The Liturgy of the EucharistLast week we ended our discussion of the Liturgy of the Word with the Prayers of the Faithful. Now, we turn to the second half of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Eucharist. After Jesus’ Resurrection, in Luke 24:13-35, we hear of two disciples walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus. There they …
With the new year just five days away, have you made plans for how you will celebrate the beginning of the new year? Will you make any new year’s resolutions? The new year begins on Sunday, December 3rd. I will celebrate it the same way I celebrate the beginning of every new year, by celebrating …
Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe, Year AEzekiel 34:11-12, 15-17Psalm 23:1-2, 2-3, 5-6 (1)1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28Matthew 25:31-46 November 26, 2023 The Lord speaks through the prophet Ezekiel in a time when those who had been appointed shepherds over the people would not fulfilling their calling. This included both kings and religious leaders. …
Continue reading ‘Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe, Year A – Homily’ »
After setting up for Mass this morning, I glanced at a Catholic news headline that said, “Dublin archbishop responds to stabbing of 3 children that sparked violent riots”. Ugh! Stabbing children? Why? Why? I clicked on the headline. Reading the article, I thought what possible reason could there be to stab little children, including a …
The Liturgy of the Word – The Prayers of the FaithfulFollowing the Creed, we conclude the Liturgy of the Word with the Prayers of the Faithful. They are also commonly called the General Intercessions or Universal Prayer. The priest introduces the prayers. The lector then reads the individual petitions followed by a concluding prayer. To …
Today we celebrate our national holiday of Thanksgiving. It is a secular holiday but the practice of giving thanks is very much in keeping with our faith. In fact, the word “Eucharist” means thanksgiving. We give thanks to God for what we celebrate in the Eucharist. The origins of this national holiday go back to …
Why am I Catholic? Traditionally, the answer to the question why are you Catholic was, “Because my parents and grandparents are Catholic.” Being Catholic was part of our identity. One went to church for Christmas and Easter because that’s what Catholics do it. Today we identify this as being culturally Catholic. I was baptized Catholic …
Psalm 128 begins, “Blessed are you who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways.” Today’s gospel speaks of the third servant who acts out of fear of his Lord. Are these two passages in conflict? The psalm speaks of “fear of the Lord” as a good thing. The gospel passage indicates the third servant …
Continue reading ‘33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily’ »
The Liturgy of the Word – The Homily & CreedAfter the readings are finished, the congregation sits while an ordained person offers the homily. The homily is to help break open the readings and help people apply them to life in today’s world. The homily should help us form our consciences and daily lives in …
I hope I am not sounding like a broken record that keeps repeating itself. Last week I wrote, “What’s It Going to Take to End the Violence.” There I said the answer laid in tears that came from the depths of our hearts. In my Sunday homily this week, I spoke about current events that …
Continue reading ‘What’s It Going to Take for People to Realize the State of Things?’ »
