HOMILY WEEK 15 04 – Year I Jesus’ Cross and Yoke: Memorial of St. Apollinaris (Ex 3:13-20; Ps 105; Mt 11:28-30) *************************************** Fr. Bertrand OMI was a veteran missionary at La Loche First Nations community in northern Saskatchewan. He had been a boxer as a youth, was a barber, ran a dog team and spoke […]

HOMILY WEEK 15 03 – Year I All is Given to the Simple: (Ex 3:1-6, 9-12; Ps 103; Mt 11:25-27) ********************************************* What do the burning bush of Moses and a retreat have in common? May I suggest that both involve encountering God through fearless, humble faith? A retreat centre can be our mountain and our […]

HOMILY WEEK 15 02 – Year I Repent and Believe in the Good News (Exodus 2:1-15; Psalm 69; Matthew 11:20-24) ********************************************* A dishonest painter cheated by thinning paint with water to paint a church. As long as it didn’t rain right away, he thought, he would be okay. That night there was a big rainstorm. […]

HOMILY WEEK 15 01 – Year I Putting Jesus First (Ex 1:8-22; Ps 124; Mt 10:34-11:1) ************************************** The late Fr. Mike McCaffery was a beloved diocesan priest from Edmonton on whom Edmonton leaned to be their voice for special occasions. He presided at the wedding of Wayne Gretzky, and was called on to preside over […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 06 – Year I To Love as God Loves: Memorial of St. Bonaventure (Gen 49:29-50:26; Ps 105; Mt 10:24-33) ***************************************** A theologian, when asked how simple he could make the Christian message, responded promptly: “Jesus loves me, this I know, because the bible tells me so.” He then added, “That little song […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 15-A Be Open to Transformation  (Isaiah 55:10-11; Psalm 65; Romans 8:18-23; Mt 13:1-23) ******************************************************* Some years ago, late at night and tired, Fr. Bob pointed out to Sandra, one of his parishioners, a difficulty with her career plans that left her angry and not speaking to him. Realizing that she was hurt, he […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 05 – Year I When Life is Hard, Faith Runs Deeper: Optional Memorial of St Camillus de Lellis (Gen 46:1-7,28-30; Ps 37; Mt 10:16-23) ******************************************************* John Allen Jr., Globe and Mail correspondent to the Vatican, is working on his latest book. It will be on the persecution of Christians around the globe. […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 04 – Year I Go and Announce the Good News of Reconciliation: Optional Memorial of St. Henry (Gen 44:18 – 45:5; Ps 105; Mt 10:7-15) ****************************************** David Wells, a well-known educator from England, spoke at the Los Angeles Religions Education Congress recently. His talk focused on the two words that begin today’s […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 03 – Year I Go to the Peripheries as Missionary Disciples (Gen 41:55-57; 42:5-24; Ps 33; Mt 10:1-7) ************************************************ “Go to the peripheries and to the marginalized.” “Reach out and touch the poor.” “Take on the smell of the sheep.” “I prefer a church that is messy.” Many people would recognize these […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 02 – Year I Wrestling with the Great Mystery: Memorial of St. Benedict (Gen 32:22-32; Ps 17; Mt 9:32-38) ************************************************************* Life is a mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved. Today’s readings invite us to wrestle with the mystery of our faith and to follow Jesus more closely. An […]