WEEK 18 05 – Year I Faith that Obeys and Follows: Memorial of St Clare (Dt 4:32-40; Ps 77; Mt 16:24-28) **************************************** A theologian was asked what he thought would be a simple summary of faith that everyone would understand. He responded with the children’s hymn, “Jesus loves me, this I know, ‘cause the […]

HOMILY WEEK 19 03 – Year I Following and Serving Jesus: Feast of St Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr (2 Cor 9:6-10; Ps 112; Jn 12:24-26) ********************************************** Have you noticed that Jesus asked us to follow him much more often than to simply worship him? Today’s gospel is an example, inviting us to serve Jesus by […]

HOMILY WEEK 18 03 – Year I Strong Faith and Persistent Prayer: Optional Memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) (Num 13:1-33, 14:1-35; Ps 106; Mt 15:21-28) ************************************************* Today’s readings focus our attention on the titles of Jesus as Lord and Son of David. We are invited to place our faith in […]

HOMILY WEEK 18 02 – Year I Growing in Faith: Memorial of St. Dominic de Guzman (Num 12:1-13; Ps 51; Mt 15:1-2, 10-14) ************************************** Ron, who hailed from a French-Canadian family, married a Protestant English woman. His staunch French-Canadian aunt in Quebec was shocked and very upset, not because she was Protestant, but because she […]

HOMILY WEEK 18 01 – Year I Faith in Jesus as the Bread of Life Optional Memorial: St. Sixtus II and Companions (Num 11:4-15; Ps 81; Mt 14:13-21) **************************************** “Moses said to the Lord” and “Jesus withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.” Those two quotes from the readings today encourage us […]

FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD Being Attentive to the Mystery (Dan 7:9-10/2 Pt 1:16-19, 13-14; Ps 97; Lk 9:28-36) ********************************************** “You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place.” These words in the second reading from St. Peter, a witness to the transfiguration, invite […]

HOMILY WEEKDAY 17 05 – Year I The Power of Ritual and Faith – Memorial: St. John Mary Vianney (Lev 23:1-37; Ps 81; Mt 13:54-58) ********************************************** It is common to think love supports marriage. Often, however, it is the other way around – marital commitment will support love, especially in tough times. The readings today […]

HOMILY WEEK 17 04 – Year I Living Tabernacles and Mutual Indwelling (Ex 40:16-38; Ps 84; Mt 13:47-52) ********************************************* The readings invite us to be tabernacles of God’s presence in the world as we dwell with God and God with us in Christ. When our pilgrim group was in the Holy Land, we were able […]

HOMILY WEEK 17 02 – Year I Living in the Kingdom: Memorial of St. Alphonsus Ligouri (Ex 33:7-11; 34;4-9, 28; Ps 103; Mt 13:36-43) ********************************************* After Word Youth Days in Toronto in 2003, Ken Yasinski, a gifted young man from St. Walburg, Sask. was inspired to begin offering a series of youth retreats he called […]

HOMILY WEEK 17 01 – Year I Living In The Reign: Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola (Exodus 32:15-24, 30-34; Ps 106; Mt 13:31-35) *********************************************** “Regnum Dei Intra Vos” – “The Kingdom of God is among you.” That is my motto as a bishop. Taken from Luke 17:21, it is the only place in the […]