Tagged: Holy Spirit

Fighting Fire with Fire: A Homily for Pentecost

On this Solemnity of Pentecost the red vestments and red altar cloths are reminiscent of the fire that descended on the disciples. We see this color more and more in our own lives as the weather heats up and the fire season begins. As we know so well from the fires that typically begin to plague us in the summer, fire can be destructive and deadly. That’s one of the reasons pop singer Billy Joel used fire as a metaphor for chaos, crime, and war in his 1989...

The Spirit, the Desert, and Temptation: Homily for the First Sunday of Lent Year C

Jesus “was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil.” Each year on the first Sunday of Lent we enter into this significant moment at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. He has just emerged from his baptism in the Jordan river only to be sent into the testing ground of the desert. As we accompany him into the wilderness, Jesus shows us how to live a life of Gospel conversion, how to begin anew. Today, as we begin the first...

Appearance Behind Locked Doors

Peace Be With You – Homily from the Sixth Sunday of Easter

Suppose we had a time machine and we traveled back in time to talk to Simon Peter before he met Jesus. And what if we asked him, “What would a peaceful life look like to you?” I wonder what he might say. Maybe he’d say, “Well, a peaceful life would be one where my fishing business would continue to thrive. I would catch lots of fish each day, sell them all, and support my family comfortably. My wife and I would live in harmony and raise our children...

We Didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel

We Didn’t Start the Fire: Homily for Pentecost Sunday

[Note: I gave this homily about five years ago but didn’t realize I hadn’t posted it to my blog until a friend brought it up in a conversation today after Mass. When I went to find it I realized it was missing and decided to finally post it.] On this Solemnity of Pentecost the red vestments are reminiscent of the fire that descended on the disciples. We see this color more and more in our own lives as the weather heats up and the fire season begins. Last...