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 […]

HOMILY – OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS – DECEMBER 30th Following the Wisdom of the Elders (1 Jn 2:12-17; Ps 96; Lk 2:36-40) *********************************************** What role do elders play in your life? Years of Indigenous ministry has taught me to appreciate the role of elders. The readings today present us two elders, St. John and Anna, who […]

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 II 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, […]

HOMILY – FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY – C There’s No Place Like Home (1 Samuel 1:11, 20-22, 24-28; Psalm 84; 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24; Luke 2:41-52) ************************************************************* Did you notice something about the carols and songs that are played on the radio at Christmas time? Many of these songs speak of going home, being […]

HOMILY CHRISTMAS MORNING – YEAR C Responding to Good News with Faith (Isaiah 62:11-12; Psalm 97; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:15-20) ***************************************************** It is Christmas Day, and after the touching readings and joyful celebration of Christmas Eve last night, the readings today offer us an opportunity to reflect back and deepen our appreciation of this mystery […]

CHRISTMAS EVE- YEAR C The Deeper Meaning of Christmas (Isaiah 9:2-4, 6-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-16) ************************************************************ “While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was […]

HOMILY WEEK 01 01 – Year I The Threefold Call to Discipleship: Believe, Repent and Follow (Heb 1:1-6; Ps 97; Mk 1:14-20) ******************************************************** Liturgists usually try to choose a reading that connects with the gospel for the day. In today’s liturgy, they succeeded quite well as the author of Hebrews neatly complements the gospel of […]

BAPTISM OF THE LORD – YEAR B Jesus Christ: New Creation, New Incarnation and a New Exodus (Isaiah 55:1-11; Isaiah 12; 1 John 5:1-9; Mk 1:7-11) ************************************************************* A little boy on beach spied a matronly woman sitting under a beach umbrella on the sand. He asked, “Are you a Christian?” “Yes,” she replied. “Do you […]