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Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Fr. Bob's Reflection for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
In the early days of sailing, a young boy went to sea hoping to become a sailor. One stormy day, he was told to climb to the top of the mast. The first half of the climb was easy because he kept his eyes fixed on the sky above him.
But halfway up, he made a mistake. He looked down.
Seeing the rough sea far below, he became dizzy. Fear gripped him, and he froze, afraid that he would fall.
An experienced sailor called up to him, "Look back to the sky, young man! Look back to the sky!"
The boy followed the advice, lifted his eyes once again, regained his confidence and safely finished the climb.
The young sailor made the same mistake Peter makes in today's Gospel. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was able to walk on water. But the moment he focused on the wind and the waves, fear replaced faith. He took his eyes off Christ and began to sink.
The same thing happens to us.
We begin our lives wanting to follow Jesus, but life's storms distract us. Worries, disappointments, work, family responsibilities, illness, or financial struggles can draw our attention away from Him. When we focus more on the storm than on the Savior, we begin to lose our balance.
Many years ago, I met a man at St. Christopher's Inn, our drug and alcohol rehabilitation center here at Graymoor. His parents had never been a real part of his life, and the lack of guidance left deep wounds that eventually led him into addiction.
A few weeks after arriving at the Inn, he began attending weekday Mass. After hearing this Gospel story, he said to me, "Father, it's amazing that Peter wanted so badly to get to Jesus that he was willing to walk on water."
Then he quietly added, "I think I have my own boat to get out of."
For him, that boat was drugs and alcohol. He realized he had to leave behind what was keeping him from Christ.
Most of us may not struggle with addiction, but we all have our own boats. It may be work, success, comfort, pride, fear, or anything else that keeps us from placing Christ first. Sometimes we are simply afraid to step out in faith because what is familiar to us feels safer than trusting Jesus.
The beautiful message of today's Gospel is that when Peter began to sink, Jesus immediately reached out His hand.
My friends, there will always be storms in life. But if we keep our eyes on Christ, we will never face them alone. Even when our faith falters, His hand is always there to lift us up.
If we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we too will discover what Peter did – that Christ is stronger than every storm. And with renewed faith, we will be able to say with Peter, "Lord, truly you are the Son of God."
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Robert Warren, S.A.
Spiritual Director
Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Monday, August 10, 2026
Sunday, August 9, 2026
Saturday, August 8, 2026
Iran Issues List of Demands, Dampening Hopes of Reopening Strait of Hormuz - The New York Times
Iran Issues List of Demands, Dampening Hopes of Reopening Strait of Hormuz - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/08/world/middleeast/iran-us-oman-strait-of-hormuz.html
Iran Issues List of Demands, Complicating Efforts to Reopen Strait
The head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States met certain conditions.
Friday, August 7, 2026
Thursday, August 6, 2026
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Fr. Bob's Reflection for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Guest Post
In today’s Gospel, Jesus says to His disciples, “Give them some food yourselves.” Looking out at the thousands gathered before them, the disciples are overwhelmed. They respond, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have.”
And Jesus simply says, “Bring them to Me.”
There is an important lesson here for all of us.
The disciples see only the size of the problem. There are too many people and there is not enough food. Yet Jesus does not excuse them from the task. Instead, He invites them to participate in the miracle.
They bring Him what little they have. Jesus blesses the loaves and fish, but then He does something surprising. He places the food back into the hands of the disciples and tells them to distribute it to the crowd.
The message is clear: God chooses to work through us. He invites us to take part in His work of healing, compassion and care for others.
A beautiful example of this came from a story in New York City. Three times a week, a blind woman boarded a city bus. The driver greeted her warmly and saved a seat for her, near the front. They talked about family, life and the challenges they faced.
When they arrived at her stop, he helped her off the bus and safely across a busy street. Then he returned to the bus. Yet the woman remained standing where he had left her. She waited until she heard him honk the horn three times. Only then did she smile, wave and continue on her way.
A blind woman and a bus driver – hardly important figures by the world’s standards. They possessed no wealth, influence, or power. Yet each offered what little they had: kindness, concern and compassion. Christ blessed those small gifts and used them to nourish both of them.
How often do we feel like the disciples? We look at the challenges around us and ask, “What can I possibly do?”
Parents worry about raising children in a difficult world. Workers struggle to remain honest amid pressure and competition. Spouses try to heal relationships that seem fragile or strained. Others carry burdens of grief, illness, loneliness, or uncertainty.
And their response is often the same as the disciples: “Lord, all I have are five loaves and two fish.”
But Jesus says to each of us what He said to them:
“Bring them to me. Bring me your fears and anxieties. Bring me your hopes and dreams. Bring me your struggles and disappointments. Bring me your burdens and your crosses. Bring me whatever you have.”
We often concentrate on what little we can do, rather than what Christ can accomplish through us. We see limitations. Jesus sees possibilities. We see the shortage. Jesus sees the abundance.
The miracle of the loaves and fishes reminds us that God does not ask us to solve every problem on our own. He asks only that we place what we have into His hands.
And when we do, He blesses it. He multiplies it. He uses it in ways we never imagined.
So, my friends, do not focus on how little you have. Instead, focus on how much Christ can do. Bring Him your burdens, your hopes and your crosses – and trust Him to make them enough.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Robert Warren, S.A.
Spiritual Director
Meet The Hillbilly Thomists | Word on Fire Institute
Meet The Hillbilly Thomists | Word on Fire Institute
https://community.wordonfire.org/c/news-updates/meet-the-hillbilly-thomists
The Hillbilly Thomists will join us for our next seminar to explore the ways in which art—especially music—can be used in evangelization.
This band of friars has been playing American folk music together for many years. They released their first album, The Hillbilly Thomists, in 2017 and reached the #3 spot on the Billboard chart in bluegrass. They found additional success with the release of Living for the Other Side (2021), Holy Ghost Power (2022), and Marigold (2024). They have gone on tour and even had an opportunity to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and have shared the gospel through their music with audiences all across the United States.
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
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