HOMILY JANUARY 04 – Year I Come, See and Be (1 Jn 3:7-10; Ps 98; Jn 1:35-42) ********************************* There is a freshness to the gospel today that, along with the first reading, invites us to “come, see and be” – to come to Jesus, discover who Jesus is, and respond by being Christ-like or righteous. […]

HOMILY OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS JANUARY 02 – Year I Faith and Fellowship: Memorial of Saints Basil and Gregory (1 Jn 2:22-28; Ps 98; Jn 1:19-28) ******************************************************* Can you think of a friendship that changed your life? The reading today from 1 John, and the memorial of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, invite […]

Mary, Mother of God – New Year’s Day Pray, Bless and Praise (Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 67; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21) ************************************************************* Ritual, Theology and Narrative: these three words succinctly describe the three readings for today. In essence, they call us to bless one another; pray like Mary, and worship God like the shepherds. As we […]

HOMILY – OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS DAY 07 – DECEMBER 31st From Hard Laws to Warm Grace and Truth Optional Memorial of St. Pope Sylvester I (1 Jn 2:18-21; Ps 96; Jn1:1-18) **************************************************** Suppose you were given hard stone tablets with rules written on them to hold for a while – how would you respond and […]

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY – YEAR A “Live Transformed Lives” (Sirach 3:2-6; Ps 128; Col 3:12-21; Mt 2:13-15; 19-23) ************************************************************ There is a clear message from the readings for today’s feast of the Holy Family: all of us are to live lives that are transformed by Jesus Christ. The transformation takes place within the […]

CHRISTMAS OCTAVE DAY 05 – DECEMBER 29th Walking as Jesus Walked: Optional Memorial of St. Thomas Becket (1 Jn 2:3-11; Ps 96; Lk 2:22-35) ********************************************** The Word Among Us has an interesting commentary on today’s gospel that with some adaptation will make up this homily. It begins with the quote, “The parents of Jesus took […]

HOMILY – FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS – Year I Jesus Christ: Light in the Darkness (1 Jn 1:5-2:2; Ps 124; Mt 2:13-18) ************************************************* St. John, whose feast we celebrated yesterday, begins the readings today with the proclamation that God is light and in him there is no darkness. Those who repent and receive the […]

HOMILY – FEAST OF ST. JOHN Joyful Faith and Communion with the Lord (1 Jn 1:1-4; Ps 97; Jn 20:2-8) ***************************************** When a bishop is named, the tradition is to have the ordination on a feast day. So strong is that tradition that I, at the insistence of Luigi Venturi, papal nuncio at that time, […]

FEAST OF ST STEPHEN Living Calvary in Slow Motion (Acts 6:8-10; Ps 31; Mt 10:17-22) **************************************** A well-known theologian, Deitrich Bonhoeffer, once said: Grace is free, but not cheap. This statement resonates with a song the international singing group Up With People sang as part of their show: Freedom isn’t Free. These two phrases seem […]

CHRISTMAS DAY HOMILY – Year A Living the Two-Fold Mission of Jesus as Children of God (Isaiah 5:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18) ******************************************************* What hymn, not a carol, carries the deep meaning of Christmas? The answer is “Lay Your Hands” by Carey Landry. We will see why. Worship Jesus the Lord, Son of […]