A Homily for the Exaltation of the Cross 2025 The spiritual writer, Jacques Philippe, asks a question that I believe is worth our pondering this morning. He writes: "To what degree can evil in my surroundings affect me?" And, simply put, his answer is: "Only to the point I allow it to penetrate my heart." … Continue reading Still Point
Tag: bible
Self-Preservation (& the Death of Empathy)
A Homily for the 15th Week of Ordinary time 2025 If I was to say to you: splagchnizomai you might be tempted to respond: Gesundheit! And if you did you wouldn't be too far off! "Splagchnizomai" is the biblical Greek word for "Gut-Wrenched." And, as you probably know, "Gesundheit" is a German word meaning: "Health" … Continue reading Self-Preservation (& the Death of Empathy)
Words Made Flesh
A Homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ 2025 I am discovering that a lifetime of practicing Lectio Divina leads to Lectio Divina taking on a life in time. It becomes increasingly clear that the Word is Living, the Word is Unchained, and therefore: Words Matter. Words are always … Continue reading Words Made Flesh
“Delight in the Human Race”
A Homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity "Hail space for the Uncontained God!" That line, coming from the Eastern Orthodox Liturgy for the Annunciation, has become a long time favorite of mine. In it the greeting of the Archangel Gabriel to Mary is reframed and Mary redefined as the seemingly limited space … Continue reading “Delight in the Human Race”
“Even Now”
An Easter Meditation In this Jubilee Year of Hope, in the buoyancy that so many have felt in the election of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, and in his early message which seems to hang on two words: "Peace" and "Unity," can we say, where ever we are, in the midst of our … Continue reading “Even Now”
St. Matthias: Witness to the Resurrection!
A Personal Reflection on the Feast of St. Matthias, Apostle About 30 years ago I rather unexpectedly fell in love with St. Matthias! I was up to preach the homily at my religious community's annual, post-academic year retreat on the feast of the apostle. I vaguely remember now preaching on the kinship I felt with … Continue reading St. Matthias: Witness to the Resurrection!
“Welcome & Listen”
A Homily for the 4th Sunday of Easter 2025 In the Acts of the Apostles today, Paul and Barnabas announce: "We now turn to the Gentiles (or the Nations)!" And how do the Gentiles or the Nations respond? Well, they respond just as any person or group who has felt excluded, forgotten, unseen, unheard, or … Continue reading “Welcome & Listen”
And Their Voices Prevailed
A Homily for Palm Sunday 2025 In the midst of the shouting match that ensues between Pilate and the Crowd, in Luke's account of the Passion, Pilate, driven by fear and political expediency, seeks to release Jesus. The Crowd, engorged with rage and convinced that the destruction of this one human being and all he … Continue reading And Their Voices Prevailed
On This Mountain
A Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Lent "I look to the mountains from where shall come my hope!" Now, if you are familiar with the first line of Psalm 121, you know it actually reads: "I look to the mountains from where shall come my help." But I want to talk about HOPE this … Continue reading On This Mountain
Lenten Detox
A Homily for the 1st Sunday of Lent 2025 "It is easier to throw stones than to search one's own soul." That quote, I think, gets at a fundamental human conundrum with which, I would imagine, we are all familiar. I believe it gets at our own human experiences of alienation and shame that might … Continue reading Lenten Detox
Chiaroscuro Spirituality 