HOMILY WEEK 11 04 – Year II Redemptive Suffering and the Test (Sir 48:1-14; Ps 97; Mt 6:7-15) ****************************************** Elijah continues to be the focus of the first reading in today’s liturgy. In this passage, we hear about him as an epic hero from the point of view of another Old Testament author – Sirach, […]

HOMILY WEEKDAY 11 03 – Year II Three Ascetical Practices: Optional Memorial of St. Romuald (2 Kg 2:1,6-14; Ps 31; Mt 6:1-6; 16-18 ********************************************* Does the word “asceticism” sound attractive to you? The gospel today invites us to practice three ascetical traditions in the Church as a way of humbly living out our faith and […]

HOMILY WEEK 11 02 – Year II Living the Law of Love (1 Kg 21:17-29; 51; Mt 5:43-48) *************************************** The readings today are like a two-act play, conveying the message to love others as Jesus has loved us, by being as merciful as the Father is merciful. Elijah and King Ahab in the first reading […]

HOMILY WEEK 11 01 – Year II Living the Law of Love (1 Kg 21:1-16; Ps 5; Mt 5:38-42) ************************************* “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” Retaliation is one of the world’s oldest and most contagious sins. Did you know that the Old Testament law of “an eye for an […]

  HOMILY SUN 11-B Living in the Reign (Ezekiel 17:22-24; Psalm 92; 2 Cor 5:6-10; Mark 4:26-34) ****************************************************** Wanting a creative title for a retreat I was to conduct, and wanting something on the Kingdom of God, I came up with Living in the Reign. Actually, that title fits the readings for today, the 11th […]

HOMILY WEEK 10 06 – Year II Trust in God and Live in the Truth (1 Kg 19:16-21; Ps 16; Mt 5:33-37) ************************************* “You are my inheritance, O Lord” Today’s psalm and readings invite us to place our complete trust in God and to live in the truth. In a tense game of poker, the […]

HOMILY WEEK 10 05 – Year II Shining like Bright Stars with the Word of Life (1 Kg 19:9-16; Ps 27; Mt 5:27-32) ******************************************** “Shine on the world like bright stars; you are offering it the word of life.” That gospel acclamation, and the readings today, invite us to deepen our faith in Jesus and […]

HOMILY WEEK 10 04 – Year II Entering the Reign of God: Optional Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua (1 Kg 18:41-46; Ps 65; Mt 5:20-26) ************************************** “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Today’s reading and memorial invite us […]

HOMILY WEEK 10 03 – Year II Living in the Reign with Faith and Love (1 Kg 18:20-39; Ps 16; Mt 5:17-19) **************************************************** Years ago, I was inspired to offer a retreat entitled Living in the Reign. The readings today invite us to live in the Reign of God with the faith of Elijah and […]

MEMORIAL – ST BARNABAS Returning to our Roots of Faith (Acts 11:21-26, 13:1-3; Ps 98; Mt 10:7-13) *************************************** The readings today, and this memorial of St. Barnabas, brings to mind a four-year renewal process we developed in our Archdiocese of Keewatin-The Pas years ago that was designed to involve everyone in the archdiocese. Based on […]