HOMILY WEEK 25 01 – Year A Builders of a New Temple: Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) (Ezra 1:1-6;Ps 126; Lk 8:16-18) ********************************************* Do you see yourself as a builder? We are about rebuilding the reign of God. The first reading is all about the return of the exiles to their homeland […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 25-C Living the Gospel Shrewdly (Amos 8:4-7; Psalm 113; 1 Timothy 2:1-7; Luke 16:1-13) ******************************************************* A young man found out he was going to inherit a fortune when his sickly father died, and decided he needed someone to enjoy it with. So, one evening he went to a single’s bar where he spotted the […]

HOMILY – FEAST OF ST MATTHEW Unity, Community and a Spirituality of Letting Go (Eph 4:1-7, 11-13; Ps 19; Mt 9:9-13) ***************************************** How have you responded to the words of Jesus, “Come, follow me,” addressed to you? The readings today, on this feast of St. Matthew, offers us three interrelated suggestions on how to follow […]

HOMILY WEEK 24 05 – Year I Birthing the Kingdom: Memorial of the Korean Martyrs (1 Tim 6:2-12; Ps 49; Lk 8:1-3) *************************************** Have you ever had the experience of a line of scripture you have read many times before, suddenly take on a whole new meaning? That was my experience with today’s readings and […]

HOMILY WEEK 24 04 – Year I Love, Faith, Purity, Repentance and Forgiveness: Optional Memorial of St. Januarius (1 Tm 4:12-16; Ps 111; Lk 7:36-50) ************************************ Five key words describe and sum up the readings today: love, faith, purity, repentance and forgiveness. In the first reading, St. Paul provides interesting advice to a young bishop, […]

HOMILY WEEK 24 03 – Year I Revelation, Resistance and Vindication (1 Tm 3:14-16; Ps 111; Lk 7:31-35) ******************************************** Three words capture the essence of today’s readings: revelation, resistance and vindication. These three words also offer us a clear message: we are to place our complete faith in Jesus Christ and express that faith by […]

HOMILY WEEK 24 02 – Year I Holy Compassion: Optional Memorial of St. Robert Bellarmine (1 Tm 3:1-13; Ps 101; Lk 7:11-17) ******************************************* Today’s readings, present us with a miracle to ponder and appreciate, and a clear, simple double message to absorb and live: be holy and compassionate, or in the words of the psalm, […]

HOMILY WEEK 24 01 _ Year I Humble Faith Expressed through Prayer and Caring: Memorial of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian (1 Tm 2:1-7; Ps 18; Lk 7:1-10) ********************************************** Can you imagine Jesus saying, “Not even in the Catholic Church have I found such faith!” Would that shock you, or would you find it thought provoking? […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 24-C Celebrating God’s Merciful Love (Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14; Psalm 51; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-32) *********************************************************** We have just heard three parables proclaimed in the gospel. One definition of a parable is a story that teaches its truth in a hidden way to those who really want to learn it. Let me add […]

HOMILY WEEK 23 06 – Year I Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 78; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17) **************************************************** Do you know the origin of the symbol on a medical alert bracelet? The readings today provide the answer. A message provided by these readings is very simple and clear: Look to Jesus; love […]