Mary Kept and Pondered
Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, January 1, 2026 Nm 6:22-27. Gal 4:4-7. Lk 2:16-21 Deacon Jim McFadden There is an old tradition that Luke the evangelist knew the Blessed Mother and he wove her memories into his…
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Who Is The Way To Salvation?
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); August 21, 2022 Is 66:18-21. Ps 117. Heb 12:5-7,11-13. Lk 13:22-30 Deacon Jim McFadden Nearly 20 years ago an inmate at Folsom Prison approached me and said, “Deacon, I came across a number in Scripture that says only 150,000 people are going to be saved. If that’s so,
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“The Loins Girded”: Game On!
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); August 7, 2022 Wis 18:6-9. Ps 33. Heb 11:1-2,8-19. Lk 12:32-48 Deacon Jim McFadden Many of our Gospel readings this summer have been about the Call to Discipleship. Today’s passage notes that once we’ve made the transition from the Ego-drama (my life is about me) to the Theo-drama
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You’re More Than What You Have
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); 7-31-2022 Eccl 1:2;2:21-23. Ps 95. Col 3:1-5,9-11. Lk 12:13-21 Deacon Jim McFadden During the early ‘60s, the folk-rock group, The Byrds, had a mega-hit called Turn! Turn! Turn! which was adapted from the third chapter of Ecclesiastes. I found the song to be riveting, which encouraged me to
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Is God the Father a Man?
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); 7-24-2022 Gn 18:20-32. Ps 138. Col 2:12-14. Lk 11:1-13 Deacon Jim McFadden The Our Father is probably the prayer most often prayed throughout the world. Within the Catholic Church, it is prayed twice during the Liturgy of the Hours—at Lauds and Vespers—which doesn’t include being recited at Holy
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Everyone is Called to Discipleship
Everyone is Called to Discipleship 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); July 17, 2022 Gn 18:1-10a. Ps 15. Col 1:24-28. Lk 10:38:42 Deacon Jim McFadden This vignette of Martha and Mary has a way of bugging us. Let’s face it: most of us are not contemplatives in the same way that say, Trappist monks are;
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The Voice of God: Listen, Abide, Attend!
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); July 10, 2022 Dt 30:10-14. Ps 69. Col 1:15-20. Lk 10:25-37 Deacon Jim McFadden In nature the laws of physics apply everywhere, whether it’s here on Earth or the outer reaches of the cosmos—they’re no escaping them. What would happen, for example, if you denied the Law of
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Missionary Disciples: Pray, Go, & Travel Light!
14th Sunday of Ordinary Time (C); 7-03-2022 Is 66:10-14. Ps 66. Gal 6:14-18. Lk 10:1-12,17-20 Deacon Jim McFadden Today’s Gospel is about a people who are on a journey—specifically, one of mission. Moreover, not just any people, but 72 disciples to be exact, in addition to the 12 Apostles. Why 72? The number 72
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True Freedom
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); 6-26-2022 1 Kgs 19:16b,19-21. Ps 16. Gal 5:1,13-18. Lk 9:51-62 Deacon Jim McFadden Kris Kristofferson’s classic song, Me and Bobby McGee, made famous by Janis Joplin, penned that famous line, “Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose,” which became a rallying cry for the ‘60s generation.
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The Sacrament of Ongoing Christian Life
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (C); 6-23-2022 Gn 14:18-20. Ps 110. 1 Cor 11:23-26. Lk 9:11-17 Deacon Jim McFadden During the Easter season, a major concern in the Sunday Scripture readings was how the movement begun by Jesus of Nazareth would continue after his Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. Since he is
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You Can’t Believe in Jesus w/o Faith in the Trinity
One of the more challenging units in the Frosh theology course that I teach is the doctrine of the Trinity. Trying to explain the Trinity to a 14 year old is no easy task. When I ask them, “Do we believe in the Father-God, the Son-God, the Holy Spirit-God,” they intuitively say “No.” When I
homilies
The Holy Family Were Refugees
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph; 12-28-2025 Sir 3:2-6. Ps 128. Col 3:12-21. Mt 2:13-15, 19-21 Deacon Jim McFadden On this first Sunday after Christmas, the Liturgy invites us to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family…
a God who gathers
Christmas (A) ; 12-25-2025 Is 52:1-7. Ps 97. Heb 1:1-6 . Jn 1:1-18 Deacon Jim McFadden Christmas celebrates God’s overwhelming desire to be united with us. Sometimes we wonder, why does he bother? He’s perfect—he doesn’t need anything since…
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