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In the Old Testament story of Joseph, son of Jacob, he is faithful to God no matter what. But when famine hits the land there is only so much he can do to help people. Like Joseph, Jesus is faithful to God no matter what, but Jesus is able to multiple loaves and fish when people are hungry, or turn bread into his body for us when we are in need. Let us trust Jesus who is not only faithful, but able to give us what we need, and even more than we hope for.

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?

In proclaiming Mary as the Mother of the Church, we acknowledge that the Church is her son, Jesus, and all of us who are part of the church, are part of the Body of Christ and have God dwelling in us.
So we do not have to go looking for God, we can find God dwelling within ourselves.

In building the Tower of Babel, people were trying to wall themselves off from others and impose unity through force. That kind of unity never works and in the end always falls apart. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit united people by dwelling inside them, thus uniting each to God. This unity lasts unto eternity, and it also sends us out right now to encounter others rather than walling us off from them.

We often imagine a devout person passing away and entering a "heavenly reward" or peaceful, disembodied rest. Yet, in the Acts of the Apostles (cf. Acts 9:36-43), when the beloved and charitable Tabitha (Dorcas) dies, St. Peter miraculously raises her back to this life. Why would he do this if she was already destined for heavenly peace? Was it simply so she could continue her work?

What does it truly mean to receive the Eucharist? Br. Joe Trout, OP, explores Jesus' challenging words in John 6 about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. This Easter season reflection from "Word of Hope" highlights a key difference: unlike ordinary food, the Eucharist is the living Christ. Discover how receiving this divine life transforms us, makes us new, and is the source of our hope for resurrection. It's not just bread; it's the power of Christ's eternal life within us.

In this insightful homily, Br. Joe explores the Gospel of John (John 21:1-19), where the Risen Jesus appears to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. Why did Simon Peter go back to fishing? Br. Joe delves into the disciples' confusion after the Resurrection and how Peter returned to what he knew. Discover how this moment becomes a "second calling," mirroring their first encounter with Christ and commissioning them for a new ministry.

Discover St. Paul's profound insight: we don't just pursue God; we can pursue Him because He has already possessed us through His grace. Learn how understanding that our lives belong to God frees us to work for good without carrying the world's weight, trusting in His ultimate plan and the glorious inheritance He promises.

Explore the counter-intuitive connection between hope and vengeance in Catholic teaching. Br. Joe Trout explains how Jeremiah's cry reflects a deep trust that God is good and will not let evil stand unaddressed. Learn why this belief in divine justice, tempered by mercy, is crucial for maintaining hope in difficult times.

Join Br. Joe Trout, OP as he reflects on the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent and how God works to make us better people. Time and again we see in the scriptures that the people God chooses are not necessarily the best people. They are not perfect, but God works with them to fix their faults and make them into better people.

Jesus was led into the desert to fast for 40 days, and only at the end of that fast are we told that he was hungry and needed to resist the temptations of the devil. Lent is a time to prepare to resist temptation when Lent is over.

The prophet Isaiah exhorts us against malicious speech which revels in the evil in the world and tears people down. Instead, we should mourn evil and seek God's help in making it better.