HOMILY SUN 29-A Be True to Moses and Mission Sunday (Isaiah 45:1, 4-6; Psalm 96; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5b; Matthew 22:15-21) *************************************************************** Today, the Catholic world celebrates Mission Sunday, which given the recent focus on colonization here in Canada and in other parts of the world, can give us reason to pause for reflection, as it […]

HOMILY WEEK 28 06 – Year I The Flow of Trinitarian Faith (Rm 4:13-18; Ps 105; Lk 12:8-12) ************************************* A rather vain, somewhat narcissistic woman confessed she was guilty of the sin of vanity. The priest popped out of the confessional, opened her door to look at her, came back in and told her, “Lady, […]

HOMILY WEEK 28 05 – YEAR I Repent, Return, Rejoice: Memorial of St. Hedwig (Rm 4:1-8; Ps 32; Lk 12:1-7) ********************************************** A dishonest painter took a contract to paint a church, but cheated by thinning the paint. As long as it didn’t rain, he thought he would be okay. That night there was a big […]

HOMILY WEEK 28 04 – Year I Justified by Faith or Works? Optional Memorial of St. Paul of the Cross (Rm 3:21-30; Ps 130; Lk 11:47-54) *********************************************** Someone once said that if Christians wanted others to believe in their redeemer, they needed to act more redeemed. The readings today invite us to live the fullness […]

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 02 – Year I Genuine Religion – an Inner Healing Journey of Faith: Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch (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 with […]

HOMILY WEEK 28 01 – Year I Set Apart for the Gospel: Memorial of St. Marguerite d’Youville (Rm 1:1-7; Ps 98; LK 11:29-32) ************************************* In 1976, while heading home after an old-timer’s hockey game, I came across a fatal accident. A head-on collision had occurred between a drunk driver and a pickup truck of local […]

HOMILY WEEK 27 06 – Year I Listening and Obeying Like Mary; Optional Memorial of St. Callistus I (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 […]

  HOMILY WEEK 27 05 – YEAR I The Finger of God in our Lives (Joel 1:13 – 2:2; Ps 9; Lk 11:15-26) **************************************** The readings today invite us to heed the word of God like Joel, to repent and change, to practice justice and fairness in our lives and all our affairs, to put […]

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 […]