Soul Gardening: Living Word and Covenant Relationship (Heb 10:11-18; Ps 110; Mk 4:1-20) ******************************************************** Gardening can, and should be, a spiritual experience. The liturgy today invites us to attend to the garden of our soul, where the living Word of God can bear the fruit of an intimate covenant relationship with God. For years now, […]
Category: Articles
HOMILY WEEK 03 02 – Year I
Doing the Will of God: Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Hebrews 10:1-10; Ps 40; Mk 3:31-35) *************************************** A well-to-do lawyer was visiting St. Mother Teresa’s clinic in Calcutta. Observing her ministering to rejected and dying patients, some of them smelling awful and covered with sores, he made this comment, “Sister, I wouldn’t do that for […]
HOMILY WEEK 03 01 – Year I
Holy Spirit – Agent of Forgiveness: Optional Memorial of St. Angela Merici (Heb 9:15-28; Ps 98; Mk 3:22-30) ******************************************** There is a saying, “The stronger the sun; the sharper our shadow.” That saying fits the readings today, readings that contrast the sun of faith and belief, with the dark shadows of unbelief. The author of […]
Homily Feast of St. Paul Week 02 06 – Year I
FEAST – THE TRANSFORMATION OF ST PAUL (Acts 22:3-16/Acts 9:1-22; Psalm 117; Mark 16:15-18) ********************************************************** The readings for today’s feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, including both versions from Acts, focus on his encounter with Jesus and the Great Commission Jesus gave to his disciples. The message for us is to encounter Jesus as […]
Homily Week 02 05 – Year I
Religion of the Heart: Memorial of St. Francis de Sales (Heb 8:6-13; Ps 85; Mk 3:13-19) ************************************************** “I will put my laws in their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” That sentence, and the readings today, invite us to move from sacrificial […]
HOMILY WEEK 02 04 – Year I
Living in an Intimate Covenant Relationship with God (Heb 7:25-8:6; Ps40; Mk 3:7-12) ****************************************************** A young man shared a dilemma with a friend. He was in love with two young women. One was a wonderful baker, and the other a wonderful poet, and he did not know which to marry. His friend commiserated with him, […]
HOMILY WEEK 02 03 – Year I
HOMILY WEEK 02 03 – Year I Towards a More Peaceful, Pure Faith: Optional Memorial of St. Vincent, First Spanish Martyr (Heb 7:1-3,15-17; Ps 110; Mk 3:1-6) *********************************************** Which of the following statements resonates most deeply with you: Law and legalism, or Love and relationships? The readings today invite us to deepen our faith in […]
HOMILY WEEK 02 – Year i
Covenants of Hope and Love: Memorial of St. Agnes (Heb 6:10-20; Ps 111; Mk 2:23-28) *************************************** “God is ever mindful of his covenant.” That sentence from today’s psalm, along with the first reading and gospel not as connected as usual, combine to invite us to be a people in a covenant relationship with God filled […]
Homily week 02 – Year I
New Wine of Eternal Life; Fresh Skins of Humble Obedience: Optional Memorial of St. Fabian, Martyr Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Heb 5:1-10; Ps 110; Mk 2:18-22) ****************************************************** The superior of a religious community of women was on her death bed. One of the sisters, whose father found drinking a little brandy each night […]
HOMILY WEEK 01 05 Year I
HOMILY WEEK 01 06 – Year I Following Jesus (Heb 4:12-16; Ps 19; Mk 2:13-17) *********************************** “God accepts us as we are, but believes in whom we can become.” That quote from Sr. Teresita Kambeitz OSU, underlines the message from today’s readings: we are called to follow Jesus into a new life of mercy, grace […]
