HOMILY Dec 27th – FEAST OF ST. JOHN Joyful Faith and Communion with the Lord (1 Jn 1:1-4; Ps 97; Jn 20:2-8) ***************************************** When a bishop is named, the tradition is to have the ordination on a feast day. So strong is that tradition that, at the insistence of Luigi Venturi, papal nuncio at that […]
Martyrdom of St Stephen
HOMILY FEAST OF ST STEPHEN Witnessing to Our Trinitarian Faith (Acts 6:8-10; Ps 31; Mt 10:17-22) **************************************** If it were against the law to be a Catholic Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you, and what would be the evidence? Today’s feast of St. Stephen and its readings invite us into a deeper […]
Christmas Day
HOMILY – XMAS DAY YEAR B Christmas: Just a Celebration or a Life-changing Experience? (Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18) ********************************************************** Two kids, staying overnight at their grandparent’s house, were praying their night prayers. One was praying silently while the other was shouting out loud what he wanted for Christmas. The first chided […]
Christmas Eve
CHRISTMAS EVE HOMILY – YEAR B Jesus’ Identity and Our Identity (Isaiah 9:2-4, 6-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-16) ********************************************************* One of the reasons for the abiding impact of the animated movie Kung Fu Panda is that it addresses some of the perennial and pertinent themes of human existence, such as good versus evil, […]
Annunciation
HOMILY ADVENT SUNDAY 4-B Trust In God and be a Beacon of Hope and Light to the World (2 Samuel 7:1-5b, 8b-12. 14a, 16; Psalm 89; Rm 16:225-27; Luke 1:26-38) ************************************************************ Years ago, noted television personality and writer Malcomb Muggeridge spent some time working with Mother Teresa in the slums of Calcutta. He noted that […]
St. John Kanti
HOMILY ADVENT DECEMBER 23 – Year II An Infinite Horizon of Faith, Forgiveness and Healing: Optional Memorial of St. John Kanti (Mal 3:1-4; 4:5-6; Ps 25; Lk 1:57-66) ******************************************************** Bishop Olivier Tremblay, an Oblate who previously worked with university students in Eastern Canada, spoke at an Oblate symposium once. He noted that youth today lack […]
Magnificat
HOMILY ADVENT DECEMBER 22 Profound Faith and Grateful Praise (1 Sam 1:24-28; 1 Sam 2; Lk 1:46-56) ********************************************** The readings today, as we approach Christmas, invite us to cultivate a profound faith in God’s love, as well as an attitude of grateful praise like Hannah and Mary. The first reading about the fidelity and gratitude […]
St. Peter Canisius
HOMILY ADVENT DECEMBER 21 – Year II Faith, Forgiveness, Healing and Joy: Optional Memorial of St. Peter Canisius (Zeph 3:14-18; Ps 33; Lk 1:39-45) ******************************************* “The Lord has taken away the judgements against you, he has turned away your enemies.” Those words, a repeat of the first reading from the third Sunday of Advent, along […]
The Annunciation
ADVENT HOMILY DECEMBER 20 – Year II Prophecy Fulfilled – Mary’s Fiat – God is With Us (Is 7:10-8:10; Ps 24; Lk 1:26-38) ************************************************ How accurate do you think you would be in predicting events seven hundred years into the future? The readings today, about prophecy fulfilled in Mary, encourage us to be like her […]
Zechariah and Elizabeth
ADVENT HOMILY DECEMBER 19th Humble Faith, Barrenness, Hope and Relational Justice (Jdgs 13:2-25; Ps 71; Lk 1:5-25) *********************************************** Have you ever experienced a time in your life when you were powerless, came up empty, felt like your hands were tied behind your back? The readings today give us hope that God can work marvels of […]
