Br. Joseph Trout, OP

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.