HOMILY – OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS – DECEMBER 30th Following the Wisdom of the Elders (1 Jn 2:12-17; Ps 96; Lk 2:36-40) *********************************************** What role do elders play in your life? Years of Indigenous ministry has taught me to appreciate the role of elders. The readings today present us two elders, St. John and Anna, who […]
Category: Homilies
Faith-Jesus Christ-Thomas Becket
HOMILY CHRISTMAS OCTAVE DAY 05 – DECEMBER 29th Walking as Jesus Walked: Optional Memorial of St. Thomas Becket (1 Jn 2:3-11; Ps 96; Lk 2:22-35) ********************************************** The Word Among Us has an interesting commentary on today’s gospel that with some adaptation will make up this homily. It begins with the quote, “The parents of Jesus […]
Jesus Christ-Faith-Holy Innocents
HOMILY – FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS – Year II Jesus Christ: Light in the Darkness (1 Jn 1:2-2:2; Ps 124; Mt 2:13-18) ************************************************* St. John, whose feast we celebrated yesterday, begins the readings today with the proclamation that God is light and in him there is no darkness. Those who repent and receive the […]
Faith-Love-Suffering-St Stephen-Martyrdom
FEAST OF ST STEPHEN Living Calvary In Slow Motion (Acts 6:8-10; Ps 31; Mt 10:17-22) **************************************** A well-known theologian, Deitrich Bonhoeffer, once said: Grace is free, but not cheap. This statement resonates with a song the International singing group Up With People sang as part of their show: Freedom isn’t Free. These two phrases seem […]
Faith-Jesus Christ-Christmas
HOMILY CHRISTMAS DAY – YEAR B Christmas: Just a Celebration or a Life-changing Experience? (Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18) ********************************************************** Two young brothers, staying overnight at their grandparent’s house, were praying their night prayers. One was praying silently while the other was shouting out loud what he wanted for Christmas. The first […]
Faith-Identity-Jesus Christ-Christmas Eve
CHRISTMAS EVE HOMILY – YEAR B Our Identity in Jesus (Isaiah 9:2-4, 6-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-16) ********************************************************* One of the reasons for the abiding impact of the animated movie Kung Fu Panda is that it addresses some of the perennial and pertinent themes of human existence, such as good versus evil, and […]
Faith-Forgiveness-Healing-St John Kanti
HOMILY ADVENT DECEMBER 23 An Infinite Horizon of Faith, Forgiveness and Healing: Optional Memorial of St. John Kanti (Mal 3:1-4; 4:5-6; Ps 25; Lk 1:57-66) ******************************************************** Bishop Olivier Tremblay, an Oblate who previously worked with university students in Eastern Canada, spoke at an Oblate symposium once. He noted that youth today lack hope, because they […]
Faith-Gratitude-Praise-Magnificat
HOMILY ADVENT DECEMBER 22 Profound Faith and Grateful Praise (1 Sam 1:24-28; 1 Sam 2; Lk 1:46-56) ********************************************** The readings today, as we approach Christmas, invite us to cultivate a profound faith in God’s love, as well as an attitude of grateful praise like Hannah and Mary. The first reading about the fidelity and gratitude […]
Faith-Forgiveness-Healing-Joy-St. Peter Canisius
HOMILY ADVENT DECEMBER 21 – Year II Faith, Forgiveness, Healing and Joy: Optional Memorial of St. Peter Canisius (Zeph 3:14-18; Ps 33; Lk 1:39-45) ******************************************* “The Lord has taken away the judgements against you, he has turned away your enemies.” Those words, a repeat of the first reading from the third Sunday of Advent, along […]
Faith-Light-Joy
HOMILY ADVENT SUNDAY 3-B Be Light and Joy to a Dark World (Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11; Luke 1; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28) **************************************************************** When the British took over Ireland in the 17th century, Catholicism was suppressed and priests had to minister on the run. British soldiers began persecuting the “Roman faith,” as they put […]
