A Homily for the 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time What is at the heart of the 4 blessings and 4 curses Jesus offers us in our gospel passage from Luke today? I think St. Paul can enlighten us on this question. Actually, I think St. Paul hits the answer right on the nose when he … Continue reading If for This Life Only
Author: frjcoop
Fr. Jeff Cooper, CSC is a Roman Catholic Priest and a religious of the Congregation of Holy Cross (US Province). Fr. Jeff has spent most of his ministry in the work of formation and education. He holds a Ph.D. in Christian Spirituality. He currently serves as Director of Novices at the Holy Cross Novitiate in Colorado.
Just This
A Homily for the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time I would like to be so bold this morning as to redefine "church." I suggest that church is the "Home of the Abnormally Born!" St. Paul, in our 2nd reading today, identifies himself as "one abnormally born" as a means to indicate how his call to … Continue reading Just This
Manifestations
A Homily for the Baptism of the Lord 2025 There are, what I would call, three classic manifestations of the Divine that we celebrate each Christmas season. The first manifestation is radical inclusivity which is at the heart of the Incarnation. The second is belovedness, which we celebrate today on the Feast of the Lord's … Continue reading Manifestations
Lights a Lovely Mile
A Homily for the Epiphany of the Lord 2025 The Priest-Poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins, in his poem: "My Own Heart Let Me More Have Pity On," attempts to express the unbidden, unforeseen, unexpectedness of God's light. Near the conclusion of the poem he writes: "...leave comfort root-room; let joy size/at God knows when to God … Continue reading Lights a Lovely Mile
I Believe in You
A Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family 2024 I fell in love this Christmas... but not with a person! Rather, I fell in love with a song. There is a contemporary Christmas carol entitled: "The Carol of Joseph." This song caught my eye, or rather my ear, first, because there are so few … Continue reading I Believe in You
Hail Space for the Uncontained God
A Homily for Christmas Day 2024 In a late essay, reflecting on Luke chapter 2, verse 7: "...because there was no room for them in the inn," Thomas Merton wrote: "Those that lament the fact that there is no room for God must also be called to account for this. Have they perhaps added to … Continue reading Hail Space for the Uncontained God
The Ordinary Unexpected Joy
A Homily for Gaudete Sunday (The 3rd Sunday of Advent) Today is Gaudete Sunday and we are kindly invited to "Rejoice!" But what exactly is this "joy" we are called to make manifest? The prophet Zephaniah exclaims: "Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!" The prophet Isaiah encourages us to: "Cry out with joy and gladness." … Continue reading The Ordinary Unexpected Joy
I am Grateful
A Homily for Thanksgiving Day 2024 Have you ever been grateful for losing? Have you ever been grateful for what you've lost? Have you ever been grateful for your failures? This Thanksgiving day I think it's important to remember that gratitude is not a privilege nor is it a choice. Gratitude is not something we … Continue reading I am Grateful
God Waits!
A Homily for the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time There is a wisdom that founds a vision and the vision opens out onto a mission and the mission requires we take the risk of faith. We read today in the Book of the prophet Daniel: "But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of … Continue reading God Waits!
Thank You & Goodbye
A Homily for the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time When God says to the Prophet Isaiah or to the visionary, John, in the Book of Revelation: "See, I make all things new!" Or when St. Paul tells us "all that matters now is a new creation." Do we realize that for God new means new? … Continue reading Thank You & Goodbye
Chiaroscuro Spirituality 