Homilies
I’ve titled this article “Why Do We Celebrate the Ascension ‘Today’? but even the title needs a short explanation. I put “today” in single quote marks because not everyone is celebrating the Ascension today. Some dioceses move it to the…
Read More6th Sunday of Easter, Year A Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 607, 16, 20 1 Peter 3:15-18 John 14:15-21 The Samaritan people were despised by the Jews but Samaria is where Philip to proclaimed Christ to the people in…
Read More5th Sunday of Easter, Year A Acts 6:1-7 Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19 (22) 1 Peter 2:4-9 John 14:1-12 Throughout our Easter season our first reading comes from the Acts of the Apostles. Acts tells the story of the early church. …
Read More4th Sunday of Easter, Year A Acts 2:14a, 36-41 Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 1 Peter 2:20b-25 John 10:1-10 Today we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Easter. Each year on this Sunday we hear Jesus’ Good Shepherd discourse as found…
Read More3rd Sunday of Easter, Year A Acts 2:14, 22-23 Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 1 Peter 1:17-21 Luke 24:13-35 Once again, we hear a story of the disciples right after the tomb was found empty. This time it is…
Read More2nd Sunday of Easter, Sunday of Divine Mercy Acts 2:42-47 Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 1 Peter 1:3-9 John 20:19-31 Last week we celebrated Holy Week that culminated in the death and resurrection of Jesus. The tomb was found empty. Some…
Read MoreEaster Vigil Genesis 1:1-2:2 Genesis 22:1-18 Exodus 14:15-15:1 Isaiah 55:1-11 Romans 6:3-11 Matthew 28:1-10 April 15, 2017 Holy week is the most special time of the year for us. We began it on Sunday with the blessing of the Palms…
Read MoreGood Friday Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25 Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 John 18:1-19:42 April 14, 2017 Jesus has died. It was a horrible death. It started when he was betrayed by Judas, one of his own disciples. …
Read MoreHoly Thursday Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 John 13:1-15 April 13, 2017 Tonight we begin something very special, our Easter Triduum. The word “triduum” means three days. What we begin tonight lasts until Sunday. Our…
Read MorePalm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, Year A Matthew 21:1-11 Isaiah 50:4-7 Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 Philippians 2:6-11 Matthew 26:14-27:66 April 9, 2017 Our opening blessing of the palms begins the holiest time of the year for…
Read More5th Sunday of Lent, Year A Ezekiel 37:12-14 Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 Romans 8:8-11 John 11:1-45 April 2, 2017 Last week we heard the story of the man born blind and how Jesus gave him physical sight and then…
Read More4th Sunday of Lent, Year A 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-41 March 26, 2017 Saul has turned out to be a bad king so God sends Samuel to anoint his successor. …
Read More3rd Sunday of Lent, Year A Exodus 17:3-7 Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 Romans 5:1-2, 5-8 John 4:5-42 March 19, 2017 The Israelites have just left slavery in Egypt. You might think they would be very thankful for being set free…
Read More2nd Sunday of Lent, Year A Genesis 12:1-4a Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22 2 Timothy 1:8b-10 Matthew 17:1-9 March 12, 2017 In our responsorial psalm verse today we sang, “as we place our trust in you.” We come here to…
Read More1st Sunday of Lent, Year A Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7 Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17 Romans 5:12-19 Matthew 4:1-11 March 5, 2017 Today we hear the story of the “original sin.” Adam and Eve were in the Garden and God had…
Read More8th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 49:14-15 Psalm 62:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 Matthew 6:24-34 February 26, 2017 “No one can serve two masters.” These are Jesus’ words to us. As we hear them our first thought…
Read More7th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18 Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 Matthew 5:38-48 February 19, 2017 Our readings continue on the themes we have been hearing in recent weeks. Paul continues to…
Read More6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Sirach 15:15-20 Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 Matthew 5:17-37 February 12, 2017 Sirach reminds the people “If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you, if you…
Read More4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12-13 Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Matthew 5:1-12a January 29, 2017 The prophet Zephaniah wrote in the 7th century B.C. This is shortly before Jerusalem falls to the Babylonian…
Read More3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 8:23-9:3 Psalm 27:104, 13-14 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17 Matthew 4:12-23 January 22, 2017 Paul had helped start the Christian community at Corinth. Now, he has heard about division and immorality going on…
Read More2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 49:3, 5-6 Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 John 1:29-34 January 15, 2017 Our first reading today is part of what are known as four “Suffering Servant Oracles” in…
Read MoreThe Epiphany of the Lord Isaiah 60;1-6 Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 5:1-12 January 8, 2017 Today we hear what we consider as the last piece of the Christmas story. Here come the magi. We don’t…
Read MoreMary, the Holy Mother of God Numbers 6:22-27 Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 Galatians 4:4-7 Luke 2:16-21 January 1, 2017 One week ago we celebrated Christmas day but our Christmas season continues until next week. Today marks the eighth day…
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