Videos

Br. Joe Trout, OP speaks to us of God's surprising generosity, going beyond anything we expect or deserve, and he asks us to ponder the ways that God has been good to us in our own loves.

On the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Br. Joe Trout, OP notes that these great apostles were not perfect people, yet in leading the Church they brought us closer to God. In the same way, we should not demand perfection from our current leaders, but should expect them to lead us all towards God.

Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time with a surprising insight into prayer—that God ultimately hears our prayers and vindicates us, but often not right away,. Thus, serving God can be painful and entail suffering, but it is still the path to eternal life and joy, so brace yourself for it if you want to walk this path.

Br. Joe Trout, OP recalls how the authorities of Jesus' day sought to trip him up by asking him trick questions, and how Jesus refused to play their games. In the same way, we should not feel a need to respond to people who are just looking for a fight.

Br. Joe Trout, OP unpacks the complex story of Jesus cursing the fig tree, wrapped around the cleansing of the Temple, with a note about prayer at the end. Confused? You won't be after today's episode of A Word of Hope: https://www.opcentral.org/hope

Br. Joe Trout, OP recalls how Paul and Barnabas were horrified for being worshipped as gods themselves, and asks us to think about how we define "success" in our own lives.

Br. Joe Trout, OP looks at the struggles in the early church to build a community that is just and effective, and asks us each to ponder our own roles in the present-day church.

Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for Good Shepherd Sunday, explaining how God protects us and frees us from sin so that we can join in the salvific work of God and have life more abundantly. Also, we enter into this state through Jesus, who is the gate, though the Sacraments.

Br. Joe Trout, OP ponders the meaning of not celebrating the Eucharist on Good Friday, a day in which the Church "pauses" from celebrating this sacrament so that we can ponder better the sacrifice that made it possible.

Br. Joe Trout, OP confronts the reality of suffering, reminding us that we can never know the totality of God's plan, we can never fully understand the challenges and difficulties we face. But we can trust that the world is in the hands of a God who loves us, and that, in the end, all will be well.

Br. Joe Trout, OP comments on why God wants love from us, rather than sacrifice. One reason is that God wants us to live our day approaching everyone we meet with the love that God has for them—the love God has shown to us.

Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for the Second Sunday of Lent, including the Transfiguration, pointing out the many ways God speaks to us and wondering if we will listen and experience the fullness of the Resurrection come Easter.