HOMILY LENT WEEK 01 02 – Year I The Word That Transforms: Optional Memorial of St. Polycarp (Is 55:10-11; Ps 34; Mt 6:7-15) ****************************************** “My word shall not return empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” This phrase spoken to the world by […]
Faith-Jesus Christ-St. Peter
CHAIR OF ST PETER – FEAST Peter’s Amazing Faith (1 Pt 5:1-4; Ps 23; Mt 16:13-19) ********************************** This feast invites us to emulate Peter’s faith, fidelity and ministry. According to the Living With Christ commentary on this feast, early Roman Christians celebrated a feast in honour of their departed loved ones on this day, including […]
Faith-Flood-Temptations
HOMILY LENT SUNDAY 01 – B Living in the Kingdom of God Through Faith and Repentance (Genesis 9:8-15; Psalm 25; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-15) ************************************************************* Why is it impossible to starve in a desert? The answer is because you can always eat the sand which is under your feet! The gospel today reminds me […]
Faith-Discipleship-Matthew
HOMILY – SATURDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY Acting and Feeling Like God (Is 58:9b-14; Ps 86; Lk 5:27-32) ************************************************* “When we act like God, we get to feel like God.” That is one of Ron Rolheiser’s favourite expressions, which is not only cute, but also very true. When we act as God does, we do get […]
Faith-Fasting-Lent
HOMILY – FRIDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY Genuine Faith and Sincere Fasting (Is 58:1-9; Ps 51; Mt 9:14-15) ********************************************** At a particular Eucharistic celebration, I could not help but notice that the members of one family very seriously knelt during the communion hymn for private devotion, and also knelt during the recessional hymn for another time […]
Paradigm Shift-Faith-Cross-Lent
HOMILY THURSDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY Making a Divine Paradigm Shift (Dt 30:15-20; Ps 1; Lk 9:22-25) ***************************************************** Sr. Elaine Biollo, in a class on Culture & Spirituality, spoke about the reality of a paradigm shift in our lives. When digital technology was developed, apparently it was offered first to the Swiss watchmakers, who refused it […]
Ash Wednesday-Fasting-Prayer-Almsgiving
ASH WEDNESDAY – Years ABC Lent – a Time of Repentance and Healing (Joel 2:12-18; Psalm 51; 2Cor 5:20-6:2; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18) ********************************************************* A dishonest painter hired to paint a church building thinned his paint with water. As long as it didn’t rain, he would be okay, he thought. That night there was a rainstorm. […]
Faith-The Flood-Paradigm Shift
HOMILY WEEK 06 02 – Year I A Paradigm Shift of Faith (Gen 6:5-10; Ps 29; Mk 8:14-21) **************************************************** Have you ever experienced a paradigm shift? A paradigm shift is a movement away from one way of seeing reality, thinking or acting, to an entirely new way of seeing reality, thinking or acting. For those […]
Sin-Envy-Gratitude-Cain and Abel
HOMILY WEEK 06 01 – Year I Mastering Sin and Fostering an Attitude of Gratitude (Gen 4:1-25; Ps 50; Mk 8:11-13) ***************************************************** “Sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:7) The readings today invite us to turn to God for the spiritual help and healing […]
Faith-Freedom-Healing-Leprosy
HOMILY SUNDAY 06 – B Living in Faith and Freedom (Leviticus 13:1-2, 45-46; Psalm 32; 1 Cor 10:23-11.1; Mark 1:40-45) **************************************************************** Some years ago, there was an item in the news about a nurse who was very upset towards the government. She had returned from tending to those suffering from Ebola in Africa, and although […]
