Dominican Friars
Province of St. Albert the Great, USA

A Word of Hope

21 Nov • Pointing to God

A Word of Hope

In today's Gospel, Jesus says, "whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." His mother, Mary, lived in such a way as to always point to God rather than to herself. We should do the same.

Based on Matthew 12:46-50

While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, ‘Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.’ But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?’ And pointing to his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’

(New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org)

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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:

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    27 Nov • Text and context

    Jesus comments that, with two small coins, the widow donated more than all the rich people because she gave what she needed to live on. When we look at the context, Jesus clearly thinks this is a bad thing. When deciding right from wrong, do we pay attention enough to the context?
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    26 Nov • When did we see you Lord?

    Jesus tells the parable of the sheep and the goats, saying that when you did or did not do something for those in need, you did or did not do it to him. These days the needy are all around us. Will we do something? Elaine welcomed immigrant families into her home.

    Also, a reminder that our Provincial's Dinner is this coming Thursday, November 30, at the Union League Club of Chicago. To find out more, go to: https://www.opcentral.org/news/6th-annual-provincials-dinner or just email Fr. Scott at media@opcentral.org . This year we are honoring Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP, just back from the Synod on Synodality.
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    25 Nov • The family of God

    The Sadducees question Jesus about a woman who had been married seven times and died childless, which allows Jesus to talk about the Resurrection and our preacher to raise the further point that people without their own children can nonetheless be parents of many in the family of God.

    Also, a reminder that our Provincial's Dinner is this coming Thursday, November 30, at the Union League Club of Chicago. To find out more, go to: https://www.opcentral.org/news/6th-annual-provincials-dinner or just email Fr. Scott at media@opcentral.org . This year we are honoring Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP, just back from the Synod on Synodality.
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    24 Nov • We are temples of God's presence

    A Word of Hope by Fr. Andrew Carl Wisdom, OP.
    In today's reading, Jesus purified the temple. After the Resurrection, Christians themselves became the privileged temples of God's presence in the world. Living this out, acknowledging God's presence in ourselves and in others, will go a long way to solve the violence that plagues our world today.

    Also, a reminder that our Provincial's Dinner is this coming Thursday, November 30, at the Union League Club of Chicago. To find out more, go to: https://www.opcentral.org/news/6th-annual-provincials-dinner or just email Fr. Scott at media@opcentral.org . This year we are honoring Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP, just back from the Synod on Synodality.
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    22 Nov • Hearing the music

    If you saw only what the martyrs give up, it would make no sense. Yet they hear a beautiful song of which they are but one part, and the beauty of this song makes sense of every part, even their own deaths. Can we hear that greater melody?
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    21 Nov • Are we ready for the Lord?

    Jesus told Zacchaeus the tax collector that he would dine at his house, and to make himself ready, Zacchaeus gave half of what he had to the poor and promised to pay back anyone he defrauded four times over. Are there things we need to do to make ourselves ready for the Lord to come dine with us?
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    18 Nov • A God of Mercy?

    Jesus told his disciples the parable of the unjust judge who nonetheless rendered justice for the persistent widow out of fear. Is our image of God even worse than that of the unjust judge? What king of faith do we have in God?
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    14 Nov • Working through the aches and pains

    The Book of Wisdom tells us that God formed us to be imperishable, but as we get older and get aches and pains, we certainly don't feel imperishable. We need to work through the aches and pains and changes in our life to keep building up what is imperishable: the Kingdom of God.
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    10 Nov • Money for friends

    Jesus commends the unjust steward for being "prudent" with his master's money, getting himself out of his looming financial crisis. If only his own disciples could be so prudent about the looming spiritual crisis.
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    9 Nov • Every day grace

    On this Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran, we hear the vision of the Prophet Ezekiel of water flowing from the Temple turning the Dead Sea to fresh water. How can a trickle of water do this? By being constant, moment to moment, day after day, year after year. Such is God's grace to us, and such should be our gift of grace to those we meet.
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    8 Nov • Mercy in the midst of trials

    Jesus challenges his disciples not to look back, but to keep going whatever comes. To be Christian, we must find mercy and love in our hearts in the midst of trials, even if no one else respects that, for love and mercy is our call and our ultimate gift to the world.
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    7 Nov • Why try?

    St. Paul encourages us to "hold on to what is good," but sometimes, we get discouraged and don't know why we should even try. J.R. Tolkien gives voice to a reason.
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    6 Nov • The better reward

    Jesus tells us that when we throw a banquet we should invite the poor and the crippled who cannot repay us, because our joy will be greater when we all dine together in the Kingdom.
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