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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Grace Overflows
17th Sunday in O.T. (B); July 25, 2021 2 Kgs 4:42-44. Ps 145. Eph 4:1-6. Jn 6:1-15 Deacon Jim McFadden In early June we celebrated Corpus Christi Sunday—The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The Church re-visits the meaning of the Holy Mass and the Eucharist by re-reading the sixth chapter of John’s
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Jesus: the Compassionate Redeemer
16th Sunday in O.T. (B); July 18, 2021 Jer 23:1-6. Ps 23. Eph 2:13-18. Mk 6:30-34 Deacon Jim McFadden Mark’s gospel, the first written during the reign of Emperor Nero, is the shortest of all the Gospel accounts consisting of just 16 chapters. There is very little teaching like we see in Matthew’s gospel
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Game On!
15th Sunday in O.T. (B); July 11, 2021 Am 7:12-15. Ps 85. Eph 1:3-15. Mk 6:7-13 Deacon Jim McFadden When college and NFL coaches prepare for the upcoming game, they just don’t wing it, especially if they want to keep their lucrative jobs! Rather, they develop very specific game-plans, working with their offensive and
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Jesus is the Wellspring of Life
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B); 6-27-2021 Wis 1:13-15,2:23-24. Ps 30. 2 Cor 8:7,9,13-15. Mk 5:21-43 Deacon Jim McFadden Today’s Gospel from Mark presents a beautifully crafted narrative, involving two miracles performed by Jesus, describing them as a march towards life. Initially the Evangelist speaks about a certain Jarius, the leader of the local
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Why Do We Suffer?
14th Sunday in O.T. (B); July 4, 2021 Ez 2:2-5. Ps 123. 2 Cor 12:7-10. Mk 6:1-6a Deacon Jim McFadden Why do we suffer? I’d like to reflect on this question focusing on the second reading from Paul’s 2nd Letter to the Corinthians. Towards the end of this missive, Paul had been talking about
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Do We Walk by Faith?
11th Sunday of O.T. (B); June 13th, 2021 Ez 17:22-24. Ps 92. 2 Cor 5:6-10. Mk 4:26-34 Deacon Jim McFadden The recent cyber- attacks on our country—such as on Colonial Pipeline in May which led to gas shortages and even dangerous situations caused by panic buying and on JBS meet processing which lead to
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To Weather the Storm
12th Sunday of O.T. (B); 6-20-21 Jb 38:1,8-11. Ps 107. 2 Cor 5:14-17. Mk 4:35-41 Deacon Jim McFadden On the evening of June 17, 2015 Dylann Roof joined a Bible study meeting at Mother Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina and murdered nine African Americans with a Glock 41.45 caliber handgun. His vile
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The Eucharistic Logic
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ; 6-6-2021 Ex 24:3-8. Ps 116. Heb 9:11-15. Mk 14:12-16 ,22-26 Deacon Jim McFadden As an undergraduate at the University of San Francisco many decades ago, I was invited to a buddy’s home for supper. During the course of the dinner conversation, my friend’s Mom asked her
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Do We Walk by Faith?
11th Sunday of O.T. (B); June 13th, 2021 Ez 17:22-24. Ps 92. 2 Cor 5:6-10. Mk 4:26-34 Deacon Jim McFadden The recent cyber- attacks on our country—such as on Colonial Pipeline in May which led to gas shortages and even dangerous situations caused by panic buying and on JBS meat processing which lead to
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The Trinity Grounds our Belief in Jesus
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity (B); 5-30-2021 Dt 4:32-34. Ps 33. Rom 8:14-17. Mt 28:16-20 Deacon Jim McFadden In his Summa Theologica St. Thomas Aquinas claims that “it is impossible to believe explicitly in the mystery of Christ without faith in the Trinity.” The doctrine of the Trinity is what distinguishes Christianity
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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