HOMILY WEEK 17 02 – Year II On Being Good Seed in the Kingdom of God (Jer 14:17-22; Ps 79; Mt 13:36-43) ************************************************ The gospel today and the parable of the weeds of the field suggest that Jesus was not a gardener who would have known no one has to sow any weeds – they […]

HOMILY WEEK 17 01 – Year II Intimate Apparel and the Kingdom of God (Jer 13:1-11; Dt 32; Mt 13:31-35) ******************************************* How do you feel about associating intimate apparel with the kingdom of God? The readings today invite us into a deeper, more intimate relationship with God lived out within the Kingdom of God. In […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 17 – YEAR A Living In The Kingdom of God (1 Kings 3:5-12; Psalm 119; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52) ************************************************************* Imagine a hockey game without a net; a ball game without a home plate; a bingo game without cards; hunting moose where there are no moose to be found! Everyone needs a goal, […]

HOMILY WEEK 16 05 – Year II Feast of St. James: Life of Christ Within – Loving Service Without (2 Cor 4:7-15; Ps 126; Mt 20:20-28) ****************************************** “We make living by what we get; we make a life by what we give away.” Those words by Sir Winston Churchill accompany the message of the readings […]

HOMILY WEEK 16 05 – Year II Being Good Soil for the Word of God: Optional Memorial of St. Sharbel Makhluf (Jer 3:14-17; Jer 31:10-13; Mt 13:18-23) ********************************************* The three readings today form a smooth progression, starting with the responsorial psalm. That psalm is actually taken from Jeremiah, portraying God as a shepherd who will […]

HOMILY WEEK 16 04 – Year II Humble Faith – Secret to the Kingdom: Optional Memorial of St. Bridget of Sweden (Jer 2:1-13; Ps 36; Mt 13:10-17) ******************************************** Are you trying to get to heaven, or already living in the kingdom of God? The readings today invite us to have a humble faith in Jesus […]

HOMILY WEEK 16 03 We Have Seen the Lord: Feast of St. Mary Magdalene (Song of Songs 3:1-4a (or) 2 Cor 5:14-17; Ps 63; Jn 20:1-18) ****************************************************** There is an interesting convergence around this liturgical feast: recently, Sr. Teresita Kambeitz OSU offered a virtual retreat from Saskatoon hosted by our Star of the North Retreat […]

HOMILY WEEK 16 02 – Year II Doing the Will of God: Optional Memorial of St. Lawrence of Brindisi (Micah 7:14-20; Ps 85; Mt 12:46-50) *********************************************** “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” The message for us today could not be clearer: to be close […]

HOMILY WEEK 16 01 – Year II Pilgrims of the Heart (Micah 6:1-4; 6-8; Ps 50; Ps 50; Mt 12:38-42) *********************************************** There are two foci in the readings today: the infidelity of Israel, and the unconditional love of God calling them back. The infidelity is expressed in interesting ways: they have created a controversy with […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 16 – A Living in the Reign of God (Wisdom 12:13, 16-19; Psalm 86; Romans 8:24-27; Matthew 13:24-43) ************************************************************ A French-Canadian preacher started his homily one Sunday this way: “Today we’re going to talk about the hell – what the hell it is; where the hell it is, and how the hell to […]