HOMILY WEEK 33 03 – Year I Faith, Hope and Love: Optional Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary (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 […]

  HOMILY WEEK 33 02 – Year I “Carpe Diem” – Seizing the day, like Zacchaeus: Optional Memorial of St. Margaret of Scotland (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 […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 33 – B The End of The World: Discerning Lasting Things (Daniel 12:1-3; Ps 16; Hebrews 10:11-14, 18; Mk 13:24-32) ************************************************************ Are you in a rut, or in a groove? Some people are in a rut so long they think it’s a groove. Today’s readings are designed to jar us out of any […]

HOMILY WEEK 32 06 – Year I Faith Expressed through Justice: (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 Gospel exhorts us to pray with persistence. This command […]

HOMILY WEEK 32 05 – Year I Faith and Readiness; Believe and Love: Optional Memorial of St. Josaphat (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. “Thanks be […]

HOMILY WEEK 32 04 – Year I Living in the Reign: Memorial of St. Martin of Tours (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 message […]

HOMILY WEEK 32 03 – Year I Grateful Servants of the Kingdom: Memorial of St. Leo 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 […]

FEAST – DEDICATION OF ST JOHN LATERAN Temples of the Holy Spirit and Life-giving Water (Ezk 47:1-12; Ps 46; Jn 2:13-22) ***************************************************** “Wherever this river flows, the waters shall be made fresh.” The readings today, and this feast of the dedication of St. John Lateran, invite us to drink of the living waters of God’s […]

HOMILY WEEK 32 01 – Year I Called to Repent and to Forgive: (Wis 1:1-17; Ps 139; Lk 17:1-6) ************************************************** “If there is repentance, you must forgive.” Does this statement by Jesus in the gospel mean we don’t need to forgive a person if they don’t come to apologize? Today readings are an invitation to […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 32-B The Challenge of the Widow’s Mite (1 Kg 17:10-16; Psalm 146; Heb 9:24-28; Mk 12:38-44) ************************************************************* The readings today form a tight unit. They tell us who our God is, what God does for us, and describe two differing responses to God’s love: that of the scribes, and that of two widows. […]