Abbot's Homilies

4th Sunday of Easter-Cycle B-2018 FIRST READING                    Acts of the Apostles 4:8-12 Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said:  “Leaders of the people and elders:  If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he...

3rd Sunday of Easter-Cycle B-2018 FIRST READING            Acts of the Apostles 3:13-15, 17-19 Peter said to the people:  “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and...

2nd Sunday of Easter-Cycle B-2018 FIRST READING            Acts of the Apostles 4:32-35 The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.  With great power the apostles...

Easter Day Mass-Cycle B-2018 FIRST READING            Acts 10:34a, 37-43 Peter proceeded to speak and said:  “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit...

EASTER VIGIL MASS—CYCLE B—2018 FIRST READING              Genesis 1:1—2:2 In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.  Then God said, “Let...

GOOD FRIDAY-2018 FIRST READING            Isaiah 52:13-53:12 See, my servant shall prosper, he shall be raised high and greatly exalted.  Even as many were amazed at him—so marred was his look beyond human semblance and his appearance beyond that of the sons of man—so...

HOLY THURSDAY-2018 FIRST READING            Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month shall stand at the head of your calendar; you shall reckon it the first month of the year.  Tell the whole community of Israel:  On the...

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord-Lent-Cycle B-2018 FIRST READING          Isaiah 50:4-7 The Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.  Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may...

5th Sunday of Lent - Cycle B – 2018 FIRST READING        Jeremiah 31:31-34 The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.  It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took...

4th Sunday of Lent (Laetare) - Cycle B - 2018 FIRST READING        2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23 In those days, all the princes of Judah, the priests, and the people added infidelity to infidelity, practicing all the abominations of the nations and polluting the Lord’s...

3rd Sunday of Lent - Cycle B - 2018 FIRST READING        Exodus 20:1-17 In those days, God delivered all these commandments:  “I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.  You shall not have other gods besides me.  You...

2nd Sunday of Lent - Cycle B - 2018 FIRST READING            Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 God put Abraham to the test.  He called to him, "Abraham!"  "Here I am!" he replied.  Then God said:  "Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land...

1st Sunday of Lent—Cycle B—2018 FIRST READING              Genesis 9:8-15 God said to Noah and to his sons with him:  "See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you:  all the birds, and...

Ash Wednesday--2018 FIRST READING            Joel 2:12-18 Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God.  For gracious and merciful is he,...

6th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B—2018 FIRST READING            Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch which appears to be the sore of leprosy, he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest, or...

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B--2018 FIRST READING            Job 7:1-4, 6-7 Job spoke, saying:  Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?  Are not his days those of hirelings?  He is a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling who waits for his wages.  So I have...

4th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B--2018 FIRST READING  Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Moses spoke to all the people, saying:  “A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kin; to him you shall listen.  This is exactly what you requested of...

3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B—2018 FIRST READING Jonah 3:1-5, 10 The word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the...

2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B—2018 FIRST READING            1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19 Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was.  The Lord called to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.”  Samuel ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called...

Homily for the Solemnity of the Epiphany, Cycle B--2018 FIRST READING            Isaiah 60:1-6 Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem!  Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you.  See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon...