
Frank Friar Fridays
By Fr Patrick Baikauskas OP


The harvest is plentiful
Jesus tells his disciples to pray for laborers — and then sends them out as the answer to their own prayer. Today, I reflect on the baptismal call that belongs to every Christian: priest, prophet, and king. With so many new vocations in the Dominican order to be grateful for, this Sunday's readings are a reminder that the harvest was never meant to be gathered by priests and religious alone. It takes all of us.
Jesus tells his disciples to pray for laborers — andthen sends them out as the answer to their own prayer. Fr. Patrick reflects onthe baptismal call that belongs to every Christian: priest, prophet, and king.With so many new vocations in the Dominican order to be grateful for, thisSunday's readings are a reminder that the harvest was never meant to begathered by priests and religious alone. It takes all of us.

We Are What We Eat
A reflection on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.

But They Will When I'm Finished
A reflection for Holy Trinity Sunday.

Maybe It's Just the Holy Spirit
Something remarkable is happening in the Church — record numbers of people coming to faith or returning to it, all over the world. We keep looking for complicated explanations.

The Blessing of Going Away
What the ascension looks like in our own lives.

She Is Not Lost
On Mother's Day, I reflect on a man whose kindness transformed every stranger he met — and on what Jesus means when he promises he will not leave us orphans.

Ricardo's Smile: A Bolivian Orphanage and the Gospel of Showing Up
With the love of God, anything is possible.

Whose voice do we follow?
The voice that fears us with fear, anger, and hatred, or the voice that brings us peace.

Our journey of faith can challenge us and move us in directions that can be scary
But we must have trust that the journey of faith will bring us to the place our Lord desires for us

Is Jesus here yet? Celebrating a call to discipleship
n this special episode, we celebrate 75 incredible years of St. Tom's serving the Catholic student community at Purdue University. Drawing on decades of transformative mission trips to places like Cuba, Haiti, Bolivia, and Puerto Rico, we explore the often intimidating but beautiful call to discipleship. How do we encounter the living God in our brokenness? Join us as we reflect on the wisdom of Pope Francis and Henri Nouwen, celebrate a legacy of everyday witnessing, and ask the profound, simple question of a child: "Is Jesus here yet?"

Roll away the stone in your life
What is blocking you from experiencing Jesus' joy in your life?

We can let fear triumph
That is exactly what some in our culture count on.

Why Jesus Wept
This podcast is about the heartache of watching loved ones drift from the faith, the fears that bind us, and the hope found in Christ's healing love.

I once was lost, but now am found....
was blind, but now I see.

God in a Box:Hypocrisy of War
You cannot put God in a box pull him out to bless a war and put him away when his teachings become too difficult to follow. Today we have to talk about the atrocities in Iran, the hypocrisy of our leaders and why the blood is on our hands too.

Illuminating the Corners: The Journey to Holiness
In a world that can often feel dark, we are called to a profound transformation that goes far beyond our comfort zones. Join us as we explore how opening every part of our lives to God's grace allows the light of Christ to truly shine through us.

The Steel Mill vs. The Garden: Choosing Sacrificial Love
My parents weren't the type to take shortcuts. But if I'm being honest, it took me years to appreciate the sacrifices they made in those factories and steel mills. This Lent, we're looking at the temptation to seek out distractions and avoid the tough choices in life.

Jesus was political
"If the Church stays silent on injustice, are we failing our mission? In this episode, we tackle the discomfort of 'political' homilies and distinguish between endorsing candidates and defending human dignity.

Pass the Salt, Turn on the Light: The Courage to Shine
What do we do to shine before others so that they may see God alive in us?

The Remnant That Speaks No Lies
This is a reflection on truth, trust, and the hunger for justice.

How well do we see?
Do we see how Christ calls each of us to live out our lives as a light to others?

The Tale of Two Weddings
Do we live out our faith as a part-time job? We need to let the Holy Spirit in - all the time.

Are we truly seekers of peace?
Would our Lord be pleased with us, as a nation?

Have you ever had an epiphany, and...
...has it changed the path you took in life?

What does it mean for us to celebrate the Holy Family...
...and how do we relate that to our own family?

Let there be peace on Earth....
....and let it begin with each of us - today.

Are you ready for Christmas?
There's more to do than buy and wrap presents and send Christmas cards and bake cookies - much more.

John the Baptist challenges us to prepare the way of the Lord
and that means in every part of our lives.

As we enter Advent, what kind of person do I want to be?"
"As I enter the season of Christ’s birth, the man [or woman] I want to be is one who...
And, "The state of heart I desire is..."
And finally: "I want my family or my community to see in me..."

SPECIAL EPISODE - MY HOMILY AT ST. TOM'S ON THE 25TH JUBILEE OF DOMINICANS AT PURDUE
THIS IS A BONUS EPISODE FOR THIS WEEK.

No Kings - but who is OUR King?
An important question for us.

What do we take with us when we leave this earth?
Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received… but only what you have given: a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage."

How do we bring life to those around us?
It's an important question for us.

We remember not only those that have gone before us in the faith....
but what we need to do today, for the people who groan with anxiety and hunger.

Breaking the Mirror - Why Being "Good Enough" Isn't Enough
Some think our leadership in the United States might reflect the second coming. We can expect more.

Mercy Over Revolution
A reflection on events and discussion of this week - we cannot confuse a revolution with a revival.

Are we grateful for all we have?
If we are - do we show it?

What can we do in these challenging times?
A lot - if we are people of faith.

We need to figure out who we want to be in God's eyes.
Sorry, I forgot to post it. I recorded it on Friday, but got distracted.

A reflection on the death of Charlie Kirk in the light of The Beatitudes
I was trying to come up with a different title for this episode - but this one works.

Why we ALL need to be WOKE!
Yes, you heard me.

It sounds like Jesus is telling us to hate people close to us...
...that can't be right, can it?

Are we friends - real friends - with Jesus?
or just passing acquaintances?

Are you ready to set the world on fire???
I hope so.

Are we vigilant? Are we preparing ourselves?
That is always a good question, and maybe we are especially focusing on this time of year.

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity
Well, what's that mean for you? What is truly important in our lives?

For what, how and why do we pray?
Let us ask, seek, and knock, not just expecting God to provide answers, but ready to be the hands and feet through which God's will is fulfilled on earth as it is in heaven.

Are you a Martha or a Mary? That's not a question only for the women listeners
This is a question we all need to answer.

What does the parable of the good Samaritan say to us?
What concrete things can we do to truly live out the message of this parable?

A gospel reflection for Independence Day
The gospel reading that recounts Matthew's call to follow Jesus is a call for us as we remember the gifts we have received as citizens of the United States.