HOMILY WEEK 15 01 – Year I Putting Jesus First (Ex 1:8-22; Ps 124; Mt 10:34-11:1) ************************************** Late Fr. Mike McCaffery was a beloved diocesan priest from Edmonton on whom the city leaned to be their voice for special occasions. He presided at the wedding of Wayne Gretzky, and was called on to preside over […]

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 baptised, 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 I To Love as God Loves (Gen 49:29-50:26; Ps 105; Mt 10:24-33) ***************************************** A theologian, when asked how simple he could make the Christian message, responded promptly: “Jesus loves me, this I know, because the bible tells me so.” He then added, “That little song I learned as a […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 05 – Year I When Life is Hard, Faith Runs Deeper: Optional Memorial of St Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions (Gen 46:1-7,28-30; Ps 37; Mt 10:16-23) ******************************************************* John Allen Jr., Globe and Mail correspondent to the Vatican, is working on his latest book. It will be on the persecution of Christians around […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 04 – Year I Go and Announce the Good News of Reconciliation (Gen 44:18 – 45:5; Ps 105; Mt 10:7-15) ****************************************** David Wells, a well-known educator from England, spoke at the Los Angeles Religions Education Congress recently. His talk focused on the two words that begin today’s gospel: “Go” and “Announce.” His […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 03 – Year I Go to the Peripheries as Missionary Disciples (Gen 41:55-57; 42:5-24; Ps 33; Mt 10:1-7) ************************************************ “Go to the peripheries and to the marginalized.” “Reach out and touch the poor.” “Take on the smell of the sheep.” “I prefer a church that is messy.” Many people would recognize these […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 02 – Year I Wrestling with the Great Mystery: Optional Memorial of St. Maria Goretti (Gen 32:22-32; Ps 17; Mt 9:32-38) ************************************************************* Life is a mystery to be lived, not a problem to solved. Today’s readings invite us to wrestle with the mystery of our faith and to follow Jesus more closely. […]

HOMILY WEEK 14 01 – Year I Trust, Tithing, and Transformation: Optional Memorial of St. Anthony Zaccaria (Gen 28:10-22; Ps 91; Mt 9:18-26) **************************************** A hundred-dollar bill, a twenty-dollar bill and a Loony were having a serious conversation about life one day. The hundred-dollar bill said that it had a very good life – it […]

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 […]

HOMILY WEEK 13 06 – Year I Feast of St. Thomas: Faith, Identity, Transformation and Mission (Eph 2:19-22; Ps 117; Jn 20:24-29) *********************************************************** A trip to Chenai, India, would not be complete without a visit to the tomb where tradition tells us St. Thomas is buried, after evangelizing and laying the foundations of the church […]