HOMILY – FEAST of ST JOACHIM AND ANNE The Family as an Icon of the Trinity (Sir 44:1, 8, 10-15; Ps 132; Mt 13:16-17) ********************************************** Today we celebrate the feast of St. Joachim and St. Anne, the parents of our mother Mary, and the grandparents of Jesus. The gospels are bereft of details regarding them […]

WEEK 16 03 – Year II The Parable of the Sower: Optional Memorial of St. Sharbul Makhlūf (Jer 1:1-10; Ps 71; Mat 13:1-9) *********************************** Each year, when presiding at the Lac St Anne pilgrimage, I would ask the pilgrims in the shrine how many had brought a bible with them. And each year the response […]

HOMILY WEEK 16 02 – Year II Doing the Will of God: Optional Memorial of St. Bridget of Sweden (Micah 7:14-20; Ps 85; Mt 12:46-50) *********************************************** “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” The message for us today could not be clearer: to be close […]

HOMILY WEEK 16 01 -YEAR II Feast of Mary Magdalene: Great Faith and Great Love (Song of Songs 3:1-4a (or) 2 Cor 5:14-17; Ps 63; Jn 20:1-18) ****************************************************** There is an interesting convergence around this liturgical feast: recently, Sr. Teresita Kambeitz OSU offered a virtual retreat from Saskatoon hosted by our Star of the North […]

HOMILY SUN 16-B Meditation and Ministry – A Fine Balance (Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalm 23; Ephesians 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34) ***************************************************** Breathe deeply and hold your breath. Now let it out. What have we done? We have filled our two lungs with air. A Christian breathes with two lungs – a lung of prayer and a lung […]

HOMILY WEEK 15 06 – Year II Relational, Transformative Justice: Optional Memorial of St. Apollinaris (Micah 2:1-5; Ps 10; Mt 12:14-21) ****************************************** “He will proclaim justice to the Gentiles, and bring justice to victory.” This promise in the gospel of Matthew today puts our focus on justice as central to following Jesus and our faith […]

HOMILY WEEKDAY 15 05 – Year II Love over Law; Compassion over Compulsion (Is 38:1-22:8; Is 38; Mt 12:1-8) ****************************************************** “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” That simple statement of Jesus in the gospel today invites us into deeper faith in him as God among us, and into a deeper understanding of what it means to […]

HOMILY WEEK 15 04 – Year II An Invitation Like None Other (Is 26:7-19; Ps 102; Mt 11:28-30) ************************************************* “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Some years ago, I received a similar invitation from my cousin Ron who lives in Florida. He […]

HOMILY WEEK 15 03 – Year II Humble Faith – Key to the Kingdom of God (Isaiah 10:5-7; 13-16; Ps 94; Mt 11:25-27) ********************************************* “Even the biggest ship needs a tug to move it out of the harbour.” That statement resonates with the readings today proclaiming humility as the virtue opening up our minds and […]

HOMILY WEEK 15 02 – Year II Transformative Faith and Repentance: Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Mt Carmel (Is 7:1-9; Ps 48; Mt 11:20-24) ********************************************** “Repent and believe – the kingdom of heaven is near.” That first sentence of Jesus in the Synoptic gospels is reflected in the readings today as an invitation to […]