Doing the Will of God – Memorial, St. Ambrose (Isaiah 26:1-6; Ps 118; Mt 7:21, 24-27) *************************************************** “Only the ones who do the will of my Father in heaven will enter the kingdom of God.” Jesus could not be clearer or more direct than this teaching: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will […]

Building Our Lives on Rock ((Is 26:1-6; Ps 118; Mt 7:24-27) *************************** At the Western Wall in Jerusalem, our guide pointed out that the massive stones we saw were really just a retaining wall to support the platform on which the temple was built. What a solid foundation! Today, in the gospel, Jesus advises his […]

Love Alone Satisfies Spiritual Hunger (Is 25:6-10a; Ps 23; Mt 15:29-37) ************************************ “Is that all there is to my life?” is a question many people end up asking, especially as they enter into the second half of life. Our yearning for the fullness of life can only be satisfied by the experience of God’s love, […]

A Shoot Shall Come Out (Is 11:1-10; Ps 72; Lk 10:21-24) **************************************** There is a bumper sticker that reads, “If you want peace, work for justice.” The powerful readings for day two of the first week of Advent inspire us to adapt it to become, “If you want peace, justice and joy in your life, […]

Celebrate a Triple-Header (Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25; 1 Thes 3:12-4:2; Luke 21:25-28, 34-36) ************************************************************ In the world of baseball, a triple-header is when two teams play three games against each other in succession over a few days. That sporting event pales in comparison with the liturgical triple-header that is involved in the season of Advent […]

Be a Beacon of Hope and a Light to the World (2 Samuel 7:1-5b, 8b-12. 14a, 16; Psalm 89; Rm 16:225-27; Luke 1:26-38) ************************************************************ Years ago, noted television personality and writer Malcomb Muggeridge spent some time working with Mr. Theresa in the slums of Calcutta. He noted that one of the forces that kept her […]

An Infinite Horizon of Faith (Mal 3:1-4;4:5-6; Ps 25; Lk 1:57-66) ********************************************** Olivier Tremblay, an Oblate who works with university students in Eastern Canada, spoke at an Oblate symposium once. He noted that youth today lack hope, because they don’t have an infinite horizon of faith into which they can situate the events of their […]

Mary and Elizabeth; Jesus and John the Baptist (Zep 3:14-18; Ps 33; Lk 1:39-45) *********************************************** Bishop St. Ambrose has an interesting reflection on the visitation that I thought I would adapt and make part of this homily. Here is what is found in the office of readings for today: When the angel revealed his message […]

Saying “Yes” to God like St. Joseph (Jer 23:5-8; Ps 72; Mt 1:18-24) ************************************ Two small boys, having a sleep-over at their grandparents, were saying their night prayers. One was praying out loud with all his might that God would get him a bike for Christmas. The other told him he didn’t have to pray […]