Category: Homilies

A STORY OF THE WILLING

In our first reading, the priest gathers an assembly around him so that they may listen to the Torah; so that they may listen to their own story; their ancestry. They listened so that they would not forget who they are. In fact, we are told they stood and listened from dawn until noon. (and you thought you had to endure a long homily!)

But there is a reason for this: you see the people had just returned to Jerusalem after the exile. When they left, their city was a thriving place – their home, but now they have returned to a city destroyed by war. We are told that Ezra read from the place that WAS the Water Gate, but it is no longer there.

It would be as if you went home tonight and found your home burned by fire. . . actually, if you went home and found your entire neighborhood. . . this entire city destroyed to mere shambles.

The Hebrews had lost their identity. All they had were stories. And what did those stories tell them?

CLICK HERE for the readings for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Nehemiah 8:2-4, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; I Corinthians 12:12-30; Luke 1:1-4, 4: 14-21)

BALANCING ON THE SURFACE

What does it really mean to belong to and with God? What does the decision to belong say not only about me, but about the One who calls me to belong? What does it say about God’s power, God’s mercy, God’s excess?

It seems so impossible to imagine how you can be loved so completely. . . without lessening the love of anyone else. And yet that is what God says to us – just as God say to Jesus: “You are my beloved, in you I am well pleased.”

And if we can possibly comprehend this. If we can imagine what it is like to balance our lives on such an immense swell of power and life. . . how do we respond?

CLICK HERE for the readings for the Baptism of Our Lord (Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-38; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22)

WHAT IS OUR LIGHT AND OUR GIFTS?

Beyond the images and personalities of three wise men from the east who come to pay Jesus homage is the narrative that every nation of earth will come to adore Jesus. “That nations shall walk by his light and shall be radiant and their heart will throb and overflow.”

And yet we live in a world that goes about its way, while we – a simple few in comparison – gather here; and I wonder why can’t they see what we see? How do they just miss this?

Of course, it isn’t a new problem – after all – it was only three wise men who came out of the many who could have.   Still, it seems to me that this feast gives us reason to consider two questions: what lights our way? And what gifts we bring?

CLICK HERE for the readings for the Epiphany of Our Lord (Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72; Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6; Matthew 2:1-12)

MOTHER OF COMPASSION

There is a line in the Memorare prayer that says, “Never was it known, that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored they help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided.”  They are some of the most beautiful words that we pray for Mary has been the one – more than any other – who been a model for compassion.

But as you have heard plenty of my words this season, I would like to elaborate on Mary’s compassion with a story told through the lines of Untie the Strong Woman written by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. The story you will hear from this book is a story told in her own family by a woman “who hands smell of bread dough and roses” – according to her the two fragrances are the scents of heaven.

It is a story with a little levity and a little more colour – after all Mary’s grace is never offended by those who call to her and humour is certainly one of the more important attributes to the spiritual life.

CLICK HERE for the readings for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 67; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21)

HOLY OR GOOD?

12 years old. Our Gospel describes Jesus when he was 12 years old. And this is important because it reminds us that he did not necessary go off into the temple simply because he had extraordinary knowledge or some level of profound holiness, but because he is an adolescent! Of course he is going to run off on his own away from his parents!

Too often, I think we idealize Joseph and Mary as the ideal parents and Jesus as the ideal child – even if we know in our mind, they were not. We literally, put them on pedestals, which is good – but we need to understand why.

Today we celebrate the feast of the HOLY family, which is not the same as the ideal or good family.

CLICK HERE for the readings for the Feast of the Holy Family (1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28; 1 John 3:1-2; 21-24; Luke 2:41-52)

A FEAST OF MERCY

As many of you know, Pope Francis has declared this year an extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. This past week he said that Christmas is truly the feast of God’s infinite mercy, qouting Saint Augustine of Hippo who tells us: “Could there have been any greater mercy shown to us than that which led the Creator of the heavens to come down among us, and the Creator of the earth to take on our mortal body?

That same mercy led the Lord to assume the nature of a servant, so that, being himself bread, he would suffer hunger; being himself power, he would know weakness; being himself salvation, he would experience our woundedness, and being himself life, he would die.  All this he did to ease our hunger, alleviate our longing, strengthen our weaknesses, wipe out our sins and enkindle our charity”.

For the full text of the Pope’s Homily, click here

CLICK HERE for the readings for Christmas (Isaiah 9:1-6; Psalm 96; Timothy 2:11-14; Luke 2_1-14)

ALMOST THERE

The fourth candle has now been lit – we are almost there.

Almost to that night when Micah’s praises once again ring true – the promise and praise of Bethlehem we hear in our first reading – a city once known as the city of David shall not give rise to one king – but now two.

We are almost that moment when God’s promise would be fulfilled: David’s lineage would last forever – a king who united Israel and established peace for Israel will soon give rise to a king who would unite and establish peace throughout all space and time.

CLICK HERE for the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent (Micah 5:1-4; Psalm 80; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45)

JOY AND JUDGEMENT

In our first reading, we are told to shout for joy! To sing joyfully. To be glad and exult for the Lord has removed the judgment against you.

One of the many blessings of this season is the opportunity, and perhaps even the demand, to refocus our understandings and actions concerning the divine life. To renew our relationship with God. To step back and look across the horizon of faith so that we may not loose sight of the big picture.

Though many associate religion with judgment – that is not what it is about. Jesus tells us that “I have come so that you may have life to the full – that your joy may be complete.” Now in order to know joy, some judgment is necessary, but such judgment is internal, not external. Nor should we confuse the goal – the goal of all of this is not so that we may pass judgment. The goal is to have life to the full – to live in complete joy.

CLICK HERE for the readings for the Third Sunday of Advent (Zephaniah 3:14-18; Isaiah 12:2; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:10-18)

GOD IS GOING TO ACT

Before we hear our readings, it is helpful to have a bit of background. Baruch was a sort of secretary to Jeremiah, both of whom living during the most disastrous period of Israel’s history – the Babylonian Captivity.

Our Gospel echoes Baruch. Luke is going to give us a list of names that represent the whole of the hierarchy of political and social governance in the day. These names represent terrible oppression.

And in both cases, Baruch and Luke tell the people to prepare their hearts and minds, for the Lord is going to act. As we hear these readings, we must ask ourselves, what needs preparing in your life in order for God to act? If you recall, these are the questions we asked last week: What does it mean for your redemption to draw near? How will you escape the feeling of always being on, always connected? What do you need to let go of?

CLICK HERE for the readings for the Second Sunday of Advent (Baruch 5:1-9; Psalm 126; Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11; Luke 3:1-6)

LOOKING FORWARD TO SOMETHING NEW

Our readings today speak of great tribulation – in fact they do so with great poetry and imagery. We hear the sun will be darkened; the moon will no longer give off light, stars will fall from the sky. Some who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake and live forever; others will live in everlasting horror and disgrace.

Every year about this time, when our days begin to get darker and colder, we hear these apocalyptic readings about the end days. They almost seem to reflect the advancing barrenness of our trees and environment. The beauty and pageantry of fall has faded and now we prepare ourselves for winter and a new year for Advent is only two weeks from now.

However, this is not a time for fear or dread; rather that of hope, for we are also told that God’s elect will be gathered and will not pass away.

CLICK HERE for the readings for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Deuteronomy 12:1-3; Psalm 16; Hebrews 10:11-14, 18; Mark 13:24-32)