Don’t Talk to the Divider!
1st Sunday of Lent (A); February 22, 2026 Gn 2:7-9, 3:1-7. Ps 51. Rom 5:12-19. Mt 4:1-11 Deacon Jim McFadden Each year, the Gospel of the 1st Sunday of Lent presents us with the narrative of Jesus in the…
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We’re Called to be Happy, to be Blessed
6th Sunday in O.T. (C); 02-16-2025 Jer 17:5-8. Ps 1. 1 Cor 15:12,16-20. Lk 6:17,20-26 Deacon Jim McFadden What does it mean to be happy? What does it mean to be blessed. How can they be found? These are ground-floor, basic the ‘rubber hitting the road’ questions. If we get them wrong, then we’ve…
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Hearing and Living the Word
5th Sunday of Ordinary Time (C); February 9, 2025 Is 6:1-2a, 3-8. Ps 138. ! Cor 15:1-11. Lk 5:1-11 Deacon Jim McFadden When Jesus jumps into our boat, just as he did with Peter in today’s Gospel, requires us to live out of two fundamental attitudes that enable us to become disciples, which is…
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“A sword will cut through your own soul”
The Presentation of Jesus (C); February 2, 2025 Mal 3:1-4. Ps 24. Heb 2:14-18. Lk 2:22-40 Deacon Jim McFadden The Presentation of Jesus is a richly textured account in which Luke’s story-telling genius is on full display. His overall intent was to underscore that Law would be observed. His statement that Jesus was born…
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Baptism, Temptations, & Homecoming
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); 01-26-2025 Neh 8:2-4a. Ps 19. 1 Cor 12:12-30. Lk 1-4; 4:14-21 Deacon Jim McFadden An operating principle that governed Jesus’ life is that he saw in others what he saw in himself. In Buddhist literature there is a story where a soldier comes up to a Buddhist monk…
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God Acts with Closeness and Discretion
The Wedding Feast of Cana 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time (C); January 19, 2025 Is 62:1-5. Ps 96. 1 Cor 12:4-11. Jn 2:1-11 Deacon Jim McFadden The Gospel recounts the familiar episode of the Wedding Feast of Cana, where Jesus transforms water into wine. At first blush, we quickly jump to the conclusion that…
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Jesus was Baptized and was Praying
The Baptism of the Lord (C); January 12, 2025 Is 42:1-4,6-7. Ps 29. Acts 10:34-38. Lk 3:15-16,21-22 Deacon Jim McFadden Today’s Gospel shows us the scene in which Jesus’ public ministry begins: he, who is the Son of God and the Messiah, goes to the banks of the Jordan River to be baptized by…
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Christians Stand Up and Be Counted
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The Journey of Faith is Renewed in God’s Presence
The Epiphany of the Lord (C); January 5, 2025 Is 60:1-6. Ps 72. Eph 3:2-3. Mt 2:1-12 Deacon Jim McFadden Several years ago, Pope Francis said, “Let us never forget this: the journey of faith finds renewed strength and fulfillment only when it is made in the presence of God.” Let’s unpack that quote…
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Mary Keeps and Ponders
Astonishment and Anxiety: Do I experience both in relationship to Jesus? The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph (C); 12-29-24 Sir 3:2-6,12-14. Ps 128. Col 3:12-21. Lk 2:41-52 Deacon Jim McFadden Today we are celebrating The Feast of the Holy Family, which invites us to reflect on the experience of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus,…
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Astonishment and Anxiety
Do I experience both in relationship to Jesus? The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph (C); 12-29-24 Sir 3:2-6,12-14. Ps 128. Col 3:12-21. Lk 2:41-52 Deacon Jim McFadden Today we are celebrating The Feast of the Holy Family, which invites us to reflect on the experience of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, united by the…
homilies
Ash Wednesday: A Time for pruning
Jl 2:12-18. Ps 51. 2 Cor 5:20-6:2. Mt 6:1-6, 16-18 Deacon Jim McFadden People of God, we come once again, to that great season of Lent, which is a great opportunity to prune away falseness, superficiality, and indifference to…
Respect a Person’s Dignity!
6th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A); February 15, 2026 Sir 15:15-20. Ps 119. 1 Cor 2:6-10. Mt 5:17-37 Deacon Jim McFadden It can begin with the smallest gesture: an interested glance across a classroom, the brushing of a hand,…
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