HOMILY SUNDAY 5-C  Discipleship: Call and Response (Is 6:1-2, 3-6; Psalm 138; 1 Co 15:1-11; Lk 5:1-11) *********************************************************   A farmer had been so good to his animals they wanted to do something special for him one day. A cow suggested that they give him breakfast in bed of ham and eggs. A chicken agreed […]

HOMILY WEEK 04 – 06 Doing the Will of God (Heb 13:15-17, 20-21; Ps 23; Mk 6:30-34) **************************************** On Feb 28, 1944, a young Dutch woman named Corrie ten Boom and her family were arrested and sent to concentration camps for running a safe house for Jews during the Nazi occupation of Holland. This experience […]

HOMILY WEEK 04 05 Loved and Loving: Memorial – St. Josephine Bakhita (Heb 13:1-8; Ps 27; Mk 6:14-29) **************************************** Today’s readings remind us of how loved we are by God, and invite us to live out of that love with in a multiplicity of ways. The author of the letter to the Hebrews lays the […]

HOMILY WEEK 04 04 Emissaries of a New Covenant (Heb 12:18-24; Ps 48; Mk 6:7-13) ***************************************** Do you realize that you are, or can be, part of an exciting, life-giving and life-changing missionary venture? The liturgy today is meant to blow wide open our concept of God, church, and mission, and send us out into […]

HOMILY WEEK 04 03 Cavalry in Slow Motion Memorial: Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs (Heb 12:4-15; Ps 103; Mk 6:1-6) ************************************************************ Archbishop Emeritus Adam Exner OMI once spoke about martyrdom for us as Calvary in slow motion. We probably won’t be martyred, but are still called to die to ourselves day by day. The readings […]

HOMILY WEEK 04 02 Faith and Holistic Healing – Memorial of St. Agatha (Heb 12:1-4; Ps 22; Mk 5:21-43 ******************************************************* Fr. Mike Dechant OMI did a lot of youth ministry in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He recounts the story of a young boy who shared with him the morning after a penitential rite in their school, “Gee, […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 04-C Living Our Baptismal Prophetic Calling (Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19; Psalm 71; 1 Cor 12:31-13:13; Lk 4:21-30) ********************************************************** Do you ever find yourself wondering why, after Mary, only Pontius Pilate is mentioned in the Creed? Why another person like St. Peter or even St. Paul was not included instead? Today we are invited to […]

HOMILY YEARS ABC The Presentation of the Lord (Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 24; Heb 2:10-18; Lk 2:22-24) ****************************************************** A traveller in Africa tells this story of passing through a drought-stricken area and being followed by a small, emaciated, hungry shy boy who came out of the bush. Whenever the traveller stopped, the boy stopped also. Finally, […]

HOMILY WEEK 03 05 Faith and Love Make all the Difference (Heb 10:32-39; Ps 37; Mk 4:26-34) *********************************** The late Brother Anton Zisper OMI had a unique sense of humor. His comment about a set of identical twins was, “They really look alike, one more so than the other!” The readings today present us with […]

HOMILY WEEKDAY 03 04 A Provocative New Way Memorial: St. John Bosco (Heb 10:19-25; Ps 24; Mk 4:21-25) ************************************* Are you considered a provocative person? Today’s readings invite us to be provocative – to provoke one another to humble honesty, love and good works as part of a new and living way. This new and living […]