Finding God In Our Hearts with Msgr. Don Fischer

PRI Reflections on Scripture | Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

Original Post Date: June 24, 2025 === Gospel Luke 1:57-66, 80 When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel. Reflection We see in this story a very, very important teaching. The Old Testament and the New Testament are not the same. The Old Testament, based on the law and performance. The New Testament based on God's presence within us. It's a radical shift. And it’s so fascinating that in the plan of God, the greatest of the Old Testament prophets is the one that looks at Jesus and says, there that's the one. That's what we've been talking about. That's the direction you need to now take. Listen to him. I spoke God's words, but he is God incarnate. Closing Prayer Father, it's always been difficult for us to make the shift between the Old and the New Testament. The Old Testament is so much more attuned to our minds and our wills. And yet, the New Testament demands that we open our heart and let God dwell there. So help us in this transition. It's what we all go through in our own spiritual journey. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

PRI Reflections on Scripture | Tuesday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time

Original Post Date: June 25, 2024 === Gospel  Matthew 7:6, 12-14 Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law and the Prophets.“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.” Reflection These remarks are made to Jesus disciples when they're going out and trying to call people into the teaching of Jesus. And so he tells them not to waste your time with people with closed minds. And then he goes on and says, you know, you are changing the way people understand my father, my God. The law and the prophets have always asked people to do what they're told and to earn salvation. But the teaching of Jesus is radically different. He goes on to say and teach very clearly that the only way that you can be saved is to allow God to save you, to free you of your sins, to enter into you and change your life. It's not something earned. It's a gift that has to be received. Closing Prayer Father, keep us from working too hard to fix ourselves or fix other people. Help us to simply trust that we are in a process of transformation, guided by not only your grace within us, your presence, but also with things that are not always what we expect. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

PRI Reflections on Scripture | Monday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time

Original Post Date: June 26, 2023 === Gospel Matthew 7:1-5 Jesus said to his disciples: "Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove that splinter from your eye,' while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye.” Reflection What Jesus is doing, is making a very simple truth evident. When we judge others, it's often because they are in some way representing something in us that we haven't really faced. Why would we not face things when we think about our relationship with God? He is mercy. He is forgiveness. So we need to examine very carefully whenever we're caught in that spirit of judgment to question it. And to know that there's another way, a way of love, a way of forgiveness, a way of understanding. Closing Prayer Father, you are forgiveness.Yet so often we hide our weaknesses from those that we feel want us to be more than we are. We're not as honest as we should be. Give us the honesty to face our weaknesses and know your love and your forgiveness so we can offer that gift to others. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

HOMILY • The 12th Week in Ordinary Time

Original Airdate: June 25, 2023 Jeremiah 20:10-13 | Romans 5:12-15 | Matthew 10:26-33 Opening Prayer: Grant, oh Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, never deprive of your guidance those set firm on the foundation of your love.  Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen. Closing Prayer: Father, you’ve revealed to us that evil is so powerful when it’s hidden, when people don’t recognize it and blame just human nature for not being what it should be, but the truth is it’s a power so strong that, without you, we are vulnerable.  So open our hearts to a conviction that you are in us, guiding us, empowering us, not only to speak truth but to endure the rejection that comes with speaking truth.  It’s your way.  It’s your plan.  Let us submit, and we ask this in Jesus’ name, amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

PRI Reflections on Scripture | Saturday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time

Original Post Date: June 22, 2024 === Gospel Matthew 6:24-34 Jesus said to his disciples: "No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?' All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” Reflection It's interesting how many people base their relationship on God by how quickly and how effectively he answers their prayers. Jesus says, pray and I will give you whatever you ask. But you know and I know that what that means is that we have in God the one who will be there for us always. He will always be what we need, but not necessarily what we think we need or what we want. So along with this beautiful promise of abundance in our life, there is still things that we would call not what we want. Evil things. Things that break down. Things that don't work. And you can't live in the kingdom without accepting both the fullness of that kingdom and the times when we feel that it’s empty and not enough. Closing Prayer Father, we ask for wisdom. We don't always know what to pray for, what to ask for, how to deal with the things going on in our life. But if we are filled with you, your Spirit living in us is the spirit of wisdom, and it's there to enable us to give in to everything that you ask of us, and to rejoice in what is good and what is not. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]