HOMILY WEEK 25 05 – Year II The Messiah of God: Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul (Ecclesiastes 3; Ps 144; Lk 9:18-22) *********************************************** In today’s gospel, Jesus poses a question about his identity in the peoples’ eyes to his disciples, and then asks them who they think he is. Peter replies with a very […]

HOMILY WEEK 25 04 – Year II Taking up the Cross and Living Calvary in Slow Motion: Feast of Saints Jean de Brébeuf, Isaac Jogues and Companions (Rev 7:9-17; Ps 124; 2 Cor 4:7-15; Lk 9:23-26) ********************************************************* This day honours the eight martyrs of North America – six Jesuit priests and two assistants – who […]

HOMILY WEEK 25 03 – Year II Sent to Proclaim and to Heal: Optional Memorial of Saints Cosmas and Damian (Prov 30:5-9; Ps 119; Lk 9:1-6) ****************************************** “Take nothing with you.” What a difference there is between this admonition of Jesus to the apostles he sends out on mission, and the Boy Scouts motto “Be […]

HOMILY WEEK 25 02 – Year II Like a Stream in God’s Hand: Optional Memorial Blessed Émilie Tavernier-Gamelin (Prov 21:1-6, 10-13; Ps 119; Lk 8:19-21) ********************************************************** The Grand Canyon is two hundred seventy-seven miles long, up to eighteen miles wide, and over a mile deep. Water flowing there, over millions of years, has left its […]

WEEKDAY HOMILY 25 01 – Year II Living as Blessed – Who You are Meant to Be: Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina (Padré Pio) (Prov 3:27-34; Ps 15; Lk 8:16-18) *************************************************** When he turned fifty, folk-music legend Bob Dylan was asked by Rolling Stone magazine if he was happy. He replied, “These are Yuppie […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 25-B Be Countercultural like Jesus (Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; Psalm 54; James 3:16 – 4:3; Mk 9:30-37) *********************************************************** Do you want to be happy and live a good life? Be counter-cultural like Jesus: accept some suffering; seek to serve and be humble. This life choice will automatically bring us some sacrifice and suffering. All […]

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 WEEK 24 05 – Year II The Power of Resurrection – Good News of the Kingdom: Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim, Paul Chǒng Ha-sang and Companions (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 […]

HOMILY WEEK 24 04 – Year II Believing in Jesus – Befriending our Shadow: Optional Memorial of St. Januarius (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 the […]

HOMILY WEEK 24 03 – Year II Chosen as God’s Own (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 experience at the foot of the […]