HOMILY WEEK 25 01 – Year II Unity, Community and a Spirituality of Letting Go: Feast of St. Matthew (Eph 4:1-7, 11-13; Ps 19; Mt 9:9-13) ***************************************** How have you responded to the words of Jesus, “Come, follow me,” addressed to you? The readings today, on this feast of St. Matthew, offers us three interrelated […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 25 – A Disneyland and the Reign of God (Isaiah 55:6-9; Psalm 145; Philippians 1:20-24, 27; Matthew 20:1-16) ********************************************************** Do you have an attitude problem? Do you need to check your attitude? Today, we are invited to live life in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That Gospel invites us […]

HOMILY WEEK 24 06 – Week II On Being Rich Soil for the Word of God: Optional Memorial of St. Januarius (1 Cor 15:35-50; Ps 56; Lk 8:4-15) ******************************************* “Regnum Dei Intra Vos” is Latin for “the kingdom of heaven is among you.” That is my episcopal motto as an archbishop, taken from Luke 17:21, […]

HOMILY WEEK 24 05 – Year II The Power of Resurrection – Good News of the Kingdom (1 Cor 15:12-20; Ps 17; Lk 8:1-3) ************************************************** Can you imagine a walking band of missionaries of about twenty persons going around the countryside? Today, we are invited to experience and proclaim the power of the resurrection as […]

HOMILY WEEK 24 04 – Year II Believing in Jesus – Befriending our Shadow Optional Memorial of St. Robert Bellarmine (1 Cor 15:1-11; Ps 118; Lk 7:36-50) **************************************************************** Saint, sinner and Pharisee – today’s liturgy provides us with a study in contrast of three characters – the first two we can emulate, and learn from […]

HOMILY WEEK 24 03 – Year II Chosen as God’s Own: Memorial of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian (1 Cor 12:31-13:13; Ps 33; Lk 7:31-35) **************************************** St. Eugene de Mazenod, founder of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, traces his vocation as a priest, and eventually as a bishop, and finally, as a saint, to a conversion […]

HOMILY WEEK 24 02 – Year II Memorial: Our Lady of Sorrows (Heb 3:7-9; Ps 31; Lk 2:33-35 or Jn 19:25-27) ************************************************** A lady at a table in front of me in an airport restaurant noticed my cross and starting apologizing profusely for her coarse language. I replied that I had not heard it, but […]

HOMILY – FEAST OF THE EXULTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS Look, Love and Live (Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 78; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17) ************************************************************** Do you know the origin of the symbol on a medical alert bracelet? The readings today provide the answer. A message provided by these readings is very simple and clear: Look to […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 24 – A Forgiving from the Heart (Sirach 27:30-28:7; Psalm 103; Romans 14:7-9; Matthew 18:21-25) ****************************************************************** “Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free, and realizing that you were the prisoner!” (Max Lucado) Like a serial television show that continues a previous theme, the readings today continue to drive home the message […]

HOMILY WEEK 23 06 – Year II Founded on God’s Doing Will: Optional Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary (1 Cor 10:14-22; Ps 116; Lk 6:43-49) *********************************************** How strong is the foundation of your life? Today’s readings invite us to make the Word of God and doing God’s will the foundation of our […]