3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B- Homily

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – HomilyJonah 3:1-5, 10Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (4a)1 Corinthians 7:29-31Mark 1:14-20 You can see near the end of this homily, I did something different to help people understanding the Bible shapes how we celebrate Mass and what we say. This is not easy to capture in typed words. …

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Knowing What the Truth Is

Throughout the Easter season the first reading for both daily and Sunday Mass (albeit on separate cycles) comes from the Acts of the Apostles. The Acts of the Apostles tells the story of the early church. The Acts of the Apostles tells how the early church lived in community. In Acts 4:32-35 we read, “The …

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More on Fortune Telling and Reiki in the Bible

Two weeks ago, in my homily for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, I spoke about the relevancy of the Bible today. It was the Sunday of the Word of God and I used Deuteronomy 18:10-12a as an example of a passage in the Bible that may be forgotten but has relevancy today. …

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3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AIsaiah 8:23-9:3Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 (1a)1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17January 22, 2023 Each Sunday we gather to celebrate Mass.  We begin with the procession followed by the Sign of the Cross, a greeting, Penitential Rite, Gloria, and a prayer.  We end with a blessing before we recess out.    In …

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Sacred Scripture and Tradition

I recently read Mark Shea’s By What Authority? An Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition Revised and Expanded Edition (San Francisco: Ignatius Press. 2013). Shea began his Christian life in the Evangelical Church. This book tells his story of moving from sola scriptura (from the Bible only) to his embracing of Sacred Tradition in the Catholic Church. …

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The Importance of God’s Word

God’s Word is important. God’s Word helps us know how we are called to live. Unfortunately, we don’t always listen. If we do hear it, we don’t always pay attention. This was true for the Israelites. Through revelation, the Law, and the prophets, God had been telling them how to live well. Some listened. Many …

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Why the Commandments Are Good

Our gospel reading and the first reading for this 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) speak of God’s commandments. We think in terms of 10 commandments. The Jews list 613 commandments with the 10 being the most important and applying to everyone. With so many commandments, where does one begin? I think this is …

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3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year BJonah 3:1-5, 10Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (4a)1 Corinthians 7:29-31Mark 1:14-20January 24, 2021 Now, as we proceed through Ordinary Time, we are reading from the Gospel of Mark in this Year B of our Sunday lectionary cycle.  Today’s reading begins with verse 14 of the first chapter. The first eight …

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Sola Fide, Sola Scriptura

Sola Fide and Sola Scriptura are two Latin terms that became popular among the Protestant Reformers. “Sola Fide” means “by faith alone.” Ultimately, we cannot save ourselves. It is God who saves us through Jesus sacrificing his life for us on the Cross. The Protestant reformers misunderstood Catholic teaching to think that Catholics believe we …

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