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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“Tell John What You See and Hear”
3rd Sunday of Advent (A); 12-8-2019 Is 35:1-6a,10 Ps 146 Js 7:5-10 Mt 11:2-11 Deacon Jim McFadden; SJB Our Gospel for this weekend is taken from the 11th chapter of Matthew, where we’re moving right into the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, which occurs in the middle of Matthew’s Gospel. So, this great Advent
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The One Who Baptizes with Fire
2nd Sunday of Advent; 12-8-19 Is 11:1-10 Ps 72 Rom 15:4-9 Mt 3:1-12 Deacon Jim McFadden On the second Sunday of Advent, Matthew calls us to encounter the intriguing figure of John the Baptist, a gritty, down-to-earth, ‘in your face’ prophet. His clothing is coarse: “John wore clothing made of camel’s hair and
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The Mountain of the Lord
1st Sunday of Advent (A); 12-1-2019 Is 2:1-5 Ps 122 Rom 13:11-14 Mt 24:37-44 Deacon Jim McFadden As we enter into the great season of Advent, we await the coming of the Lord. Our first reading is taken from the prophet Isaiah, often referred to as the prophet of Advent since we rely so
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Jesus: King of the Universe, Lord of our Lives
CHRIST THE KING (C); November 24, 2019 2 Sm 5:1-3 Ps 122 Col 1:12-20 Lk 23: 35-43 Deacon Jim McFadden Today we come to the end of the liturgical year, the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. The Gospel from Luke presents the kingship of Jesus as the culmination of
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My Own Special Possession
33rd Sunday in O.T. (C); November 17, 2019 Mal 3:19-20a Ps 98 2 Thes 3:7-12 Lk 21:5-19 Deacon Jim McFadden; SJB “And they shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, my own special possession…And I will have compassion on them” (Mal 3:17): these words come to us from the last page of
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Naaman, the Syrian
28th Sunday in O.T. (C); October 13, 2019 2 Kgs 5:14-17 Ps 98 2 Tim 2:8-13 Lk 17:11-19 Deacon Jim McFadden From a worldly perspective, the worst thing a powerful person can do is admit his/her weakness to others. As we scan our political landscape, humility is in short supply. That’s one reason so
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Reclaiming the Language of Faith
27th Sunday of Ordinary Time (C); October 6, 2019 Hb 1:2-3; 2:3-4. Ps 95:1-2, 6-9; 2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14; Lk 17:5-10 Deacon Jim McFadden Can’t you just feel for the prophet Habakkuk? The poor guy faces violence and destruction and he yells out to God: “I cry for help but you do not listen!
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Rich Man, Poor Man
26th Sunday in O.T.; September 29, 2019 Am 6:1a, 4-7 Ps 102 1 Tm 6:11-16 Lk 16:19-31 Deacon Jim McFadden Many of us find the homeless to be unnerving and annoying. They disrupt businesses in downtown areas. They relieve themselves in public, creating health issues. And, sometimes they’re just scary. Recently, going to and
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Our God is Awesome, but Strange
Our God is Awesome, but Strange 24th Sunday in O.T. (C); Sept. 15, 2019 Ex 32:7-11,13-14 Ps 51 1 Tim 1:12-17 Lk 15:1-32 Deacon Jim McFadden; SJB Let’s face it: the God that Jesus reveals does not operate according to the way we go about doing things. We’re given a heads-up in the
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The Cost of Discipleship
23rd Sunday in O.T. (C); 9-8-2019 Wis 9:13-18b Ps 90 Phlm 9-10,12-17 Lk 14:25-33 Deacon Jim McFadden Luke tells us that great crowds were following Jesus; he was a very popular man, a fascinating figure. If Jesus were physically with us today, he’d be all over the Internet, the focus of blogosphere scrutiny. He’d
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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