Today is December 31st. It is the end of our secular year 2012. Tomorrow will be January 1st and mark the beginning of a New Year. Just a few weeks ago we marked the end of the last liturgical year and the beginning of a new on the First Sunday of Advent. Christmas was a new …
Holy Family, Year C 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-8 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24 Luke 2:41-52 December 30, 2012 Christmas is not over. Christmas is too important to be a single day. We celebrate Christmas as a season from Christmas Day till the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord which we will celebrate on January 13th. …
Today, December 28th, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents. The story of the Holy Innocents is found in Matthew 2:13-18. Herod was king of the region and had heard from the Magi that a new king had been born to the Jews. Herod saw this as a threat to his power. He had …
Christmas, Year C Isaiah 9:1-6 Titus 2:11-14 Luke 2:1-14 December 25, 2012 O Come All Ye Faithful! Familiar words to many. It’s my favorite Christmas hymn. It also fits today. Look at all the people. There’s something about Christmas that draws many people out. We welcome all of you here, whether you are a regular, …
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Micah 5:1-4a Hebrews 10:5-10 Luke 1:39-45 December 23, 2012 A tale of two women. Today’s gospel speaks of two women. I should say two very important women. They are important because of the role they play in God’s play. Certainly, we are aware of Mary’s place in God’s …
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Zephaniah 3:14-18a Philippians 4:4-7 Luke 3:10-18 December 16, 2012 Zephaniah calls us upon the people to shout for joy, be glad, and exult. He writes before the Babylonian Exile when the Kingdom of Israel was about to fall and the people are lamenting. They are in fear …
Continue reading ‘Sunday Homily – December 16, 2012 – With Reference to Sandy Hook’ »
Another tragic shooting has happened in our country. Yesterday (Friday, December 14, 2012) a man went into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut. Twenty children are dead along with six adults at the school (including the principal who working to help the children), the alleged shooter, and his mother. Any murder is a tragedy …
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Baruch 5:1-9 Philippians 1:4-6, 9-11 Luke 3:1-6 December 9, 2012 As we ended the last liturgical year and began our season of Advent our readings pointed to the End Times. We called to do so with hope of the glory of Heaven but we don’t always feel that …
Today (December 8th) we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This year it falls on Saturday but because it is our National Feast Day in the United States, it remains a Holy Day of Obligation. I serve as Pastor at Immaculate Conception Church in Ithaca so it is also …
1st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Jeremiah 33:14-16 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2 Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 December 2, 2012 We hear Jeremiah speak the prophecy of God’s promise to raise up a “just shoot” for David. This is the prophecy of a new messiah, a great king for Israel. It is fulfilled in the First Coming …
