HOMILY SUNDAY 19 – C Faith, Freedom and Service (Wisdom 18:6-9; Psalm 33; Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19; Luke 12:32-48) ************************************************************* On one of his trips to Canada from Brazil where Paul Ehle OMI was stationed as an Oblate missionary, I apologized to him for not staying more in touch with him over the years. Fr. Ehle’s […]

HOMILY WEEK 18 03 – Year I Living a Spiritual Triathelon – Feast of St Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr (2 Cor 9:6-10; Ps 112; Jn 12:24-26) ********************************************** Have you ever participated in a triathelon? Today’s gospel challenges us to do just that – participate in a spiritual triathelon of three activities: be a grain of […]

  HOMILY WEEK 18 05 – Year I Faith Lived Out Through Love – Memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) (Dt 4:32-40; Ps 77; Mt 16:24-28) ******************************************* A theologian was asked what he thought would be a simple summary of faith everyone would understand. He responded with the children’s hymn, “Jesus […]

WEEK 18 04 Faith Like a Rock – Key to the Kingdom Memorial: St Dominic de Guzman (Num 20:1-13; Ps 95; Mt 16;13-23) ************************************** A woman who promised her husband she was only going window shopping returned with a very expensive dress. Upset, he asked her why she did that when she had promised not […]

HOMILY – FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD Being Attentive to the Mystery (Dan 7:9-10/2 Pt 1:16-19, 13-14; Ps 97; Mt 17:1-9) ********************************************** “You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place.” Those words from St. Peter, a witness to the transfiguration, invite us to […]

HOMILY WEEK 18 01 – Year I Faith in Jesus as the Bread of Life Optional Memorial: Blessed Frédéric Janssoone (Num 11:4-15; Ps 81; Mt 14:13-21) **************************************** “Moses said to the Lord” and “Jesus withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.” Those two quotes from the readings today encourage us to deepen […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 18 – C Being Rich towards God (Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23; Psalm 90; Col 3:1-5; 9-11; Luke 12:13-21) ************************************************************* A group of Oblates once organized a weekend trip from the renewal program in Aix-en-Provence, France, to Lyons where we viewed a basilica with marvelous, rich tile work, then on to Cluny where we viewed […]

HOMILY WEEK 17 06 – Year I Jubilee, Justice and Hope (Lev 25:1-17; Ps 67; Mt 14:1-12) ********************************* Have you walked through a Holy Door during the Jubilee Year of Mercy? Although that Jubilee Year ended in November of 2016, we are invited, as followers of Jesus, to live in rejoicing and gladness every day […]

HOMILY WEEKDAY 17 05 – Year I The Power of Ritual and Faith – Optional Memorial: St Peter Julian Eymard (Lev 23:1-37; Ps 81; Mt 13:54-58) ********************************************** It is common to think love supports marriage. Often, however, it is the other way around – marital commitment will support love, especially in tough times. The readings […]

HOMILY WEEK 17 04 – Year I Living Tabernacles and Mutual Indwelling – Memorial: St. Alphonsus Liguori (Ex 40:16-38; Ps 84; Mt 13:47-52) ********************************************* Over the years, Oblate retreat centres have learned the importance of titles for the programs that are offered. Often participants will come because a title caught their attention, created interest, and […]