Homilies
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year BJeremiah 23:1-6Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4 5, 6, (1)Ephesians 2:13-18Mark 6:30-34July 21, 2024 When Jesus “saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd, and…
Read MoreThe work of sharing the gospel is not easy. That’s because it is not easy to live according to what Jesus says. So, people often don’t want to hear it. The resistance may come from religious leaders, as it does…
Read More14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year BEzekiel 2:2-5Psalm 123:1-2, 2, 3-4 (2cd)2 Corinthians 12:7-10Mark 6:1-6July 5, 2024 Ezekiel was trained to be a priest in Jerusalem but when Jerusalem fell, Ezekiel was among those taken away in Exile. Away from…
Read MoreWhat did God create us for? Wisdom tells us “God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.” God does not want us to die in our sin. He did not create us to…
Read More12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year BJob 38:1, 8-11Psalm 107:23-24, 25-26, 28-29, 30-31 (1b)2 Corinthians 5:14-17Mark 4:35-41June 23, 2024 The disciples were afraid. They were crossing the sea when a “violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the…
Read MoreDo we always understand how things happen? No, and we don’t have to. In today’s gospel, “Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter…
Read More10th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year BGenesis 3:9-15Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 (7bc)2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1Mark 3:20-35June 9, 2024 When Jesus returned home, his relatives were surprised to hear what He was saying and doing. They knew him as the little…
Read MoreThe Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Year BExodus 24:3-8Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18 (13)Hebrews 9:11-15Mark 14:12-16, 22-26June 2, 2024 When God rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He did not simply pull them out of Egypt and then…
Read MoreIn today’s gospel (second option), Jesus speaks of the Advocate whom He will send to us from the Father. This advocate is “the Spirit of Truth that proceeds from the Father.” The Advocate of whom Jesus speaks is the Holy…
Read More7th Sunday of Easter Year BActs 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20 (19a)1 John 4:11-16John 17:11b-19May 12, 2024 Throughout the season of Easter our first reading at Mass comes from the Acts of the Apostles. Acts tells us the story…
Read MoreLove can change the world for the better. Hate can’t do that. Why? “Because love is of God.” Jesus does not want us to be his slaves. He says so himself, “I no longer call you slaves.” Instead He calls…
Read More5th Sunday of Easter, Year BActs 9:26-31Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32 (26a)1 John 3:18-24John 15:1-8April 28, 2024 We read in Acts, “The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in…
Read MoreWe celebrate the 4th Sunday of Easter today. The gospel reading on the 4th Sunday of Easter always come from Jesus’ Good Shepherd discourse in chapter 10 of the Gospel of John. We also celebrate it as the World Day…
Read More3rd Sunday of Easter, Year BActs 3:13-15, 17-19Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9 (7a)1 John 2:1-5aLuke 24:35-48April 14, 2024 Peter spoke to the Jews who had heard that he has healed a crippled beggar. He said to them, “the God of…
Read MoreToday I would like to take a look at how our readings on this Divine Mercy Sunday contrast to the way the world looks at life. Our reading from the Acts of the Apostles speaks of how the early church…
Read MoreEaster SundayActs 10:34a, 37-43Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 (24)Colossians 3:1-4John 20:1-9March 31, 2024 It fills my heart with joy to see the crowds at Mass on Easter. What makes today special? What draws people here? Hope! Hope in what? The tomb…
Read MoreEaster Vigil Year AGenesis 1:1-2:2Genesis 22:1-18Exodus 14:15-15:1Isaiah 55:1-11Romans 6:3-11Mark 16:1-7March 30, 2024 Tonight’s liturgy is the highest liturgy of the year. To understand the meaning of tonight’s liturgy, we must understand the symbols and rituals of this most solemn liturgy.…
Read MoreJesus’ death on the Cross was “a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” (1 Corinthians 1:23). It was a “stumbling block to Jews” because it was not what they expected or wanted. Our first reading from Isaiah today…
Read MoreMass of the Lord’s SupperExodus 12:1-89, 11-14Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-181 Corinthians 11:23-26John 13:1-15March 27, 2024 Paul speaks of what he “received from the Lord” and “handed on to” the Corinthians and others he led to the Catholic faith. He speaks…
Read MoreToday we celebrate Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, more simply known to many as “Palm Sunday.” We hear two gospels today. We begin Mass with the blessing of palms and a gospel recalling Jesus’ final entry into…
Read More5th Sunday of Lent, Year BJeremiah 31:31-34Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15 (12a)Hebrews 5:7-9John 12:20-33March 17, 2024 “The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.” God…
Read MoreLast week we hear God giving the Ten Commandments to his people (Exodus 20:1-17). God made it clear to his people how He expected them to live. It’s not just what He wanted. God knows that the Ten Commandments are good…
Read More3rd Sunday of Lent, Year BExodus 20:1-17Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 12 (John 6:68c)1 Corinthians 1:22-25John 2:13-25March 3, 2024 At times, Paul tells us that as Christians we are not under the Law. Rather, we are under the Spirit. This does…
Read More“God put Abraham to the test.” How would you fair with the same test? Last week I spoke about our struggles to resist temptation. Who you do any better with the test that Abraham faced when God told him, “Take…
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