Bob's Beanfield

We are back in Ordinary Time now. Today's first reading is one of my favorites. It talks about Samuel hearing the voice of God and not recognizing it. To myself, I wonder how often I may have missed hearing God trying to tell me something, and Him saying to Himself, I have to keep calling Bob 3 and 4 times; maybe I'll just hit him upside the head with a 2 by 4! OK, so maybe God doesn't think like...

This episode includes the readings and commentary for the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord. While not a Holy Day of Obligation, it is a good way to end the Christmas Season and begin that time of the year we call "ordinary", meaning numbered, not plain. It is the beginning of the Ministry of Jesus, and from here we begin to learn about His life and His mission. This is a good time for us to also t...

What is it that we seek? What are we looking for? How do we know when we find it? These questions are things we might want to think deeply on. Jesus asks his first disciples that question when they see him being baptized by John the Baptist. And we can ask ourselves that also about the Magi, the Wise Men. What were they looking for?  Note that Scripture readings are from the Lectionary for Mass fo...

Today's episode is for the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, which is always on January 1. Since this year, that falls on a Monday, and is the day after the Feast of the Holy Family, it is NOT a Holy Day of Obligation this year. Other years it is, so I am reading the Scriptures and Commentary. Personally, I think it's a good thing to start the year off right and go to Mass and Honor Our B...

Today we celebrate the Holy Family. Over and over again, history shows us that as the family goes, so goes society. We may be feeling like families in our world are struggling right now, and we'd be correct. How can we correct this trend? By following the example of the most perfect family ever, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. In light of confusion over the recent Papal statements, and especially because...

Today we have not one, but 4 Christmas Mass readings! I will read each of them separately so you can choose which one you plan to attend, and listen to that one, or, feel free to listen to one of the others, or even all of them if you so choose! If you've been following along during Advent, you will remember that the reflections for the last few weeks have been longer than usual. Take heart, becau...

Today we have not one, but 4 Christmas Mass readings! I will read each of them separately so you can choose which one you plan to attend, and listen to that one, or, feel free to listen to one of the others, or even all of them if you so choose! If you've been following along during Advent, you will remember that the reflections for the last few weeks have been longer than usual. Take heart, becau...

Today we have not one, but 4 Christmas Mass readings! I will read each of them separately so you can choose which one you plan to attend, and listen to that one, or, feel free to listen to one of the others, or even all of them if you so choose! If you've been following along during Advent, you will remember that the reflections for the last few weeks have been longer than usual. Take heart, becau...

Today we have not one, but 4 Christmas Mass readings! I will read each of them separately so you can choose which one you plan to attend, and listen to that one, or, feel free to listen to one of the others, or even all of them if you so choose! If you've been following along during Advent, you will remember that the reflections for the last few weeks have been longer than usual. Take heart, becau...

This is the final Sunday of Advent, and the final DAY of Advent, all in one. The shortest week of Advent this year is just one day! Today is not only the 4 th Sunday of Advent, but it is also Christmas Eve. Let's not shortchange this Sunday, though, because today we hear about the dwelling places of God. Think for a minute…if you knew where God lived, wouldn't you want to go there to visit Him? Of...

This episode is for the Third Sunday of Advent. This week, it is the Gospel reading that has two separate reflections. The first is more practical and personal, the second more historical and theological. Feel free to listen to whichever appeals to you more. Or, if you are feeling really interested, listen to both!   Time marks are as follows:   0:00      Intro 2:14      First Reading             ...

This episode is for the Second Sunday of Advent. Like last week, there is a lot here, and Dr. Kreeft has two separate reflections on both the Responsorial Psalm and on the Second Reading. For the Psalm, he mentions that the two reflections are on two different parts of the psalm, and that they can be combined but they do not have to be. For the second reading, the first reflection is more practica...

In this episode, we review the story of how this podcast came to be, and why it's called the Bean Field. This story has inspired me in so many ways, and I hope you find some blessing in it as well!

