HOMILY – OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS – DECEMBER 30th Following the Wisdom of the Elders (1 Jn 2:12-17; Ps 96; Lk 2:36-40) *********************************************** What role do elders play in your life? Years of Indigenous ministry has taught me to appreciate the role of elders. The readings today present us two elders, St. John and Anna, who […]
Faith- Thomas Becket
CHRISTMAS OCTAVE DAY 05 – DECEMBER 29th Walking as Jesus Walked: Optional Memorial of St. Thomas Becket (1 Jn 2:3-11; Ps 96; Lk 2:22-35) ********************************************** The Word Among Us has 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 […]
HOMILY – FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS – Year II Jesus Christ: Light in the Darkness (1 Jn 1:5-2:2; 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 […]
Faith-Joy.St. John
HOMILY – FEAST OF ST. JOHN Joyful Faith and Communion with the Lord (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 Luigi Venturi, papal nuncio at that time, […]
Faith-Holy Family
HOMILY – FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY – C There’s No Place Like Home (1 Samuel 1:11, 20-22, 24-28; Psalm 84; 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24; Luke 2:41-52) ************************************************************* Did you notice something about the carols and songs that are played on the radio at Christmas time? Many of these songs speak of going home, being […]
Faith-Good News-Christmas
HOMILY CHRISTMAS MORNING – YEAR C Responding to Good News with Faith (Isaiah 62:11-12; Psalm 97; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:15-20) ***************************************************** It is Christmas Day, and after the touching readings and joyful celebration of Christmas Eve last night, the readings today offer us an opportunity to reflect back and deepen our appreciation of this mystery […]
Faith-Christmas
CHRISTMAS EVE- YEAR C The Deeper Meaning of Christmas (Isaiah 9:2-4, 6-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-16) ************************************************************ “While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was […]
Faith-Forgiveness-Healing-St. John Kanti
HOMILY ADVENT DECEMBER 23 – Year II (HOMILY 01) An Infinite Horizon of Faith, Forgiveness and Healing: Optional Memorial of St. John Kanti (Mal 3:1-4; 4:5-6; Ps 25; Lk 1:57-66) ******************************************************** Bishop Olivier Tremblay, an Oblate who previously worked with university students in Eastern Canada, spoke at an Oblate symposium once. He noted that youth […]
Faith-Praise-Mary-Magnificat
HOMILY ADVENT DECEMBER 22 Profound Faith and Grateful Praise (1 Sam 1:24-28; 1 Sam 2; Lk 1:46-56) ********************************************** The readings today, as we approach Christmas, invite us to cultivate a profound faith in God’s love, as well as an attitude of grateful praise like Hannah and Mary. The first reading about the fidelity and gratitude […]
The Visitation-St. Peter Canisius
HOMILY ADVENT DECEMBER 21 – Year II Faith, Forgiveness, Healing and Joy: Optional Memorial of St. Peter Canisius (Zeph 3:14-18; Ps 33; Lk 1:39-45) ******************************************* “The Lord has taken away the judgements against you, he has turned away your enemies.” Those words, a repeat of the first reading from the third Sunday of Advent, along […]
