HOMILY LENT WEEK 04 06 – Year II Speaking with Authority: Optional Memorial of St. Francis of Paola (Jer 11:18-20; Ps 7; Jn 7:40-53) ****************************************** “Never before has anyone spoken like this man.” (John 7:46) That exclamation by the temple police in todays’ gospel stands as a clear invitation for us to listen to the […]

HOMILY WEEK 04 05 – Year II The Threat of the Other (Wis 2:1-11; Ps 34; Jn 7:1-30) ****************************************** “Something there is that does not love a wall; that sends the groundswell under it.” The readings today invite us to resist evil, believe in Jesus, and get to know him better through prayer. Those words […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 04 04 – Year II Faith in Jesus and his Gift of Life (Ex 32:7-14; Ps 106; Jn 5:18, 31-47) ******************************************* How strong is your faith? Is the Word of God dwelling in you? Are you enjoying eternal life, here and now? The invitation that comes to us from the readings today […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 04 03 – Year II Faith, Identity and Eternal Life Now (Is 49:8-15; Ps 145; Jn 5:16-30) ************************************** Moses and Jesus were golfing one day. It turns out that Jesus is a great fan of Tiger Woods. Every time he made a good shot, Jesus would exclaim “Wow – just like Tiger […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 04 02 – Year II Plunge into the Healing Waters of God’s Grace (Ezk 47:1-9, 12; Ps 46; Jn 5:1-6) *********************************************** Four times a week, I am in a swimming pool for a half-hour aquacize session. That practice not only provides health benefits for me, but also deepens my appreciation for the […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 04 01 – Year II New Creation through Faith and Love (Isaiah 65:17-21; Ps 30; Jn 4:43-54) ******************************************** How strong is your faith? How deep is your love? Important questions, these, because today’s liturgy invites us to be part of God’s new creation through faith in Jesus, and love for one another […]

LENT SUNDAY 04 – C Act like God, Feel like God (Joshua 5:9, 10-12; Psalm 34; 2 Cor 5:17-21; Lk 15:1-3; 11-32) ************************************************************* Ron Rolheiser, Oblate theologian and spiritual writer, sometimes uses this saying in his presentations: Act like God, and you get to feel like God. Learn to forgive as God forgives, and you […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 03 06 – Year II Letting Go of Living in Illusion (Hosea 6:1-6; Ps 51; Lk 18:9-14) ******************************************** Did you know that disillusionment is not necessarily a negative reality? It just means one was living an illusion, and has now become aware of it. Today’s readings invite us to let go of […]

SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION Birthing Jesus into the World in Imitation of Mary (Isaiah 7:10-14, 8:10d; Ps 40; Heb 10:4-10; Lk 1:26-28) ************************************************* Sr. Connie Piska UJ of Edmonton gave me a gift she made for my priestly ordination in 1974 that still hangs on a wall in the bathroom so that I see it […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 03 04 – Year II Harden not Your Hearts (Jer 7:23-28; Ps 95; Lk 11:14-23) ***************************************** Healed people heal people; hurt people hurt people. Sin and sinfulness; stubbornness and disobedience seem to sum up the readings today, inviting us to be just the opposite – a people who are grounded in the […]