Homilies
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Year A Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 (1) Colossians 3:12-21 Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 December 28, 2025 Family life is important. Family life is to be rooted in love. Of course, family life should involve love between family members. For this…
Read MoreChristmas – Mass During the NightIsaiah 9:1-6Psalm 96:1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13 (Luke 2:11)Titus 2:11-14Luke 2:1-14December 25, 2025 We gather to celebrate something wonderful. As the angel said, there is “good news of great joy that will be for all the…
Read More4th Sunday of Advent, Year AIsaiah 7:10-14Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 (7c, 10b)Romans 1:1-7Matthew 1:18-24December 21, 2025 The Lord spoke to Ahaz to offer him a sign. One might wonder why God is offering Ahaz a sign. Judah is under attack. …
Read More3rd Sunday of Advent Year A Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10 Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10 (Isaiah 35:4) James 5:7-10 Matthew 11:2-11 December 14, 2025 Our season of Advent is a time of preparation. We prepare ourselves to celebrate the First Coming of Jesus at Christmas and we ask ourselves…
Read MoreThe Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Genesis 3:9-15, 20 Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 (1) Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12 Luke 1:26-38 December 8, 2025 God has always had a complete plan for our salvation. He has always “destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ.” From our…
Read More2nd Sunday of Advent, Year AIsaiah 11:1-10Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17 (7)Romans 15:4-9Matthew 3:1-12December 7, 2025 The nation of Israel had long since broken into two nations. At the time Isaiah is written, the two nations were defeated by their…
Read More1st Sunday of Advent, Year A Isaiah 2:1-5 Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:37-44 November 30, 2025 The birth of Jesus Christ began something new, our salvation. It was his first coming. Recognizing the new beginning brought in Jesus’ birth, today we begin a new year in the…
Read MoreThanksgiving Day Sirach 50:22-24 Psalm 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 Luke 17:11-19 November 27, 2025 On our liturgical calendar today is the Thursday of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time. In our United States of America, it is Thanksgiving Day. It is a secular…
Read MoreOur Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe2 Samuel 5:1-3Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5 (see 1)Colossians 1:12-20Luke 23:35-43November 23, 2025 God has always led his people. The Israelites wanted a king like every other nation had (1 Samuel 8:1-9). God warned…
Read More33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Malachi 3:19-20a Psalm 98:5-6, 7-8, 9 (see 9) 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 Luke 21:5-19 November 16, 2025 Jesus speaks of “how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings.” There was a beauty to the temple. God’s temple should be beautiful as his dwelling place but our salvation is…
Read MoreFeast of the Dedication of the Lateran BasilicaEzekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9 (5)1 Corinthians 3:9c-11, 16-17John 2:13-22November 9, 2025 On each day of the secular calendar there are memorials and feasts that are celebrated. Generally, when they fall…
Read MoreAll Souls’ DayWisdom 3:1-9Psalm 25:6, 7b, 17-18, 20-21 (1) or (3a)Romans 8:14-23Luke 7:11-17November 2, 2025 Please note that for All Souls’ Day there are a number of options for readings. Therefore, you may have heard different readings at the Mass…
Read More30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CSirach 35:12-14, 16-1Psalm 34:2-3, 17-18, 19, 23 (7a)2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18Luke 18:9-14October 26, 2025 How do you approach Jesus in prayer? How do you look at yourself? Are you convinced of your own righteousness? …
Read MoreOn Sunday I offered a reflection on the first reading and the gospel (29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C). In Ordinary Time, the second reading is chosen independent of the theme that is common to the first reading and the gospel second reading. This often…
Read More29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CExodus 17:8-13Psalm 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 (see 2)2 Timothy 3:14-4:2Luke 18:1-8October 19, 2025 The Israelites were attacked by Amalek. The Israelites did not start the war. Their response was a defensive action and it…
Read More27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CHabakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (8)2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14Luke 17:5-10October 5, 2025 The prophet Habakkuk is lamenting the way things are for the Israelites. He has good reason to lament as they are…
Read MoreWe are fighting a battle in the world today. The enemy in this battle is not Israel, Hamas, Russia or Ukraine. It is not an opposing political party or Islam. The enemy we need to be most concerned with is…
Read More25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CAmos 8:4-7Psalm 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8 (see 1a, 7b)1 Timothy 2:1-8Luke 16:1-13September 21, 2025 There were those “who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor.” They were more interested in selling grain than practicing…
Read MoreYesterday we celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. In my homily, I spoke about the importance of this feast in a world where shootings and violence are growing in number. Today, September 15th, we celebrate the…
Read MoreExaltation of the Holy CrossNumbers 21:4b-9Psalm 78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38 (7b)Philippians 2:6-11John 3:13-17September 14, 2025 Our nation experienced another shooting this week. Actually, there were two shootings making the national news on the same day this week. I want the…
Read More23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CWisdom 9:13-18bPsalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, and 17 (1)Philemon 9-10, 12-17Luke 14:25-33September 7, 2025 Last week I spoke about humility and pride (see my homily). If we are truly humble, we recognize God knows…
Read More22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CSirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29Psalm 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11 (see 11b)Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24aLuke 14:1, 7-14August 31, 2025 Humility and pride. We talk about them as opposites. When we do, we view “pride” as boasting about what…
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