Justified by Faith – St Paul of the Cross (Rm 3:21-30; Ps 130; Lk 11:47-54) ******************************************* Someone once said that if Christians wanted others to believe in their redeemer, they needed to act more redeemed. The readings today invite us to live the fullness of our redemption. St. Paul, in the first reading, becomes very […]
HOMILY WEEK 28 01 – Yr I
Memorial: St. Marguerite d’Youville (Rm 1:1-7; Ps 98; LK 11:29-32) *********************************** In 1976, while heading home after an old-timer’s hockey game, I came across a fatal accident. A head-on collision had occurred between a drunk driver and a pickup truck of local youth. The latter was pinned in his vehicle on the highway, while the […]
HOMILY SUN 28-A
Wearing the Wedding Garment (Isaiah 25:6-10a; Psalm 23; Philippians 4:10-14, 19-20; Matthew 22:1-14) ***************************************************************** Imagine that Queen Elizabeth has decided to invite one person from each country in the Commonwealth to the wedding of Prince Harry, all expenses paid! It would be preposterous to think that the one Canadian chosen out of 35 million would […]
HOMILY WEEK 27 06 – Yr I
Listening and Obeying (Joel 3:12-21; Ps97; Lk 11:27-28) *************************************** “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” That statement from Jesus in today’s gospel needs a bit of tweaking for our society today that is full of sound bites, news clips, fake news and catchy headlines. We are challenged by […]
HOMILY WEEKDAY 27 05 – Yr I
Commentaries on the Readings (Joel 1:13-2:2; Ps 9; Lk 11:15-26) ************************************** The readings today are a challenge to understand and break open, so I am going to lean on the commentaries to shed light on these difficult passages. The New Revised Standard Version of the bible informs us that Beelzebul was originally the title of […]
HOMILY WEEK 27 04 HOMILY – Yr I
Persevering Prayer and Serving the Lord (Mal 3:13-20; Ps 1:1-4,6; Lk 11:5-13) ********************************************** A man and his wife are awakened at 3 o’clock in the morning by a loud pounding on the door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a […]
HOMILY WEEK 27 03 – Yr I
An Extreme Faith Makeover (Jonah 4:1-11; Ps 86; Lk 11:1-4) **************************************** “Extreme Makeover” TV shows that involve the transformation of a plain looking person into a stunning display of poise and beauty, or a run-down house into a work of art, all end with a “big reveal” of the finished product that impresses people. One […]
HOMILY WEEK 27 02 – Yr I
Genuine Repentance and Mature Prayer (Jonah 3:1-10; Ps 129; Lk 10:38-42) ************************************************ Usually the liturgists who choose the readings for the Eucharist try to find a link or connection between the reading and the gospel. Not so today – the readings provide us with two very distinct messages about repentance and about prayer. The wonderful, […]
HOMILY THANKSGIVING DAY – 2017
Blessings, Gratitude and Praise (Col 3:12-17; Ps 113; Mt 7:7-12) ************************************** Years ago, a Trappist monk happened to make a comment on TV that stayed with me: “A grateful person is a happy person.” That simple statement can be an invitation on this Thanksgiving Day to count our blessings, be grateful and praise God for […]
HOMILY SUNDAY 27-A
Producing the Fruits of the Kingdom (Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80; Philippians 4:6-9; Matthew 21:33-43 ***************************************************** The following quip actually fits the readings for today: The alcoholic’s problem is not that, in his false pride, he thinks, “I am very special.” Nor is it that, in false humility, he thinks “I am a worm.” The alcoholic’s […]
