possible in our world.
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    5 Mar • Forgive 77 times

    Jesus challenges us to forgive not 7 times, but 77 times. This does not mean that we need to have warm feelings towards them or to reconcile with them, but it is the first step of the process that opens the way to these possibilities. Can we hope that the person who hurt us might grow? Can we help bring this about through forgiveness?
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