Sunday Homilies

What are the qualities of the individuals who make up Christian communion?  They are people who are hungry, and who have learned what is worth being hungry for.

Today's readings suggest an emphasis on the concept of communion : the goal of all members of the Body of Christ; something achieved with difficulty; something far from complete.

My message changed a little bit because at this Mass I was particularly moved by the setting of Psalm 40, "Here I Am, Lord," by Rory Cooney.

Themes of Christmas are restated upon the inaugural of the ministry of Jesus.

Baptism is an immersion into all human concerns.  The baptism of Jesus is the promise to us (if his birth does not already signify this!) that, for the sake of our salvation, he does not shy away from any of the griefs of humankind.

This was the Young Adult Mass in Springfield.  In this homily I mention my niece Erin, who is currently doing volunteer work in Guatemala.

"That thing in our brain" -- Why is it that we make such a sharp distinction between "my people" and "not my people"?  Recorded at New Berlin.

Christmas on Saturday followed by Sunday Masses proved too crazy even to do any recording.  Today I present three homilies from one day.  This first one may suffer from some audio competition.  Recorded at Franklin.

We have three very important but quite difficult Scriptures here.  The homily includes comments on the major difficulties to be found when reflecting on each of the readings.

It is not only the farmer awaiting the yield of the soil who learns patience.  Everyone staring at a computer screen also comes to appreciate the virtue of patience.  Patience liberates us to look at our life and its blessings in its fullness.

Amazing images of peace assure us that peace can conquer even our own hearts.  The call to repentance is an invitation to an astonishing peace.

What is our concept of time?  Do we simply find a succession of events without relation or meaning?  The coming of the Kingdom of God breaks through the tedium and leads us to a moment of conversion, when things unthought of become possible.

How does Christ the King govern?  Consider how humbly he tends to his realm: from the throne of the cross.

On the fourteenth anniversary of the death of Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, we consider how his example accords with the scriptural call to be confident in the face of the "ultimates" of life.

Resurrection is real.  If there were no resurrection, God would not be God.  As Jesus assures us, God is not a God of the dead but of the living.

There was no homily for October 24 as I was in Guatemala. A man climbing a tree: an absurd image?  Maybe.  But maybe also it could be a helpful image as we consider the fundamental experience of the Christian life -- conversion -- and our need to open ourselves to new points of view (even up a tree!).

Never mind mowing down Amalek with the edge of the sword.  The preceding image, of Moses' arms being supported by members of the community, is a beautiful reminder of the ways in which our prayers are enhanced when we are praying together.

It seems to be a very slow process.  How do we expand our concept of God?  How do we move beyond the "local gods" that Naaman imagined?  How do we get beyond our constant denial that God is the God of all peoples?  Good questions.

We often find our existence to be dreary.  We are encouraged by the prophet's words:  "The vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint.  If it delays, wait for it.  It will surely come.  It will not be late."

Each of us wants to be assured that we are properly integrated into the society we believe we are a part of.  Such integration, of course, requires that many people know us by name and are willing to have some acquaintance with us.  We prefer not to be addressed as "hey you."  To be known and called by name means that we have attained a certain level of respect and acceptance within our social cir...

Jesus speaks about a wily business manager who uses initiative to prepare for a decent future, now that his boss is firing him.  Apparently what this man is doing -- for which his boss compliments him for resourcefulness -- is lowering the interest rates which he had originally proposed to his boss's debtors, so that these people might look upon him favorably when he is searching for a new situati...

It is curious that the word "prodigal" is used in the English language almost exclusively in reference to this parable of Jesus, popularly known as "The Prodigal Son."  Many of us have learned the parable without learning the meaning of the word "prodigal." Many of us identify with the "prodigal son" (the word "prodigal" means "wasteful" or "spendthrift"), and yet he is the least interesting figur...

Hate your family?  No -- Jesus is talking about subordinating cherished aspects of our life to the goal of the Kingdom of God.  We do have to deliberate carefully about this, as in the examples of the builder and the king.

"It's good to be humble."  There's no subtlety in these readings; they hit you over the head as if with a 2x4.  So what is the complete meaning of humility?  It has to do with our connection with people we would prefer to overlook.

It's not enough to be acquainted with our God; we must enter into the challenge of relationship  with the author of our being.  The challenge will feel like discipline, so we must be careful to recognize that discipline is for the sake of growth, not shame.