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Read the Bible in a Year
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May 19, 2021
Homily by Deacon Harry Evans Have you ever said goodbye to family members after a holiday visit or a vacation? Maybe a grandparent, a favorite cousin, an aunt or uncle? You have enjoyed their company and you have done many things that were really fun and have made some good memories. Now they are packing up the car and leaving for home or for the airport and you know you won’t see them again for a long while. You are sad and it’s hard to hold back the tears as they leave. We see emotion in St. Paul, in the[...]
May 18, 2021
Homily by Father Paul Wharton The Gospels record 17 specific occasions when Jesus prayed. Jesus prayed at different times of the day in different places Sometimes He prayed on His own, and sometimes when His Disciples were with Him. Jesus prayed before making decisions such as choosing the Apostles before healing the sick and raising the dead at turning points in his life like the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed 40 days in the desert before beginning his ministry. and prayed at his death on the cross seeking forgiveness for those who crucified him and offering[...]
May 16, 2021
Homily by Father Paul Wharton These words are partially my own and a writer whose identity is unknown. His work had begun when Jesus embraced our human condition by becoming one of us, making our weaknesses his own, walking in our footsteps, traveling our roads, experiencing our pains, feeling our fears, embracing our limitations even to the point of facing our ultimate enemy, death itself. Just when death had seemed to get the last word, his Father had spoken an even more powerful word. And when God spoke that word, death was defeated -- it gave up its[...]
May 14, 2021
Homily by Deacon Jay Ziolkowski Two words almost leap out at us in today's readings: "chosen" and "love". Putting them together, we get the message for this feast day of St. Matthias that we are all Chosen to Love. In the first reading, the apostles feel the necessity to chose someone to replace Judas who had been with them from the beginning and who could witness to the reality of the resurrection in the life of the early Christian community. In the Gospel, Jesus points out that He has chosen us, not we who have chosen him. God in[...]
May 13, 2021
Homily by Deacon Harry Evans Jesus is talking about his death and resurrection again today. He is priming his disciples for what’s to come. He spoke the words recorded in the Gospel: “A little while and you will no longer see me and again a little while later and you will see me.” His disciples are still confused. Of course, we have the benefit of knowing the whole story… shortly after he said this, he died on the Cross and was buried in the tomb and no one saw him, and then a little while later, he rose from the[...]
May 9, 2021
Homily by Father Paul Wharton A certain medieval monk announced he would be preaching next Sunday evening on "The Love of God." As the shadows fell and the light ceased to come in through the cathedral windows, the congregation gathered. In the darkness of the altar, the monk lit a candle and carried it to the crucifix. First of all, he illumined the crown of thorns, next, the two wounded hands, the marks of the spear, and finally the wounds in his feet. After a few moments of absolute silence, he blew out the candle and left the church. There[...]
May 7, 2021
Homily by Father Paul Wharton Perhaps by the time I was in middle school and certainly in high school, a question students sometimes asked a teacher was, “Is this going be on the test?” The answer would tell us how important it was and is. In the Gospels, when Jesus wants us to know that something is very important, he begins by saying, “Amen, I say to you…” Now we don’t hear those words in today’s gospel, but because they are among his last words before his death, we know that they’re very important indeed. Jesus calls the disciples and[...]
May 6, 2021
Homily by Deacon Jay Ziolkowski There is a story that has come down to us through the years. It's about a political dignitary who attended the coronation of King Edward VII in England on August 9, 1902.The dignitary had witnessed the historic moment when the crown was placed on King Edward's head. When the dignitary returned home, someone asked him if there was one moment that stood out above all the others. Yes, he said, there was such a moment. It was bitter cold outside. And as he passed a vacant building he saw two street children huddled together in[...]
May 4, 2021
Homily by Deacon Jay Ziolkowski "Peace I leave you. Let not your hears be troubled, neither let them be afraid." These are some very moving words that were spoken by Jesus when he said them to his disciples in today's gospel passage. How comforting it must have been to the disciples to hear this, for the peace that Christ was giving came from a man who had confronted Satan, performed countless miracles and was always calm, even in a raging storm. When I continued to read the rest of the Gospel, I was surprised to find Satan described as the[...]