In Mercy, Hope!

A Homily for Divine Mercy Sunday & In Memory of Pope Francis Pope Francis once remarked: "Let the church always be a place of mercy and hope." If you recall, back in 2013, the pontificate of Pope Francis began with the Year of Mercy. This past week it ended with his death right in the … Continue reading In Mercy, Hope!

“Enough! the Resurrection”

A Homily for Easter Sunday 2025 The fundamental message of Easter is this: You have to run into the dark if you wish to run into the light. You have to confront your own limitations if you want to come to know the Limitless; face your own brokenness to discover healing; pass through death to … Continue reading “Enough! the Resurrection”

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

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

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