HOMILY WEEK 15 02 – Year II Transformative Faith and Repentance: Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Mt Carmel (Is 7:1-9; Ps 48; Mt 11:20-24) ********************************************** “Repent and believe – the kingdom of heaven is near.” That first sentence of Jesus in the Synoptic gospels is reflected in the readings today as an invitation to […]

HOMILY WEEK 15 01 – YEAR II What God Really Wants, and Does Not Want, of Us: Memorial of St. Bonaventure (Is 1:10-17; Ps 50; Mt 10:34-11:1) ******************************************* At one point during his agony in the garden, Jesus utters a prayer that rings true for us in the light of today’s readings: “Father, not my […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 15 – B On Being Missionary Disciples (Amos 7:12-15; Eph 1:3-14; Mk 6:7-13) ************************************************* A young boy, after being baptized, was crying on his way home in the family car. His parents could not understand, as this should have been a happy occasion for them all. Finally, they were able to get the […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 06 – Year II Our Healing Journey of Faith: Optional Memorial of St. Henry (Is 6:1-8; Ps 93; Mt 10:24-33) ********************************************************* “Whoever acknowledges me, I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” That statement is a clear call to believe in Jesus. The readings add the dimension of forgiveness and healing to […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 05 – Year II Ready to Evangelize (Hos 14:1-9; Ps 51; Mt 10:16-23) ************************************* “See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves.” This statement from Jesus can be a little intimidating. However, if we are solidly grounded in the Father’s love experienced through forgiveness and healing, we […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 04 – Year II God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways: Memorial of St. Benedict (Hos 11:1,3-5,8-9; Ps 80; Mt 10:7-15) ******************************************************** A young lad, allowed by a storeowner to lick the molasses from an empty jar, decided he should pray first, “Lord, make my tongue adequate to this occasion!” Today’s liturgy invites […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 03 – Year II Our Call to be Contemplative, Missionary Disciples (Hosea 10:1-3,7-8,12; Ps 105; Mt 10:1-7) ************************************************** A Jewish businessman in Chicago sent his son to Israel for a year to absorb the culture. When the son returned, he said, “Papa, I had a great time in Israel. By the way, I converted to Christianity.” […]

  HOMILY WEEK 14 02 – Year II Idol-free Living: Optional Memorial of St. Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions (Hosea 8:4-7, 11-13; Ps 115; Mt 9:32-38) ************************************************** There is a sign at Fountain Park pool that says, “Keep this an idle-free zone.” Today, we are called to live in an idol-free zone; to trust the […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 01- Year II Birthing Newness Through Faith and Covenant Love (Hos 2:14-16,19-20; Ps 145; Matt 9:18-26) ********************************************** Have faith in Jesus; touch the hem of his garment, receive healing and participate in a new creation. There is a relational progression in the readings today. In the first reading from Hosea, God is […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 14 – B Called To Be Prophets (Ezk 2:2-5; Ps 122; 2 Cor 12:7-10; Mk 6:1-6) ******************************************* Have you ever thought of yourself as a prophet? To be baptized into Jesus Christ means that we are all called to be prophets. Our baptismal call is often taken for granted. We know that we […]