Homilies
Sunday’s Readings: Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; Psalms 54:3-4, 5, 6 & 8; James 3:16—4:3; Mark 9:30-37
…from your Pastor’s Desk – Some Truths are Hard to Hear – Some questions are hard to ask. We can all struggle at times to listen to someone if what they say arouses painful emotions in us. They might be trying to tell us something about ourselves that we find difficult to hear. That very human tendency is reflected in the disciples in today’s gospel. …
Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 50:5-9a; Psalms 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35
…from your Pastor’s Desk – “Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” This is part of this Sunday’s Gospel. …
Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 35:4-7a; Psalms 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10; James 2:1-5; Mark 7:31-37
…from your Pastor’s Desk – This Wednesday will mark the twenty-third year since the September 11 (“9-11”) terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, New York City. Most of us can recall exactly where we were when we first heard of the attacks. But the details already fade. And, for those who were not yet born, it is ancient history. …
Sunday’s Readings: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; Psalms 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5; James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
…from your Pastor’s Desk – History is not the past; it is the present looking at the past. By placing the Pharisees before our eyes in so many readings the Liturgy today is clearly calling us to see ourselves in them. …
Sunday’s Readings: Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b; Psalms 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21; Ephesians 5:21-32 OR 5:2a, 25-32; John 6:60-69
…from your Pastor’s Desk – I want to get rid of the large elephant in the room. It entered during the 2nd reading for today’s Mass. From Ephesians 5:22 “Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.” This reading ALWAYS captures the attention of married couples, since it is so often misunderstood. …
Sunday’s Readings: Proverbs 9:1-6; Psalms 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58
…from your Pastor’s Desk – Woman-Wisdom – When people move into a new house or complete a restoration, they often have a little celebration to which they invite their friends. Once the house is to their satisfaction, they open it to others and provide refreshments. This is called a ’housewarming party’ – a good feast in the presence of others to be properly launched. Something similar is happening in today’s Scriptures. They ALL speak of eating! …
Sunday’s Readings: 1 Kings 19:4-8; Psalms 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; Ephesians 4:30—5:2; John 6:41-51
…from your Pastor’s Desk – Appreciating What We Have – We all know people that are complainers. I know someone that if said; “I ‘d like to give you a hundred dollars” and handed her a ‘Benjamin’ – she’d frown and say “But I want 2 fifties !” Well, we all do our fair share of complaining, and sometimes with good reason. We complain about the weather a great deal. How many times have I been asked ‘Is it hot enough for ya?’ Or, conversely, ‘Cold enough?’ The answers are always, ‘Yes’ and ‘No’. …
Sunday’s Readings: Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalms 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6; Ephesians 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34
…from your Pastor’s Desk – Sacred Silence… – How do you prioritize your time? For those of us in the working world, we have a schedule set for us for a good part of the day. For those of us raising families – the responsibilities therein and subsequent time allowances are predetermined. For those of us doing both…YIKES! Our waking hours are limited, but even so – we are reminded again and again that we benefit greatly to take some time, even a few moments to ‘Come to the Quiet’ with our God – even if that means adjusting our schedule of what we might consider ‘Free’ or ‘Leisure’ time. …