HOMILY SUNDAY 4 – C The Greatest Vocation – Good Shepherd Sunday (Acts 3:14, 43-52; Palm 100; Rev 7:9, 14b-17; Jn 10:27-30) *********************************************************** How would you like to give life to others? Believe in the Good News of Jesus, and bring salvation and eternal life to others. These are such simple words, yet they hold […]

HOMILY EASTER WEEK 03 06 Growing our Relationship with Jesus ((Acts 9:31-42; Ps 116; Jn 6:53-69) ********************************************* What do you think was the most pivotal moment of Peter’s life with Jesus? What would ours be? St. Peter is strikingly central to both readings today, inviting us to grow in our relationship with Jesus as he […]

HOMILY EASTER WEEK 03 04 Dare We Also Rejoice and Proclaim? (Acts 8:26-40; Ps 66; Jn 6:44-51) ****************************************** Henri Thoreau once famously claimed “Most people lead lives of quiet desperation.” Given our society today, I would add “and silent depression,” coming from the surprising response to a retreat we gave at the Star of the […]

HOMILY EASTER WEEK 03 03 Profound Faith, Joyful Experience, Courageous Proclamation (Acts 7:51-8:1; Ps 31; Jn 6:30-35) *********************************************************** Canon Andrew White shared with a church full of people recently in Edmonton a painful reality he experienced during his ministry in Iraq. A group of ISIS fighters stormed into a school and demanded the children follow […]

EASTER WEEK 03 02 Believe, Pray, Love (Acts 7:51-8:1; Ps 31; Jn 6:30-35) ************************************** “Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Today’s liturgy invites us to deepen our faith in our Trinitarian God, soak up God’s love through prayer, and then keep the law by […]

HOMILY EASTER WEEK 03 01 Security, Identity and Mission Memorial: St. François de Laval (2 Tim 4:1-5; Ps 96; Jn 10:11-16) **************************************** In Canada, the usual readings for today are replaced by special readings chosen for the memorial of St. François de Laval. Given his shepherding role as bishop, one can see why. These readings […]

EASTER WEEK 02 06 Balancing Prayer and Ministry, Contemplation and Action Blessed Marie-Léonie Paradis (Acts 6:107; Ps 33; Jn 6:16-21) ******************************************************* Noted spiritual writer and speaker, Fr. Richard Rohr OFM, founded a Centre for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, some years ago. That prophetic gesture provides a fitting backdrop to today’s readings and […]

HOMILY – FEAST PHILIP AND JAMES Living and Praying the Paschal Mystery (1 Cor 15:1-8; Ps 19; Jn 14:6-14) ***************************************** Today’s first reading begins with St. Paul reminding his readers of the Good News that he proclaimed to them in which they were “standing,” and by which they were “being saved.” That Good News is […]

HOMILY EASTER SEASON WEEK 02 04  Faith, Transformation and Eternal Life (Acts 5:27-33; Jn 3:31-36) ***************************************   Faith, transformation and eternal life – these three words sum up the message from today’s readings.   We believe in the resurrection of Jesus; we experience transformation through forgiveness and healing, and we then live lives of obedient […]

HOMILY EASTER WEEK 02 03 Living Jesus’ New Way of Life (Acts 5:17-26; Ps 34; John 3:16-21) **************************************** “Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message about this life.” That command from an angel of the Lord to the imprisoned apostles, and the gospel today, invite us to revolutionize the world […]