HOMILY WEEK 28 03 – Year I Disciples of Mercy: Feast of St Luke (2 Tim 4:9-17; Ps 145; Lk 10:1-9) **************************************** “From among his disciples Jesus appointed seventy and sent them on ahead of him in pairs.” The feast of St. Luke, and the readings we hear, invite us to be missionary disciples, building […]

HOMILY WEEK 28 04 – Year I Justified by Faith or Works? (Rm 3:21-30; Ps 130; Lk 11:47-54) *********************************************** A perennial question is “Are we justified by faith, or by works?” The scriptures in the end offer us the solution – we are justified by faith expressing itself through works of love. Jesus in the […]

HOMILY WEEK 28 03 – Year I Love, Do Not Judge, and Work for Justice: Memorial of St. Marguerite d’Youville (Rm 2:1-11; Ps 62; Lk 11:42-46) *********************************************** “…tithes of mint and or rue and of every garden herb” (Luke 11:42). So begins the commentary of this Sunday’s readings in The Word Among Us, which will […]

HOMILY WEEK 28 02 – Year I Genuine Religion – an Inner Healing Journey of Faith: Memorial of St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila) (Rm 1:16-25; Ps 19; Lk 11:37-41) ********************************************** One of the best compliments I have ever received came from the late Verna Vandale, former director of Guadalupe House in Saskatoon. She once shared […]

HOMILY WEEK 28 01 -Year I On Being Thankful and Living with Gratitude: Optional Mass – Thanksgiving Day 2019 (Col 3:12-17; Ps 113; Mt 7:7-12) ***************************************** The remark “A grateful person is a happy person” was made on a panel show once, causing me to reflect on its truth ever since. That truth is especially […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 28-C Salvation Here and Now (2 Kings 5:14-17; Psalm 98; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Luke 17:11-19) ************************************************************ There is an interplay in the readings today of humble faith, humility and gratitude. That interplay is also virtually a mini-course on prayer. In the second reading, St. Paul goes to the heart of the matter when […]

HOMILY WEEK 27 06 – Year I Listening and Obeying (Joel 3:12-21; Ps 97; Lk 11:27-28) *************************************** “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” That statement from Jesus in today’s gospel needs a bit of tweaking for our society today that is full of sound bites, news clips, fake […]

HOMILY WEEK 27 04 – Year I Persevering Prayer and Serving the Lord (Mal 3:13-20; Ps 1:1-4,6; Lk 11:5-13) *************************************************** A man and his wife are awakened at 3 o’clock in the morning by a loud pounding on the door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in […]

HOMILY WEEK 27 03 – Year I An Extreme Faith Makeover (Jonah 4:1-11; Ps 86; Lk 11:1-4) **************************************** “Extreme Makeover” shows on TV that involve the transformation of plain looking persons or run-down houses into a stunning display of poise and beauty all end with a “big reveal” of the finished product that impresses people. […]

HOMILY WEEK 27 02 – Year I Genuine Repentance and Mature Prayer (Jonah 3:1-10; Ps 129; Lk 10:38-42) ************************************************ Usually the liturgists who choose the readings for the Eucharist try to find a link or connection between the reading and the gospel. Not so today – the readings provide us with two very distinct messages […]