Homilies
Sunday’s Readings: Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Psalm 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13
…from your Pastor’s Desk – Hello Friends, I was looking through the ‘Archives’ for an idea as to what to write in this ‘Pastor’s Desk’. I found this from three years ago. Strikingly poignant, it is. With the health issues of our beloved Pope Francis, the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, …
Sunday’s Readings: Sirach 27:4-7; Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16; 1 Corinthians 15:54-58; Luke 6:39-45
…from your Pastor’s Desk – “Where have all the Flowers gone?” – You’ve heard me say that Lent was not my favorite time of the year. I am, by nature, a jovial person. I love to laugh and smile, to joke and jest. So, as a lad in the 1950’s these did not go well with the Season as it was then observed. …
Sunday’s Readings: Jeremiah 17:5-8; Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 & 6; 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20; Luke 6:17, 20-26
…from your Pastor’s Desk – The Four Beatitudes and the Four Woes – Huh? Well, we are most familiar with the Eight Beatitudes that we hear in the Gospel of Mathew. But today we have Luke’s version. Why the difference? Read on. …
Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8; Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 OR 15:3-8, 11; Luke 5:1-11
…from your Pastor’s Desk – To Raise the World – The First Reading is about the call of Isaiah: “Whom shall I send?” The next two readings are about the apostles, those who were sent by Jesus to carry his message and carry on his work. Who are Jesus’ apostles in our world? Whom will God send today? …
Sunday’s Readings: Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40 OR 2:22-32
…from your Pastor’s Desk – The Story of ‘Children’s Bread’ – If you’ve been to the 10:30 mass here before, you’ve noticed that we do something special right after it. It is ‘Children’s Bread’. A few of you know the origins of this custom, and a few more have asked me to tell ‘the story’. So, here it goes. …
Sunday’s Readings: Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15; 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 OR 12:12-14, 27; Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21
…from your Pastor’s Desk – Here is The Golden Rule as it is written in eight religions: – Baha’i: Blessed are those who prefer others before themselves. Buddhism: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. Christianity: In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. Islam: No one is a believer until you desire for another that which you desire for yourself. …
Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; John 2:1-11
…from your Pastor’s Desk – John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King Junior. To some of us reading this, these names bring back memories of personal experiences during the turbulent times of the sixties and seventies; the start of the Civil Rights Movement, the Catholic Worker Houses and the beginning of the changes that are still in process today to make this country one of equality for all people. Note: Still in Process. …
Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 OR 40:1-5, 9-11; Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 OR 104:1b-2, 3-4, 24-25, 27-28, 29-30; Acts 10:34-38 OR Titus 2:11-14, 3:4-7; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
…from your Pastor’s Desk – The Baptism of the Lord – Jesus has just been baptized by John. There’s a crowd. Many of them have also just been baptized. Jesus feels the enormity of the occasion and kneels to pray. Then, suddenly, something happens to change everything. The heavens open and the Holy Spirit descends in the form of a dove and God speaks to His Son. …
Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12
…from your Pastor’s Desk – Three Magi, Three Gifts for the Child-King – If I asked you to think of the three worst things you ever did in your life, even if you didn‘t want to admit them, you could come up with them pretty quickly, certainly one of them, instantly. Now, if I asked you to think of the three best things you have ever done in your life (other than marriage and children) it would take a great deal more time. … The Feast we celebrate today speaks of ‘Magi’ who made a great journey to find the new born King. …