Gospel Reflections for Challenging Times

  Monday – Visitation of Mary Luke 1:39-56 In Awe! Hills of Judea near Bethlehem Ever met someone famous, a moment that left you in awe, dumbfounded?   Maybe it was life-changing, life-altering.   Perhaps it was a movie star or sports legend or a religious figure like the Dalai Lama.   Most of you know how much of a sci-fi nut I am – movies, tv shows, books.   And my all-time favorite novel – DUNE – and all its sequels!   Written by Frank Herbert, it is a sprawling epic of science fiction, religious undertones and adventure.   I was lucky to meet Frank once at a book signing.   I brought along my first-ever copy of Dune and he signed it!   Wow!   And what did I say to him; what did I say to this master of the written word, to this sci-fi giant?   Not one word!   Nothing!   I was so in awe that I couldn’t even blurt out a simple thank you! We read today of another historic meeting, although one on a scale far ...

  Trinity Sunday Homily

  Sunday – Feast of Holy Trinity Gospel – Matthew28:16-20 God Above, Beside, Within Praying at Gethsemane Today we celebrate the Feast of Holy Trinity, a key church doctrine – 3 Persons in 1 God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one of the great mysteries of our faith. We hear in today’s readings a description of those 3 persons.   The First Reading – God the Father, the Creator and Law-Giver.   The God so far above us all that we bow down before Him in reverence and obedience.   The Second Reading – the Holy Spirit – God who brings us peace and love and fellowship.   The Spirit or encouragement inside all of us by virtue of our Baptism and Confirmation.   And the Gospel - God the Son – Jesus Christ – who took on human form to redeem us of our sins and lead us to eternal life.   Jesus who walked the same earth as all of us. Essentially the Trinity is a relationship – the love between father and son and that love so intense that it is e...

  Saturday – 8 th Week of Ordinary Tim Gospel – Mark11:27-33 Who’s In Charge? Chapel at Cana   It happens much more than we realize.   We get up in the morning full of ideas and plans for the day – work, clean, cut the grass, do the dishes, prepare dinner, etc.   And then we get that call.   Maybe it’s a friend whose car just died and they need a lift.   Maybe it’s a family member with a medical emergency or a sudden need for you to watch the kids.   No matter what, we drop our plans and meet the need!   No matter what we plan to do or want to do, life happens!   We like to think we are in charge but that is not always the case.   The Pharisees in today’s Gospel ask a valid question of Jesus.   Where is all your teachings and ministry coming from?   Is it just your thoughts and ideas?   Are you a prophet?   Are you a follower of John the Baptist?   Are you proclaiming that you are doing God’s work? ...

  Friday – 8 th Week of Ordinary Tim Gospel – Mark 11:11-26 I Don’t Give a Fig A Bountiful Harvest   It’s just about time to put in our garden.   That means it’s just about time to plant zucchini.   And then, come August and September, I can start pulling the zucchini and begin my baking binge.   But there is a lot to do in-between now and then.   You can’t just plant the seeds one day, wait 3 months, and voila there it is!   It takes work and time and a bit of faith.   But in the end, it is worth it to go out into the yard and harvest the crop. That is not what happens in today’s Gospel.   Jesus is looking for something to eat.   He goes to a fig tree but there was nothing but leaves.   It was not the season for figs.   The same holds true for any garden we plant; every vegetable and fruit has its season.   We can’t rush it; we can’t make it grow any faster.   It takes time and patience. But there ...

  Thursday – 8 th Week of Ordinary Tim Gospel – Mark10:46-52 The Deacon’s New Clothes Ordination 2015 Six years ago last week I was ordained a Permanent Deacon.   Part of the Rite of Ordination included Investiture where I put on the stole and dalmatic of a deacon for the first time.   I was assisted in this vesting ceremony by my wife Ginger and my pastor and friend Father Neil. Needless to say it was an emotional and profound moment where symbolically I left behind my life as a lay person and put on my ‘new clothes’, my new ministry as a member of the clergy. Something similar seems to be happening in today’s Gospel.   Bartimaeus, a blind man, is sitting along the road outside Jericho begging for a few coins.   He hears that Jesus is coming and he cannot contain his excitement.   People try to quiet him down but to no avail.   He keeps shouting for Jesus.   “Have pity on me.”   When Jesus calls to him, Bartimaeus immediatel...