Category: Homily

Homily

Sacrifice, Reconciliation, and Joy: Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family – Year C 2021

Today is the feast of the Holy Family, and as we look at the gospel reading today we might be reminded of a similar story, a more modern story. A story of a family taking a long trip during the holiday season who suddenly realize that they’ve left their young son home alone. I’m speaking of course of that 1990 movie Home Alone, where young Kevin McAllister believes he is being bullied by his older brothers and sisters, and ignored by his parents, so he wishes his family...

Homily

Strength to Face the Future: Homily for the First Sunday of Advent – Year C

In today’s gospel Jesus tells his disciples to “stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” In a bit of personal irony, I woke up this weekend unable to “stand erect” because of an excruciating pain in my back. I guess I must have tweaked something putting up the Christmas tree or carrying the box of holiday china. But it’s starting to feel better, and I have great hope that it will continue to heal. We human beings cannot live without hope. We’re unique...

Homily

What More Were You Looking For? – Homily for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A terrible storm came into a town and local officials sent out an emergency warning that the riverbanks would soon overflow and flood the nearby homes. They ordered everyone in the town to evacuate immediately. There was a certain man in the town who heard the warning, so he looked out his window at the gathering storm and saw his next-door neighbors parked outside in front of his yard. They were concerned about him and so they had come by his house and said to him, “We’re leaving and...

Homily

The Sending Forth – Homily for Trinity Sunday

I wonder if anyone here has ever felt under-appreciated, overlooked, or even forgotten. If so, then this homily is for you. Today we’re going to sing the praises of one of the most under-appreciated and over-looked parts of the Mass. Everyone always talks about how the scripture readings spoke to them, or how great the music is, or even sometimes how the homily touched them. But no one ever walks out of Mass saying, “Wow, that dismissal, it really hit me today.” The dismissal is often forgotten or...

Homily

A Scrooge on Gaudete Sunday – Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Advent

Today we see the beautiful roses and the rose vestments, and the rose colored candle that represent the third Sunday of Advent. These are visible reminders that no matter what we are going through, no matter what is happening around us, as Christians we are always people of Good News. And when we receive good news, how do we react? We rejoice. And that’s why this Sunday is dedicated to rejoicing. Why? Because we now know that the one we long for, the one our soul longs to...

Homily

The Crucifix on the Wall: Homily for the 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. On the surface that seems so barbaric. And yet that law, known as the Law of Retaliation, was one of the most civilizing acts in human history. In the ancient world, before there were any laws, if a person was hurt or offended, then they would round up their clan and go after the person who caused the injury and their revenge would often be worse than the original crime, perhaps even leading to death. The Law...

Homily

Glad Tidings to the Poor: Homily for Christ the King

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, the last Sunday of our Church year. Today all of the themes of Jesus’ life and ministry come together in this one culminating feast here at the end of the year. Each liturgical year has its own particular character because of the fact that we read from one particular gospel. This year it’s been the Gospel according to Luke, and it’s good for us to look back over the year and try to see...

Homily

Stir into Flame the Gift of God: Homily for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

It’s a beautiful October day today, and I have to admit that October is my favorite month. I love the colors of the leaves as they change, the foggy mornings that we often get, and the pumpkin spice food and beverages that show up in the stores and coffee shops. But I also love the feast days that come one after another in October: St. Teresa the Little Flower, the Guardian Angels, St. Francis of Assisi, and Our Lady of the Rosary. The month of October is also...

Homily

The Mysterious Package: Homily for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C

Back around 1995 or 1996, I was teaching my 8th grade class about vocations and the different religious orders. Their assignment was to research a particular religious order and write a report to share with the class. Now this was around 1996 B.G. Before Google. There was no Internet, no search engines, no Wikipedia, no email, and so I had given them a magazine that listed addresses for all the different religious orders in the United States. They got into groups, chose a religious community, did some encyclopedia...

Ralphie from A Christmas Story

Homily

The Persistence of Ralphie: Homily for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C

Being a parent or grandparent can be really strange. And one of the strangest things about it is when the kids start to imitate you. At first its kind of funny and cute, the way you make faces at them and they try to make faces back. They dress up as mommy or daddy, pretending to do grown up things. But it’s not so funny when they start imitating your bad habits or repeating certain words. As they get older they begin to admire other people and try...