Singing A New Song (1 Jn 3:7-10; Ps 98; Jn 1:35-43) **************************************** O sing to the Lord a new song. That first sentence of the first stanza of the psalm today captures the spirit of the readings: We are to live a new life in Christ, the Lamb of God. The readings today unfold in […]
Category: Homilies
HOMILY JANUARY 03 – XMAS SEASON
Growing into Christ-likeness – Holy Name of Jesus (1 Jn 2:29-3:6; Ps 98; Jn 1:29-34) *************************************** One of the delights of returning to northern Saskatchewan for seasonal ministry is seeing the children of couples I knew as children, and guessing who their parents are. Often, it is obvious because of the resemblance, other times more […]
HOMILY CHRISTMAS SEASON – JAN 02
Abiding in friendship and in God: Saints Basil and Gregory (1 Jn 2:22-28; Ps 98; Jn 1:19-28) ******************************************** Can you think of a friendship that changed your life? The reading today from 1 John, and the memorial of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, invite us into an always deeper and more intimate […]
HOMILY OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS DAY 07 – DECEMBER 31st
Living as Children of God with Joyful Faith (1 Jn 2:18-21; Ps 95(96); Jn1:1-18) ********************************************* Suppose you were given cold stone tablets with rules written on them to hold for a while – how would you respond and how would you feel? Then suppose you were given a new-born baby wrapped in soft blankets and […]
HOMILY – FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY Year C
Faith in Jesus and Love for Others (1 Samuel 1:11, 20-22, 24-28; Psalm 84; 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24; Luke 2:41-52) ************************************************************ Traditionally, the Sunday within the octave of Christmas is the Feast of the Holy Family. This feast offers us an opportunity to reflect on the nature and importance of family life for us all. […]
HOMILY DECEMBER 29th
Walking as Jesus Walked (1 Jn 2:3-11; Ps 96; Lk 2:22-35) ********************************************** The Word Among Ushas 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 took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,” and continues with the […]
HOMILY – FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS
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 forgiveness of Jesus will have communion with each other, and also walk […]
HOMILY – FEAST OF ST. JOHN
Making Visible the Invisible (1 Jn 1:1-4; Ps 97; Jn 20:2-8) ***************************************** When a bishop is named, the tradition is to have the ordination on a feast day. So strong is that tradition that I, at the insistence of the nuncio, was ordained on August 29th, the feast of the beheading of John the Baptist! […]
HOMILY CHRISTMAS EVE – YEAR C 2018
Be Light For The World (Isaiah 9:2-4, 6-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-16) ********************************************************* Fr. Rene Fumoleau OMI in the NWT recounts a trip by truck one night with an elder. The elder compared believing in God to driving a car at night. One sets out to a destination unable to see further than […]
HOMILY ADVENT SUNDAY 4 – C
Filled with the Spirit, Sent to Serve and Open to the Word (Micah 5:2-5; Psalm 80; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45) ************************************************** An elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor who fitted him with a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100% clearly. […]
