ASH WEDNESDAY – Year C Be the Righteousness of God (Joel 2:12-18; Psalm 51; 2 Cor 5:20-6:2; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18) ************************************************************* The message that emerges from the readings for today’s Ash Wednesday celebration leaps out at us from the second reading, Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. St. Paul urges his readers to be reconciled […]
Category: Lent
HOMILY THURSDAY HOLY WEEK 03 – Yr II
Trust the Father and Follow Jesus (Is 50:4-9; Ps 69; Mt 26:14-26) ***************************************** “Lord, in your great love answer me.” This psalm response and the readings today invite us to trust in God the Father as Jesus did, and emulate him who was without sin. Both Isaiah and the psalm reveal prophecies about Jesus fulfilled, […]
HOMILY TUESDAY HOLY WEEK – Yr II
Sing and Speak; Worship and Witness (Is 49:1-6; Ps 71; Jn 13:21-38) *********************************************** Sing and speak; worship and witness. These two sentences contain the main message of the readings today: we are to sing of God’s salvation, and tell of his righteous acts – in short, to worship and witness. The righteous acts come first. […]
HOMILY MONDAY HOLY WEEK – Yr II
Mary and Helen – Models of Genuine Caring (Isaiah 42:1-7; Ps 27; Jn 12:1-11) ************************************************ Many years ago, well-known spiritual writer Henri Nouwen wrote a book entitled Out of Solitude. It contains three sermons he gave to health-care professionals outlining what it means to really care. One of the points he makes is that offering […]
HOMILY PALM SUNDAY YEAR B
From Kenosis to Kyrios (Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22; Philippians 2:6-11; Mark 14:1-15:47) **************************************************** As is the case on Good Friday, the readings provide us with such a rich content that it borders on being overwhelming, so a comment on each reading, under the umbrella of From Kenosis to Kyrios, will more than suffice. The first […]
HOMILY WEEK 05 06 – Yr II
The Messiah and Covenant Love (Ezk 37:21-28; Jer 31; Jn 11:45-57) ************************************** “I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them,” Ezekiel says in the first reading. Two key elements emerge in the readings: covenant and the role of the messiah. God has always wanted an intimate […]
HOMILY WEEK 05 04 – Yr II
Keeping the Covenant and Living the Word (Gen 17:3-9; Ps 105; Jn 8:51-59) ******************************************* In Indigenous spirituality, there is always someone in each community or territory who is the keeper of the tradition, medicine bundle or sacred pipe. Today, the Word of God invites us to be keepers of the Covenant and live the Word […]
HOMILY LENT WEEK 05 – 03 – Yr II
A Critical Decision (Dan 3:13-95; Dan 3:52; Jn 8:31-42) *************************************** The truth will set you free, but first it may make you miserable. The readings today put forward two conflicting paths: to follow Jesus, who is the truth, or to chose to be like the Pharisees, and fall into untruth. In the gospel, Jesus again […]
HOMILY LENT WEEK 05 02 – Yr II
Living Out the Cross (Num 21:4-9; Ps 102; Jn 8:21-30) ********************************* Did you notice a similarity between the first reading and the Gospel? Both Jesus and Moses struggle with their audience – Moses with the Israelites and Jesus with the religious leaders of his day. Both readings invite us into a deeper faith in Jesus […]
HOMILY SOLEMNITY OF ST. JOSEPH
(2 Sam 7:4-16; Ps 89; Rm 4:13-22; Mt 1:16-24/Lk 2:41-51)) ********************************************************** We are all familiar with Mariology. How familiar are we with Josephology? Today’s solemnity of St. Joseph is an occasion to explore some of that Josephology, with its message for men especially, to be humble, obedient, faithful, caring and self-giving, but also for all […]
