HOMILY WEEK 13 06 – Year II New Wine – Fresh Skins: Optional Memorial of St. Maria Goretti (Amos 9:11-15; Ps 85; Mt 9:14-17) ******************************************* An elderly lady went to the bar every night and ordered a glass of whiskey and a drop of water.  Every night it was the same – a glass of […]

WEEK 13 05 HOMILY – Year II Forgiven, Healed, Merciful: Optional Memorial of St. Anthony Zaccaria (Amos 8:4-6, 9-12; Ps 119; Mt 9:9-13) ********************************************** “No one lives by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” and “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” These two sentences from the readings today frame […]

HOMILY WEEK 13 04 – Year II Faith, Forgiveness and Deeper Healing: Optional Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Portugal (Amos 7:10-17; Ps 19; Mt 9:1-18) ************************************************* Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be paralyzed? The gospel today invites us to place our faith in Jesus and come to him for forgiveness […]

HOMILY – FEAST OF ST. THOMAS, WEEK 13 03 – Year II Faith, Identity, Transformation and Mission (Eph 2:19-22; Ps 117; Jn 20:24-29) *********************************************************** A trip to Chenai, India, would not be complete without a visit to the tomb where tradition tells us St. Thomas is buried, after evangelizing and laying the foundations of the […]

HOMILY WEEK 13 02 – Year II Weathering Life’s Storms with Faith: (Amos 3:1-8; 4:11-12; Ps 5; Mt 8:23-27) *************************************** Have you ever been caught in a storm while boating? Today’s readings invite us to trust that Jesus can help us weather any storm in our lives. I remember one incident years ago on Lac […]

CANADA DAY HOMILY Be a Beatitude People (Is 56:1,6-7; Ps 84; Mt 5:1-12a) *************************************  Years ago, former sister Marge Denis, who ministered in the Northwest Territories, produced a slide series entitled the Beatitude People, which I purchased and used extensively in my own ministry. The readings on this Canada Day, invite us to be a […]

HOMILY SUNDAY 13 – B The Healing Power of Love (Wis 1:13-15, 2:23-24; 2 Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5:21-43) **************************************************** Have you ever seen the movie “Elephant Man?” That movie is a vignette of the gospel story we heard today, and carries a powerful message. Believe in the healing power of love and loving […]

HOMILY – SOLEMNITY of SAINTS PETER AND PAUL Apostles of Forgiveness and Evangelization (Acts 12:1-11; Ps 34; 2 Tim 4:6-8;17-18; Mt 16:13-19) *************************************************** Today’s solemnity invites us to reflect on two foundational figures of the early Church, to be inspired by them and to learn from them. St. Peter and St. Paul met only a […]

HOMILY WEEK 12 05 – Year II Faith in Jesus as Son of God and Experiencing Jesus as the Messiah: Memorial of St. Irenaeus (2 Kg 25:1-12; Ps 137; Mt 8:1-4) ********************************************************* Does the statement, “Jesus worked miracles, but he was not a miracle worker,” make sense to you? The gospel today invites us to […]

HOMILY WEEK 12 04 – Year II Building a Solid House of Discipleship: Optional Memorial of St. Cyril of Alexandria (2 Kg 24:8-17; Ps 79; Mt 7:21-19) ******************************************************** How many of us have construction experience? Today, Jesus once again speaks in metaphors to get his point across. He asks us to build a house. The […]