HOMILY WEEK 30 04 – Year II Putting on the Armor of God (Eph 6:10-20; Ps 144; Lk 13:31-35) ************************************ “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you!” According to the New Interpreter’s Bible, these are fateful words. Even though Luke here puzzlingly paints a more positive picture of the Pharisees than the […]

HOMILY WEEK 30 03 – Year II Humble Faith and Love – Keys to the Kingdom (Eph 6:1-9; Ps 145; Lk 13:22-30) ************************************* Strive to enter through the narrow gate. (Luke 13:24) Today’s liturgy reminds us that faith in Jesus, love for others, and humble self-awareness are critical keys to the kingdom of God. The […]

HOMILY WEEK 30 02 – Year II Marriage and the Kingdom of God (Eph 5:21-33; Ps 128; Lk 13:18-21) ******************************************* It has been said that the marriage bed is comparable to an altar for a married couple. That statement, and the readings today, present us with the message that marital commitment and achieving intimacy are […]

HOMILY WEEK 30 01 – Year II Our Identity and Life in Christ: Feast of St. Simon and St. Jude (Eph 2:19-22; Ps 19; Lk 6:12-19) ***************************************** Today’s readings, and this feast, firmly establish our identity in Christ, and what it means to live in Christ. The late motivational speaker Serge LeClerc claimed throughout his […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 30 – B (Homily 01) Faith to Heal and Follow (Jer 31:7-9; Psalm 126; Heb 5:1-6; Mk 10:46-52) *********************************************************** It was mealtime during a flight on a small airline in northern Manitoba. “Would you like dinner?” the flight attendant asked me. “What are my choices?” I asked. “Yes or no,” she replied. Do […]

HOMILY WEEK 29 06 – Year II Balancing Faith and Repentance (Eph 4:7-16; Ps 122; Lk 13:1-9) ****************************************** “Repent and believe in the good news” (Mark 1:15) are the first words Jesus preached as he began his public ministry. The readings today continue that double message of faith and repentance, inviting us to live it […]

HOMILY WEEK 29 05 – Year II Truth, Beauty and Goodness – Attributes of God (Eph 4:1-6; Ps 24; Lk 12:54-59) *************************************************** “Truth, Beauty and Goodness” – these are the classical three pillars of believing in God and living in Christ. The readings today, within the context of these three pillars, carry powerful messages for […]

HOMILY WEEK 29 04 – Year II Awakening to God’s Power Within Us: Optional Memorial of St. Anthony Mary Claret (Eph 3:13-21; Ps 33; Lk 12:49-53) ******************************************* The phenomenon of high and low tides during a priest’s retreat I was conducting in Newfoundland became an invitation for me to be more aware of and appreciative […]

HOMILY WEEK 29 03 – Year II Live the Mystery of Faith as Servants of the Gospel – Trust, Thank and Tell: Optional Memorial of St. John of Capistrano (Eph 3:1-12; Is 12:2-6; Lk 12:39-48) ***************************************************************** “Life is mystery to be lived, not problem to be solved.” The readings today invite us to live the […]

HOMILY WEEK 29 02 – Year II Temples of a Living God: Optional Memorial of St. Pope John Paul II (Eph 2:12-22; Ps 85; Lk 12:35-38) *************************************************** The readings today touch on our identity in Christ and the dignity we have as holy temples and spiritual dwelling places for God. In the first reading, St. […]