HOMILY EASTER SEASON – WEEK 05 05 About Our Identity and Activity (Acts 15:22-31; Ps 57; Jn 15:12-17) ************************************************ Have you ever heard people say they believed in God but not in an institution? That they believed in Jesus but did not want to have anything to do with the church? That they were spiritual […]

HOMILY EASTER WEEK 05 04 Abiding in Love (Acts 15.7-21; Ps 96; Jn 15.9-11) ************************************ When was the last time you told someone you loved them? When was the last time someone said they loved you? The answer to that last question is actually today – just now, in the gospel, where Jesus says, “As […]

EASTER WEEK 05 03 The True Vine and Fruitful Branches (Acts 15:1-6; Ps 122; Jn 15:1-8) ******************************************** When I began my strawberry patch, I bought two kinds of strawberry plants with some berries on them and planted them with great expectation. The berries that were on the plants grew, matured, were enjoyed – and then […]

HOMILY EASTER WEEK 05 02 Being Missionary Disciples Optional Memorial: St. Eugene de Mazenod (Acts 14.19-28; Ps 145; Jn 14.27-31) ************************************************ To announce the release of a new movie, often a trailer is produced giving the viewer an idea of what the movie will be like to entice viewers to go see the movie. The […]

HOMILY EASTER WEEK 05 01 Experiencing God Through Intimacy (Acts 14.5-18; Ps 115; Jn 14.21-26) *********************************** When someone is on their deathbed, and sharing their last thoughts and words with us – we pay attention. The gospel today asks us to pay attention to the words of Jesus before the Passover, because his hour had […]

HOMILY EASTER SUNDAY 5-C (Homily 01) The New Commandment (Acts 14:21b-27; Psalm 145; Rev 21:1-5a; John 13:1, 31-33a, 34-35) ***************************************************************** Do you believe in heaven on earth? Love as Jesus has loved us, and you will help it happen. Imagine 50 men and women giving up a whole weekend to isolate themselves in a school, […]

HOMILY EASTER WEEK 04 06 This Is Exciting! (Acts 13:44-52; Ps 98; Jn 14.7-14) ******************************* When was that last time that you really got excited? Pray for faith that will excite you – faith in Jesus arisen from the dead. It seems that the whole city of Antioch was stirred up with excitement by Paul’s […]

HOMILY EASTER WEEK 04 04 After God’s Own Heart – Living a 9thBeatitude (Acts 13.13-25; Ps 89; Jn 13.16-20) ***************************************************** If you were invited to speak in a Jewish synagogue, what would be your message? The readings today provide us with one: have faith in Jesus and do the will of the Father; be a […]

EASTER WEEK 04 03 Believing in God – Listening to the Spirit – Living as Church (Acts 12.24-13.5; Ps 67; Jn 12.44-50) ****************************************************** The readings today continue to plumb the deeper meaning of the Resurrection event, extending to us an invitation to grow in faith, live in the Spirit, and spread that gift of faith. […]

HOMILY – FEAST OF ST MATTHIAS Chosen to Love (Acts 1:15-17, 20-26; Ps 113; Jn 15:6-17) ******************************************   Two words almost leap out at us in today’s readings: “chosen” and “love.” Putting them together, we get the message from this feast day of St. Matthias that we are Chosen to Love.   In the first […]