HOMILY LENT SUNDAY 02 – B Lent – A Journey of Transformation (Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18; Psalm 116; Romans 8:31b-35, 37; Mark 9:2-10) **************************************************************** “To live is to change; to have lived well is to have changed much.” This quote from Cardinal Newman brings us to the core of today’s celebration. Lent is a journey […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 01 06 – Year I Following the Way of the Lord (Dt 26:16-19; Ps 119; Mt 5:43-48) ******************************************* A tourist stopped by a roadside café as he was travelling through an Indigenous community. He asked an elder sitting outside, smoking a pipe, “Where does this road go?” The elder calmly replied, “Road […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 01 05 – Year I The Prism of AA (Ezk 18:21-28; Ps 130; Mt 5:20-26) **************************************** As I was about to enter into my monthly retreat or poustinia, a friend who teaches at the University of Saskatchewan asked me on Facebook what I would recommend to him in the area of community […]

HOMILY WEEK 01 04 – Year I Balancing Prayer and Work (Esther 14:1-14; Ps 138; Mt 7:7-12) *************************************** Many years ago, Franciscan priest Richard Rohr was inspired to open a Centre for Action and Contemplation. While he has been prophetic throughout his long career beginning with the charismatic renewal (he founded the New Jerusalem Community […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 01 03 – Year I A Pattern for Transformation (Jonah 3:1-10; Ps 51; Luke 11:29-32) *************************************** “No sign will be given to this generation except the sign of Jonah.” These are the enigmatic words of Jesus in the gospel today. What are we to make of them? What is this sign of […]

CHAIR OF ST PETER – FEAST Peter’s Amazing Faith (1 Pt 5:1-4; Ps 23; Mt 16:13-19) ********************************** This feast invites us to emulate Peter’s faith, fidelity and ministry. According to the Living With Christ commentary on this feast, early Roman Christians celebrated a feast in honour of their departed loved ones on this day, including […]

HOMILY LENT SUNDAY 01 – B Living in the Kingdom of God Through Faith and Repentance (Genesis 9:8-15; Psalm 25; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-15) ************************************************************* Why is it impossible to starve in a desert? The answer is because you can always eat the sand which is under your feet! The gospel today reminds me […]

HOMILY – SATURDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY Acting and Feeling Like God (Is 58:9b-14; Ps 86; Lk 5:27-32) ************************************************* “When we act like God, we get to feel like God.” That is one of Ron Rolheiser’s favourite expressions, which is not only cute, but also very true. When we act as God does, we do get […]

HOMILY – FRIDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY Genuine Faith and Sincere Fasting (Is 58:1-9; Ps 51; Mt 9:14-15) ********************************************** At a particular Eucharistic celebration, I could not help but notice that the members of one family very seriously knelt during the communion hymn for private devotion, and also knelt during the recessional hymn for another time […]