Homilies

From the Past Year

  • The Day of Yahweh Comes
    “And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory.”
  • The Power of Humility
    “For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had.”
  • Hear, O Israel
    “Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is Lord alone.”
  • What Does It Mean?
    “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”
  • What Do You Want?
    “Jesus said to him in reply, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man replied to him, ‘Master, I want to see.’”
  • Love in Humble Service
    “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
  • School of Love
    “Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
  • Covenant of Life and Love
    “He embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.”
  • Fostering or Hindering Faith
    “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.”
  • Righteousness
    “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me.”
  • What Are Your Expectations?
    Twenty-Fourth Sunday Scripture Readings In today’s gospel reading, Jesus teaches his disciples a valuable lesson and, in doing so, teaches us one as well. If we pay close attention to what’s being said in this… Read more: What Are Your Expectations?
  • What Are We Missing?
    Twenty-Third Sunday Scripture Readings I had a thought as I read over today’s gospel where Jesus opens the ears of a deaf man and frees his tongue from a speech impediment. In what ways are… Read more: What Are We Missing?
  • Escaping Fortresses of Fear
    Twenty-Second Sunday Scripture Readings I’ll bet you never realized that fences are a sign of fear. I’m talking about all kinds of fences, including stockades, ramparts, and big, beautiful walls. Put together they make up… Read more: Escaping Fortresses of Fear
  • Flesh Rising to Spirit
    “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
  • Transforming the Flesh
    Twentieth Sunday Scripture Readings When meditating on the gospels that form the bedrock of our understanding of God and the universe, I think it’s important that we dig deeply into the gospel texts. Only in… Read more: Transforming the Flesh
  • Discerning the Bread of Life
    “I am the living bread come down from heaven.”
  • Living the Bread of Life
    “I am the bread of life.”
  • Christ Yesterday, Today, and Forever
    “They filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves.”
  • Come Away
    “He began to teach them many things.”
  • Repent and Believe
    “Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two.”
  • As Enthusiasm Becomes Disillusionment
    “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.”
  • Whom Do You Trust?
    “He took the child by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha koum,’ which means, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise!’”
  • Conqueror of Sea and Storm
    “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”
  • Receiving the Seed of Faith
    “But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
  • Homecoming
    “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
  • Life Is in the Blood
    “When Christ came as high priest … passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle … he entered once for all into the sanctuary …”
  • The Living Power of Love
    “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
  • Breaking the Fourth Wall
    “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained”
  • Witness to the Ascension
    “So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.”
  • Remain in My Love
    “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.”
  • Grace and Judgment
    “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in them will bear much fruit.”
  • Mine Know Me
    “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me …”
  • Kairos: the Critical Moment
    “Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.”
  • As the Father Has Sent Me …
    “’Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
  • We Are an Easter People
    “For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.”
  • Beyond Expectations
    “He has been raised. He is not here.”
  • Service as Eucharist
    “It is finished.”
  • Selfless Eucharist
    “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”
  • What Are You Looking For?
    Palm Sunday Scripture Readings God and humankind seem always to be at cross-purposes. God is forever reaching out to show himself to us, to tell us about himself, and to lift us up out of… Read more: What Are You Looking For?
  • When We Are Lifted Up
    “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
  • Doing the Truth
    “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
  • Cleansing the Temple
    “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”
  • Beyond the Bible
    “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”
  • Temptation Reimagined
    “He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.”
  • A Recipe for Repentance
    “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them.”
  • To Pray as We Ought
    “‘I do will it. Be made clean.’ The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.”
  • The Disciples’ Transformation
    “He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.”
  • The Human Dilemma
    “I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
  • Detachment from Fear
    “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
  • Steps to Discipleship
    Second Sunday Scripture Readings Today, we begin to follow the ministry of Jesus—a ministry that commenced when his true identity was revealed at his baptism by John in the Jordan River. In a short while,… Read more: Steps to Discipleship
  • We Have Seen His Star
    “They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother.”
  • Becoming the God-Bearer
    “And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.”