Homilies

Today’s readings are not very cheerful. Ecclesiastes asserts, “All things are vanity!”  The responsorial psalm reminds us that in the end we will all “turn back to dust.” Paul urges us “Put to death the parts of you that are earthy,” namely our sinful addictions.  And Jesus calls the rich man a fool for being so obsessed with his worldly possessions that he has lost sight of what really matters in life. Have we done that?

The rich man doesn’t see his wealth as something to be shared. Instead, he naively thinks that his wealth will secure his future. Hence, he has no need of others or even of God. How mistaken he was to identify good living with material things and ignore what matters with God. The inheritance that truly matters is not what can be given to us in someone’s last will and testament but the one that God offers us: eternal life. …

18th Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

The first reading from Genesis brings back memories of my travels to Jerusalem. Bargaining in the old city can be an adventure. If a merchant thought I was a tad bit interested in his wares, he would toss out a price, expecting me to respond. I might roll my eyes and move on but if I did, the merchant would persist, baiting me with yet a lower price.

“No way!” I would reply. I might make a counter offer and he would then moan, “How can I feed my family with such a low price? Already I am offering you the lowest price in the city!” The bickering would persist until either a sale was made or this would be customer moved on empty-handed. …

17th Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

Two readings today invite us to reflect on a virtue that stands out as an essential characteristic expected of any Christian: the virtue of hospitality. To open our doors and hearts to friends and strangers, as Abraham and Martha did, is what God expects us to do, not just here in this gathering, but in our homes, our neighborhoods, at work and in the marketplace as well.

Like Martha, most Christians are a welcoming people but how readily do we really welcome Jesus and what he has to say into our daily lives? How well do we know him? Those questions brings to mind the story of a little black boy in a small Southern town where blacks lived on one side of the tracks and everyone else on the other side. One Sunday morning, he set out to see what people did on that side so he crossed the tracks, came to a huge church, heard the singing and decided to go in. When an usher spotted him, he went over to the boy and said, “Son, why don’t you just go back to where you came from? Now, scoot!” Heart-broken, the boy sat down on the steps of the church and cried.

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16th Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” This is a question, I believe each of us asks in many different ways in our lifetime.  You might expect a lengthy answer to such an important question. But the answer Jesus gives is quite short.  He simply tells us to love God with all the strength we have, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.  That’s it!! That’s all you need!  Love like that and we will inherit eternal Life.  End of message!  If it were only that easy especially these last few days! Unfortunately, it is not—so much more is asked of us.

Our Scripture readings each week remind us that the stories about prophets, apostles and disciples being chosen and sent out to do God’s work have been told down through the centuries in order to bring home to us one essential message- the reason why we are called and gathered into a church, the one and only reason why we have been chosen to be Christians, is to be sent out to do God’s work. Our entire purpose and endeavor is directed outward for the good of others, for the good of the world, and for the common good. …

15th Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

1ST READING   ISAIAH 66:10-14c
2ND READING  GALATIANS 6:14-18
GOSPEL       LUKE 10:1-12, 17-20

I have always liked Father Rick’s opening welcome when he says; “We have the Good Health and Freedom to come from far and near to worship.” Freedom is a word I don’t take for granted. Freedom for Christians comes with one condition of which I’ll tell you a little bit later but for now, think of what freedom means for you and we will see if we come to the same understanding.

Our first reading from Isaiah was written after the return of the exiled Jewish nation from Babylon. In this powerful scripture passage God promises to send peace flowing over Jerusalem like a river. If this message sounds good to us in our times, think how good it must have sounded to the tired remnants of Israel, recently returning from the desert, from exile and the discouraging circumstances.

The image God inspired in Isaiah are all full of hope, from the river of peace to the consolation of the nursing child and the promise of fresh growing things in the springtime. These are healing words meant for broken hearts.

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14th Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »