In the 12th and 13th centuries, to get around the difficulty of what Jesus said in the Gospels, Scripture scholars wrote commentaries on them called “glosses.” The glosses diminished the Gospel demands. St. Francis of Assisi warned his friars against doing the same. He would say instead, "Preach simply and without gloss. Use a simple word."

Such is the goal of the video series, A Simple Word, which features Father Joseph Mary offering a short reflection with Franciscan insight on the coming Sunday’s Gospel reading for Mass. The intent is to help people understand the Gospel and live it, to help them see how God is calling them to holiness. To grasp the context of what is going on, to hear the words as the people of Jesus’ time heard them is crucial for a clear understanding. The latest video is posted below: