HOMILY LENT SUNDAY 5-A Believe, and Experience the Glory of God (Ezekiel 37:12-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8:8-11; John 11:1-45) ********************************************************* What grave are you in right now? Believe in Jesus, and you will experience the glory of God. Sandra participated in a 12 Step pilgrimage. A fashion designer, she wore heavy make-up and was dressed […]

HOMILY WEEK 04 06 – Year II Speaking with Authority (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 Word of God, revere it and let it […]

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 […]

FEAST 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 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 […]

HOMILY LENT SUNDAY 04 – Year A Living as Children of the Light (1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Psalm 23; Eph 5:8-14; John 9:1-41) *********************************************************** “You are who you are who you are – what are you afraid of?” Richard Rohr, noted Franciscan priest, spiritual writer and speaker, uttered these words as he started a […]

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 […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 03 05 – Year II Speaking of Hymns to God’s Mercy (Ho 14:1-9; Ps 81; Mk 12:28-34) ***************************************** “Only he who has been touched and caressed by the tenderness of God’s mercy really knows the Lord.” That comment by Pope Francis invites us to see today’s readings as hymns to God’s mercy, […]