Abbot's Homilies

24th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle A—2017 FIRST READING  Sirach 27:30--28:9 Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight.  The vengeful will suffer the Lord's vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail.  Forgive your neighbor's injustice;...

Homily for the 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle A-2017 FIRST READING  Ezekiel 33:7-9 Thus says the Lord:  You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.  If I tell the wicked, "O wicked...

Homily for the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle A--2017 FIRST READING  Jeremiah 20:7-9 You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped; you were too strong for me, and you triumphed.  All the day I am an object of laughter; everyone mocks me.  Whenever I speak, I...

21st Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle A-2017 FIRST READING            Isaiah 22:19-23 Thus says the Lord to Shebna, master of the palace:  "I will thrust you from your office and pull you down from your station.  On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of...

20th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle A-2017 FIRST READING  Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Thus says the Lord:  Observe what is right, do what is just; for my salvation is about to come, my justice, about to be revealed.  The foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, ministering to...

19th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle A-2017 FIRST READING  1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a At the mountain of God, Horeb, Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter.  Then the Lord said to him, "Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord; the Lord will be passing by." ...

August 6 -- Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord First Reading              Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 As I watched:  Thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne.  His clothing was bright as snow, and the hair on his head as white as wool; his throne was...

17th Sunday of Ordinary Time—Cycle A—2017 FIRST READING            1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night.  God said, Ask something of me and I will give it to you.  Solomon answered:  O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to...

16th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle A—2017 FIRST READING            Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 There is no god besides you who have the care of all, that you need show you have not unjustly condemned.  For your might is the source of justice; your mastery over all things...

15th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle A-2017 FIRST READING            Isaiah 55:10-11 Thus says the LORD:  Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the...

14th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle A—2017 FIRST READING Zechariah 9:9-10 Thus says the LORD: Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion, shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal...

13th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle A—2017 FIRST READING            2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a One day Elisha came to Shunem, where there was a woman of influence, who urged him to dine with her.  Afterward, whenever he passed by, he used to stop there to dine.  So she...

12th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle A--2017 FIRST READING            Jeremiah 20:10-13 Jeremiah said:  “I hear the whisperings of many:  ‘Terror on every side!  Denounce! let us denounce him!’  All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine....

Corpus Christi-Cycle A-2017 FIRST READING            Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a Moses said to the people:  "Remember how for forty years now the LORD, your God, has directed all your journeying in the desert, so as to test you by affliction and find out whether or not...

Trinity Sunday—Cycle A—2017 FIRST READING            Proverbs 8:22-31 Thus says the wisdom of God:  "The LORD possessed me, the beginning of his ways, the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago; from of old I was poured forth, at the first, before the earth.  When...

PENTECOST SUNDAY  --  Cycle A  --  2017 FIRST READING:  Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11 When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.  And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house...

7th Sunday of Easter-Cycle A-2017 FIRST READING              Acts of the Apostles 1:12-14 After Jesus had been taken up to heaven the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away.  When they entered...

Ascension - Cycle A - 2017 FIRST READING            Acts of the Apostles 1:1-11 In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had...

6th Sunday of Easter-Cycle A-2017 FIRST READING              Acts of the Apostles 8:5-8, 14-17 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.  With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw...

5th Sunday of Easter-Cycle A-2017 FIRST READING            Acts of the Apostles 6:1-7 As the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.  So the Twelve called...