Today, we listen to the readings and commentary for the First Sunday of Advent. I want to give you a heads up that Dr. Kreeft has a LOT to say about these readings, to the point where he actually has two separate reflections on the first reading. The first is about the problem of pain, the second is a bit more pastoral. Feel free to listen to both, or if one seems to appeal to you more, you can sk...

Today, we begin a new Liturgical Year, and with it we begin with a new cycle of readings for Sundays and Holy Days. You'll notice some differences in the podcast this year, and I hope they help you enjoy listening even more. To kick off the New Year, we'll listen to the introduction to Dr. Kreeft's book, "Food for the Soul", Reflections on the Mass Readings for Cycle B. We'll have the Mass reading...

At the end of the Liturgical Year, the Church reminds us of the Kingship of Jesus. It also reminds us of the end of time. As we'll hear today, the Church presents to us the image of Jesus as both Shepherd and Judge. How do those two go together? And what does that mean for us here and now?   We'll talk about those questions and more in today's Scripture for the Feast of Christ the King, and the co...

When we think about Sacred Scriptures, we hear that it is living and timeless. So even though it was written hundreds or even thousands of years ago, it has relevance to us now. I know for myself, I am often amazed at how something will strike me as deeply important for me now, even though I've heard it many times before, and not gotten the same thing out of it. But does Scripture really mean what...

The first thing we hear Jesus say in the Gospel of John is when He asks those who come to Him from John the Baptist, "What are you looking for?" So let's think for just a moment about ourselves. What are we looking for? If we are listening to this podcast, I would venture that one thing we are looking for is Wisdom. But what is Wisdom? Or perhaps the question is really, WHO is Wisdom? What does Wi...

What should we think about those who have been placed in positions of authority who abuse their office? We all have heard a LOT about the scandals involving the Church, priests, and the hierarchy, and none of us would condone the abuses perpetrated on innocent victims, nor the lack of response on the part of some to those abuses. Yet, has that destroyed the Catholic Church? Or does the perfect Chu...

We've all been taught the "Golden Rule"…do unto others what you would have them do unto you. And as Christians, we've all heard the Greatest Commandment: you shall love the Lord your God with all you heart and all your soul and all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself." These two sound very similar, but what do they mean in a practical sense? What is love? And how do we love our neigh...

Our world today is very divided. Politics is either black or white…there is no gray, and no sense of working with each other, let alone compromise. People on both sides of an issue feel very strongly that their way is THE way, the only RIGHT way. Some try to use religion as their justification. While there are some issues that we should, indeed, must, judge through the. Eyes of our faith, many oth...

The readings today have a lot to do with feasting. When I think of feasting, I think of celebrations. Weddings, Holidays, and such. We even feast at the end of someone's life, at least some of the time, when we share a meal after a funeral. Some of the feasts are better than others, but God's feast is the best! He is so far above us that even His feast is beyond our comprehension. Feasts on earth...

For me, sometimes hearing the Scripture readings becomes sort of an automatic thing, and I don't necessarily get anything out of it, because it has become a bit too familiar. If that is the case, I know that I need to slow down and really think through what God is trying to say. The readings today are like that. We've all heard the stories of the vineyards many times, perhaps so many that we don't...

Last week we learned a little bit about God's infinite Mercy. Today, we hear about how we need to respond to that Mercy, in our actions. It isn't enough to believe, we have to act on that belief. Jesus today takes the Pharisees to task for not repenting. Let's listen closely to see how God is calling us to repent in today's Scripture readings for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time and the commentary...

In a previous podcast, I mentioned that I sometimes wondered whether they was or was not other intelligent life in the Universe. I observed that either way, it was to me evidence of God's infinite love. If there IS some other race out there, God loves so much that He created it too., If not, then the ENTIRE UNIVERSE was made for the express purpose of His love of US. Imagine that! That would be IN...