HOMILY WEEK 33 04 – Year I The Many Visitations of Jesus: Optional Memorial of St. Clement I (1 Macc 2:15-29; Ps 50; Lk 19:41-44) ****************************************** When I was a young Oblate in my first mission of Beauval, Fr. Jim Fiori OMI and Sr. René Buliard SMS, drove down from Île-à-la-Crosse for a visit one […]
Category: Ordinary Time
St. Cecilia
HOMILY WEEK 33 03 – Year I Faith, Hope and Love: Memorial of St. Cecilia (2 Macc 7:1-31; Ps 17; Lk 19:11-28) ********************************************* Some years ago, St. Albert parish celebrated their 150th anniversary with a year-long series of speakers and events. I was invited to conduct a parish mission as part of that series, and […]
Blessed Virgin Mary
HOMILY WEEK 33 02 – Year I “Carpe Diem” – Seizing the day, like Zacchaeus: Memorial – The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (2 Mac 6:18-31; Ps 3; Lk 19:1-10 ************************************************** “Carpe Diem.” “Seize the day.” This saying, made famous by the movie Dead Poets’ Society, fits the readings today, inviting us to […]
Covenant
HOMILY WEEK 33 01 – Year I Being Faithful to a Covenant Relationship: (1 Mac 1:1-64; Ps 119; Lk 18:35-43) ************************************************ We have probably all heard the saying, “There is more to this than meets the eye.” That statement applies to today’s readings with a touch of divine irony – a blind man is able […]
Talents
HOMILY SUNDAY 33 – A Parable of the Talents (Proverbs 3110-13, 16-18, 20, 26, 28-32; Psalm 128; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 24:36; 25:14-30) ********************************************************** Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give away.” Express yourself through selfless love and service, and you will […]
Dedication of Basilicas St. Peter and Paul
HOMILY WEEK 32 06 – Year I Faith Expressed through Justice: Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul (Wis 18:14-16; 19:6-9; PS 105; LK 18:1-8) ******************************************** What are you praying for? Today’s readings invite us into a stronger, trusting faith in Jesus, and to persevere in prayer. Bishop Robert Barron stresses that today’s […]
St. Elizabeth of Hungary
HOMILY WEEK 32 05 – Year I Faith and Readiness; Believe and Love: Optional Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary (Wis 13:1-9; Ps 19; Lk 17:26-37) ********************************************* A nervous lector at the Sunday Eucharist ended her reading one day with the words, “This is the end of the world.” To which the congregation dutifully responded. […]
St. Margaret of Scotland
HOMILY WEEK 32 04 – Year I Living in the Reign: Optional Memorial of St. Margaret of Scotland (Wis 7:22-8:1; Ps 119; Lk 17:20-28) ********************************* Living in the Reign is the title of a retreat that I love to offer. It of course, alludes to living in the Kingdom of God here and now, the […]
HOMILY WEEK 32 03 – Year I Grateful Servants of the Kingdom: Memorial of St. Albert the Great (Wis 6:1-11; Ps 82; Lk 17:11-19) ************************************************** “Because as servants of the kingdom you did not rule rightly.” That quote from the first reading caught my attention for two reasons: one, it is the first time that […]
Living Well
HOMILY WEEK 32 02 – Year I Living Our Human Longing Well (Wis 2:23-3:9; Ps 34; Lk 17:7-10) ****************************************** “God created us for incorruption.” That evocative statement from the Book of Wisdom, and the readings today, invite us to live our human longing well. Today’s first reading from Wisdom is one we are most likely […]