HOMILY WEEK 04 04 Emissaries of a New Covenant (Heb 12:18-24; Ps 48; Mk 6:7-13) ***************************************** Do you realize that you are, or can be, part of an exciting, life-giving and life-changing missionary venture? The liturgy today is meant to blow wide open our concept of God, church, and mission, and send us out into […]

HOMILY WEEK 04 03 Cavalry in Slow Motion Memorial: Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs (Heb 12:4-15; Ps 103; Mk 6:1-6) ************************************************************ Archbishop Emeritus Adam Exner OMI once spoke about martyrdom for us as Calvary in slow motion. We probably won’t be martyred, but are still called to die to ourselves day by day. The readings […]

HOMILY WEEK 04 02 Faith and Holistic Healing – Memorial of St. Agatha (Heb 12:1-4; Ps 22; Mk 5:21-43 ******************************************************* Fr. Mike Dechant OMI did a lot of youth ministry in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He recounts the story of a young boy who shared with him the morning after a penitential rite in their school, “Gee, […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 04-C Living Our Baptismal Prophetic Calling (Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19; Psalm 71; 1 Cor 12:31-13:13; Lk 4:21-30) ********************************************************** Do you ever find yourself wondering why, after Mary, only Pontius Pilate is mentioned in the Creed? Why another person like St. Peter or even St. Paul was not included instead? Today we are invited to […]

HOMILY YEARS ABC The Presentation of the Lord (Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 24; Heb 2:10-18; Lk 2:22-24) ****************************************************** A traveller in Africa tells this story of passing through a drought-stricken area and being followed by a small, emaciated, hungry shy boy who came out of the bush. Whenever the traveller stopped, the boy stopped also. Finally, […]

HOMILY WEEK 03 05 Faith and Love Make all the Difference (Heb 10:32-39; Ps 37; Mk 4:26-34) *********************************** The late Brother Anton Zisper OMI had a unique sense of humor. His comment about a set of identical twins was, “They really look alike, one more so than the other!” The readings today present us with […]

HOMILY WEEKDAY 03 04 A Provocative New Way Memorial: St. John Bosco (Heb 10:19-25; Ps 24; Mk 4:21-25) ************************************* Are you considered a provocative person? Today’s readings invite us to be provocative – to provoke one another to humble honesty, love and good works as part of a new and living way. This new and living […]

HOMILY WEEK 03 03 Soul Gardening: Living Word and Covenant Relationship (Heb 10:11-18; Ps 110; Mk 4:1-20) *************************************************** Gardening can, and should be, a spiritual experience. The liturgy today invites us to attend to the garden of our soul, where the living Word of God can bear the fruit of an intimate covenant relationship with […]

HOMILY WEEK 03 02 Law, Love and the Will of God (Heb 10:1-10; Ps 40; Mk 3:31-35) *********************************** What happens when a lawyer falls into a pool of sharks? Nothing – professional ethics! That is probably a bad lawyer joke, but it serves to set the context for the struggle humanity has with legalism versus […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 03 – C The Liberating Power of God’s Word (Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; 1 Cor 12:12-3-; Lk 1:1-4, 4:14-21) ************************************************************ Has the Word of God ever moved you to tears? Appreciate the Liberating Power of God’s Word. In 586 BCE the Israelites were conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar and banished to exile […]