HOMILY WEEK 10 04 – Year II Entering the Reign of God: Memorial of St. Barnabas (1 Kg 18:41-46; Ps 65; Mt 5:20-26) ************************************** “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Today’s reading and memorial invite us to live a […]

HOMILY WEEK 10 03 – Year II Living in the Reign with Faith and Love (1 Kg 18:20-39; Ps 16; Mt 5:17-19) **************************************************** Years ago, I was inspired to offer a retreat entitled Living in the Reign.  The readings today invite us to live in the Reign of God with the faith of Elijah and […]

WEEKDAY HOMILY 10 02 – Year II Salt of the Earth; Light of the World: Optional Memorial of St. Ephrem (1 Kgs 17:7-16; Ps 4; Mt 5:13-16) ******************************************* Have you ever heard the expression, “She or he is worth his or her salt?” That saying probably comes from the value of salt as currency in […]

HOMILY WEEK 10 01 – Year II The Beatitudes – Keys to the Kingdom (1 Kg 17:1-6; Ps 121; Mt 5:1-12) ***************************************** Today’s Gospel could be appropriate for a retreat day on mercy – the Beatitudes. Many years ago, Marge Denis produced a slide series in the NWT entitled The Beatitude People. That is what […]

HOMILY – TRINITY SUNDAY – YEAR A Faith in Our God Who is Poor, Humble, Powerless and Relational (Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9; Daniel 3; 2 Cor 13:11-13; Jn 3:16-18) ************************************************************ Some years ago, I was privileged to tour a Hindu temple in Chennai, India, with an Oblate missionary stationed there. Made of solid rock 1,500 years […]

HOMILY WEEK 09 06 – Year II Trust in God Expressed Through Generosity: Optional Memorial of St. Norbert (Tobit 11:5-15; Ps 146; Mk 12:35-37) ****************************************** “She, from her poverty, has contributed all she had.” That comment by Jesus to his disciples, after taking special note of the widow’s gift while observing people donating to the […]

HOMILY WEEK 09 05 – Year II Faith in Jesus and Redemptive Suffering: Memorial of St. Boniface (2 Tim 3:10-17; Ps 119; Mk 12:35-37) ***************************************** Who is the shortest man in the bible? The answer is Nehemiah. Why was Goliath so surprised when struck in the forehead by a stone from David’s sling? Because such […]

HOMILY WEEK 09 04 – Year II Love and Do What You Will (2 Tim 2:8-15; Ps 25; Mk 12:28-34) ****************************************** How well are you able to love yourself? Are you struggling with low self-worth? Do you realize you might daily be breaking one of the commandments of Jesus? The way out is to listen […]

HOMILY WEEK 09 03 – Year II Faith in the Resurrection, Living in Christ and Redemptive Suffering; Optional Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and Companions (2 Tim 1:1-12; Ps 123; Mk 12:18-27) ********************************************************** How strong is your belief in the resurrection? Today’s memorial and readings invite us to be like St. Paul whose belief in […]

HOMILY WEEK 09 02 – Year II Growing in Grace and Knowledge of Jesus Christ: Optional Memorial of Saints Marcellinus and Peter (2 Pt 3:12-18; Ps 90; Mk 12:13-17) ******************************************* St. Peter, in the first reading, recognizes that we are all keeping vigil – all waiting for the final coming of Jesus Christ to bring […]