Today’s gospel begins with Jesus saying, “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.” If we buy a lamp, we do not hide it under the bed. That would be contrary to the …
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 55:6-9 Psalm 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18 Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a Matthew 20:1-16a Paul says to the Philippians, “Christ will be magnified in my body” and “Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.” To do so begins with, as stated in our opening prayer, by …
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Homily for September 2017 – Year of the Eucharist Joshua 3:1-13 Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 7-8, 8-9 1 Corinthians 11:23-29 Matthew 26:36-46 In encouraging people to come, I have been saying that tonight would include Exposition. We have Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament in the Monstrance on the altar. I said this hour would include …
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24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Sirach 27:30-28:7 Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 Romans 14:7-9 Matthew 18:21-35 Jesus came to offer us “forgiveness” but forgiveness wasn’t “new” with Jesus. We see it in what Sirach writes, “Forgive you neighbor’s injustice.” He speaks of “wrath and anger” as “hateful things yet the sinner hugs them …
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Today, September 14th, we celebrate the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. It is a feast, like every saint memorial or feast, that we celebrate every year but yet it is different. Logistically, because of the importance of what this feast is about and unlike most other feasts, if it falls on a …
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Ezekiel 33:7-9 Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 Romans 13:8-10 Matthew 18:15-20 Today Jesus gives us guidance on how to respond if someone against us. It begins, as it should to avoid making a mountain out of a mole hill, by speaking with the person one-on-one. We need to realize …
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Today’s Gospel for Mass comes from Luke 4:38-44. It has just seven verses and is set near the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry but it contains much of what we see throughout Jesus’ ministry. We hear how the crowds bring people to Jesus as they intercede for them. In response Jesus heals the people. Jesus …
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Jeremiah 20:7-9 Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 Romans 12:1-2 Matthew 16:21-27 Last week Peter responded to Jesus’ question, “But who do you say that I am?” with “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” For this Jesus identifies Peter as “blessed”, pronounces him as the …
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20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 Matthew 15:21-28 Jesus moved on to the region of Tyre and Sidon. This might have seemed surprising to the Jews. Tyre and Sidon was considered pagan territory and thus unclean by the Jews. It is there that …
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Last week it was the situation in North Korea that was the headlines on the news. Then came the white nationalist activity in Charlottesville, VA. Yesterday brought a car driving through a crowd of people in Barcelona Spain. Today (August 18th) there has been a stabbing in Turku Finland with two dad and six wounded. …
