The Two Dimensions of Faith and Love (Gen 2:18-25; Ps 128; Mk 7:24-30) ********************************************* What are the names of the two girlfriends that a priest or bishop can have? The answer is Karen and Sharon. Caring and Sharing! Those two names sum up the essence of the message from today’s readings: We are to live […]

The Reality of Sin (Gen 2:4-17; Ps 104; Mk 7:14-23) ************************************** A French preacher told his congregation that he was going to preach about hell – what the hell it is, where the hell it is, and how the hell to get there! Understanding sin helps us avoid sin. The first reading speaks about original […]

 A Spirituality of Human Incompleteness: Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes (Gen 1:20-2:4; Ps 8; Mk 7:1-13) ******************************************* A child was paging through a large family bible when he came across a large Maple leaf his mother was drying in its pages. He ran to her excitedly to proclaim that he had found Adam’s […]

Creation and Recreation: Memorial of St. Scholastica (Gen 1:1-19; Ps 104; Mk 6:53-56) ************************************************** The readings for a memorial like St. Scholastica today vary from year to year, thus presenting a different challenge to a homilist each time. Within the context of this memorial, today’s readings invite us to appreciate God’s grand plan of bringing […]

Our Call and Our Response (Is 6:1-2, 3-6; Psalm 138; 1 Co 15:1-11; Lk 5:1-11) ********************************************************* How often do we think of ourselves as disciples of Jesus, following him along the way to salvation? Today, we are called once again by Jesus to follow him as his faithful disciples The Gospel passage, set on the […]

Doing the Will of God: Optional Memorial of St. Josephine Bakhita (Heb 13:15-17, 20-21; Ps 23; Mk 6:30-34) ********************************************** On Feb 28, 1944, a young Dutch woman named Corrie ten Boom and her family were arrested and sent to concentration camps for running a safe house for Jews during the Nazi occupation of Holland. This […]

Loved and Loving (Heb 13:1-8; Ps 27; Mk 6:14-29) ********************************************* Today’s readings remind us of how loved we are by God, and invite us to live out of that love in a multiplicity of ways. The author of the letter to the Hebrews lays the foundation for the whole liturgy: “God has said, ‘I will […]

Emissaries of a New Covenant: Memorial of St. Paul Miki and Companions (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 […]

Cavalry in Slow Motion: Memorial of St. Agathe (Heb 12:4-15; Ps 103; Mk 6:1-6) *************************************** Archbishop Emeritus Adam Exner OMI speaks about martyrdom for us as “Calvary in slow motion.” We probably won’t be physically martyred, but are still called to die to ourselves day by day. The readings today invite us into deeper faith […]

Faith and Holistic Healing (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, Fr. Mike, that was good yesterday afternoon, and I […]