Homilies

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 45:1, 4-6; Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians 1:1-5; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 22:15-21 The first reading this Sunday, from the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah, indicates that a secular leader, in this case...

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 26:6-10; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 22:1-14 Reflecting on the Gospel passage today, I would ask: who of us hasn’t been to a wedding? I think we are all...

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 5:1-7; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Philippians 4:6-9; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 21:33-43 In this Sunday’s Gospel parable, Jesus uses the imagery of growing grapes and making wine to convey an important message....

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Ezekiel 18:25-28; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Philippians 2:1-11; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 21:28-32 Here at the Monastery Autumn is definitely “in the air.” Such is the case as well in many other parts of the Northern...

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 55:6-9; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Philippians 1:20-24,27; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 20:1-16 What a powerful parable we are given for pondering this Sunday! Think about it: if I work longer than others, I should...

Scripture Readings: Book of Sirach 27:30-28-7; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 14:7-9; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 18:21-35 The Gospel passage for this Sunday revolves around the question Saint Peter addresses to Jesus, “Lord, when someone wrongs me, how often...

Scripture Readings: Ezekiel 33:7-9; Romans 13:8-10; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 18:15-20 This Sunday’s first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel and the Gospel passage both consider the difficult topic of “fraternal correction,” as it is often called; that is,...

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 20:7-9; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 12:1-2; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 16:21-27 In the Gospel passage for this Sunday, Jesus states clearly that those who wish to come after him must deny their very self,...

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 22:15,19-23; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 11:33-36; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 16:13-20 The famous words of Jesus in the Gospel today, “Who do you say that I am?”, are addressed to his disciples and answered...

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 56:1, 6-7; Saint Paul's Letter to the Romans 11:13-15, 29-32; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 15:21-28 It should be safe to say and not a heresy to conclude that Jesus was at least mildly bothered by the persistent...

Nineteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A Scripture Readings: First Books of Kings 19:9,11-13; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 9:1-5; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 14:22-33 This Sunday the Church offers us Scripture readings that touch on the topic of meeting...

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 55:1-3; Saint Paul’s Letters to the Romans 8:35,37-39; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 14:13-21 The Scripture readings being offered to us this Summer Sunday are well worth looking at more closely and applying them to...

Scripture Readings: First Book of Kings 3:5, 7-12; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 8:28-30; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 13:44-52 As we all know, contemporary culture teaches us to seek the good life, at whatever the cost, literally. Happiness itself too often...

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 55:10-11; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 8:18-23; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 13:1-23 The three Scripture readings offered to us this Sunday are cause for mediation on the mystery of birth, life and death. These...

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Zechariah 9:9-10; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 8:9,11-13; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 11:25-30 How can we possibly know the mind and heart of God? No easy task, but the best way is to listen to our Lord Jesus Christ,...

Scripture Readings: Second Book of Kings 4:8-11, 14-16; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 6:3-4, 8-11; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 10:37-42 The Gospel passage for this Sunday, recorded by Saint Matthew the Evangelist, is the conclusion of what has been called...

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 20:10-13; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 5:12-15; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 10:26-33 The New Testament, including today’s Gospel text, is clear that those who obey God are capable of giving witness or...

Scripture Readings: Book of Exodus 19:2-6; Saint Paul's Letter to the Romans 5: 6-11; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 9:36-10:8 I’d like to begin with a story from the Jewish Hassidic tradition: A man received a telegram telling him that a relative had died and left...

Scripture Readings: Book of Deuteronomy 8:2-3,14-16; First Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians10:16-17; Gospel According to Saint John 6:51-58 The Mass readings from Sacred Scripture for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of the Lord, traditionally...

Scripture Readings: Book of Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9; Second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians 13:11-13; Gospel According to Saint John 3:16-18 Each year on the Sunday following Pentecost, the Church celebrates the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, our belief that God...