A Homily for the Solemnity of the Epiphany On this Feast of the Epiphany we might ask: "What exactly is being made manifest in the Incarnation? What exactly is being revealed when God comes in the flesh?" I would like to offer the following suggestion for your own reflection and prayer, that perhaps what is being revealed … Continue reading The Ache of Love

A Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family Simeon says to Mary: "And yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." I would like to suggest that this is the very action of the Incarnation itself: The Divine pierces humanity; the light pierces the darkness as the sword … Continue reading In the Piercing

A Homily for the 2nd Week of Advent The season of Advent seems especially fitted for the art of storytelling. And some of my favorite stories come from the ancient tradition of desert spirituality. The great wisdom stories of the Abbas and Ammas, the desert Fathers and Mothers, the Mommas and Poppas, you could say, … Continue reading Why Not Become All Flame?

A Homily for the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Recently here at the novitiate we hosted a series of conferences on the History of the Religious Life. And, like most of human history, it is a story marked by ascent and decline, growth and decay, life-risking creativity and stagnant self-satisfaction. And it always seems that … Continue reading Meeting the Moment: An Ode to the Ordinary

Homily for the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time "We are fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys" Those are the words of Charles Dickens from his classic tale, "A Christmas Carol." And I find these words particularly meaningful and poignant for us today. Today we stand poised … Continue reading Fellow Travelers

A Homily for the 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time "Life is a banquet! But most poor suckers are starving to death!" If you know your Broadway or Film history you will recognize that tag line as the motto of Mame Dennis, otherwise known as "Aunti Mame." And there is some truth in that slogan, even … Continue reading Life is a Banquet!

Homily for the 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time Why is it, in our gospel parable this Sunday, that those hired first by the Vineyard Owner are so perturbed by their Employer's abundant generosity? Is it perhaps because they are First and they are people who are used to being First and so they see the … Continue reading Until the “Last ” Voice is Heard

A homily for the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time I am going to be so bold this morning as to offer a remedy for what I understand to be the fundamental illness that infects us human beings. I am going to suggest we all, in some way or another, and to varying degrees, suffer from … Continue reading Born from the Gaze of God

Homily for the 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time Back in 1968 there was a Brazilian Educator and Philosopher named Paulo Freire who wrote a book entitled: The Pedagogy of the Oppressed. In a nutshell, Freire argued how education, or the lack there of, in his own South America could keep so many people oppressed and … Continue reading A Pedagogy of Mercy

To my few but faithful viewers thanks for taking the time to check out my site. I am grateful. I just wanted to let you know we just finished one Novitiate year here in Colorado and I am gearing up to welcome a new class of novices next week. With that in mind I am … Continue reading A Little Summer Hiatus