HOMILY HOLY THURSDAY Freedom to Serve (Ex 12:1-8, 11-14; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-15) ******************************************* This celebration tonight begins the three great liturgical days of the year – what we call the Easter Triduum. The feast tonight, Holy Thursday, and indeed every Eucharist, has one message – love one another as Jesus has loved us. […]

HOMILY WEDNESDAY of HOLY WEEK Trust the Father and Follow Jesus (Is 50:4-9; Ps 69; Mt 26:14-26) ***************************************** “Lord, in your great love answer me.” This psalm response and the readings today invite us to trust in God the Father as Jesus did, and emulate him who was without sin, by letting go of any […]

HOMILY TUESDAY of HOLY WEEK – Year II Redemptive Suffering and Brokenness (Is 49:1-6; Ps 71; Jn 13:21-33. 36-38) ****************************************** As a young seminarian, my spiritual director was Fr. Adam Exner, who eventually became an archbishop. After hearing my story (the first one to ever do so), Exner asked me to pray with Is 43:1-7, […]

HOMILY MONDAY of HOLY WEEK Mary of Bethany – Model of Genuine Caring (Isaiah 42:1-7; Ps 27; Jn 12:1-11) ******************************************** Many years ago, well-known spiritual writer Henri Nouwen wrote a book entitled Out of Solitude. It contains three sermons he gave to health-care professionals outlining what it means to really care. One of the points […]

HOMILY PALM/ PASSION SUNDAY YEAR A The Last Temptation and the Temple Veil (Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22; Philippians 2:6-11; Matthew 26:14-27:66) ************************************************************ With this celebration of Palm/Passion Sunday, the universal Church around the world begins Holy Week, a week of more intense preparation for and celebration of the central mysteries of Jesus life, death and […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 05 06 – Year II The Messiah and Covenant Love: Optional Memorial of St. Isidore (Ezk 37:21-28; Jer 31; Jn 11:45-57) ************************************** “I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them.” That promise from God, proclaimed by the prophet Ezekiel in the first reading, […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 05 05 – Year II Faith and Prayer – Lifelines in Times of Distress (Jer 20:7, 10-13; Ps 18; Jn 10:31-42) *************************************** “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he heard me,” is the psalm response for today. That response and the readings today are quite appropriate for this time […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 05 03 – Year II A Critical Decision (Dan 3:13-95; Dan 3:52-56; Jn 8:31-42) *************************************** Perhaps you have heard this tongue in cheek saying, “The truth will set you free, but first it may make you miserable.” A disciple is a life-long learner, a “mathetes,” someone who seeks the truth, and strives […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 05 02 – Year II The Cross as Spiritual Vaccination (Num 21:4-9; Ps 102; Jn 8:21-30) ***************************************** Have you ever wondered why we Catholics put so much emphasis on the crucifix, bearing a corpus, and not just a plain cross? One example would certainly be my own Oblate cross. The readings today […]

LENT WEEKDAY 05 01 Year II Jesus Reveals a Non-Violent God (Dan 13:1-64; Ps 23; Jn 8:1-11) ******************************** What is the key difference between the first reading and the Gospel? Jesus reveals to us a God who is above all non-violent, inviting us to live out a gospel of mercy, compassion and non-violent, unconditional love […]