Category: Homilies

  • The Lord’s Gaze

    28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B); 10-10-2021  Wis 7:7-11.  Ps 90.  Heb 4:12-11.  Mk 10:17-30 Deacon Jim McFadden Today’s Gospel, taken from Mark, chapter 10, is a narrative divided into three scenes—all them punctuated by the gaze of Jesus.             The first scene presents an encounter between Jesus the Teacher and a young man who

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  • We’re Meant to be Together

    27th Sunday in O.T. (B); 10-03-2021 Gn 2:18-24.  Ps 128.  Heb 2:9-11.  Mk 10:2-16 Deacon Jim McFadden             During the ‘60s the rock group Three Dog Night, had a pop-hit, One is the Loneliest Number, that addresses the pain associated with isolation.  We heard this in the first reading that Adam was living in the

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  • What’s at Stake?

    26th Sunday of O.T. (B); 9-26-2021 Wis 2:12,17-20.  Ps 54.  Jas 3:16-4:3.  Mk 9:30-37 Deacon Jim McFadden             Last Sunday we reflected upon the basic spiritual struggle of making the transition from the Ego-Drama (self-worship) to the Theo-Drama (worship of the one true God).  This transition is no mean task because the drive to be

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  • Whom Do You Serve?

    25th Sunday in O.T. (B); 9-19-2021 Wis 2:12,17-20.  Ps 54.  Jas 3:16-4:3.  Mk 9:30-37 Deacon Jim McFadden          Swiss theologian Urs von Balthasar framed the basic spiritual struggle as the transition from the Ego-Drama (self-worship) to the Theo-Drama (worship of the one true God).  Making this transition is the path of discipleship in which we

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  • Ephphatha: Are We Open to the Word?

    23rd Sunday in O.T. (B); 9-5-2021 Is 35:4-7a.  Ps 146.  Jas 2:1-5.  Mk 7:31-37 Deacon Jim McFadden             In this Sunday’s Gospel passage (Mk 7:31-37),  we have the episode of the miraculous healing by Jesus of a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment.  As always, we start with the surface, literal description

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  • What Makes an Authentic Christian?

    22nd Sunday in O.T. (B); 8-29-2021 Dt 4:1-2,6-8.  Ps 15 Jas 1:17-18,21b-22,27.  Mk 7:1-8,14-15,21-23 Deacon Jim McFadden             Several decades ago, I had a dear colleague, a consecrated religious sister who had a huge sign that went from one end of her classroom to the other.  As one entered the classroom, you were greeted with

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  • “Master, to whom shall we go?”

    21st Sunday in O.T. (B); 8-22-2021 Jos 24:1-2a,15-17b,18b.  Ps 34.  Eph 5:21-32.  Jn 6:60-69 Deacon Jim McFadden             Today, we bring to closure our extraordinary Eucharistic discourse, which has been our focus for the last several weeks as we’ve pondered the precious revelation of the sixth chapter of John’s gospel.  Jesus is speaking at the

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  • Mary the Warrior

    The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary; 8-15-2021 Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab.  Ps 45.  1 Cor 15:20-27.  Lk 1:39-46 Deacon Jim McFadden             Today, we have the privilege of celebrating The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary which falls on a Sunday.  Our first reading is taken from a very dramatic reading from the Book

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  • Jesus: the Giver and the Gift

    18th Sunday in O.T. (B); 8-1-2021 Ex 16:2-4,12-15. Ps 78. Eph 4:17,20-24. Jn 6:24-35 Deacon Jim McFadden This Sunday we continue our reflection on the 6th chapter of John’s gospel. After the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, the people went in search of Jesus. The crowd seems to be following Jesus from one side

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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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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…

History is Going Somewhere and it rhymes

4th Sunday of Advent (A); December 21, 2025 Is 7:10-14.  Ps 24.  Rom 1:1-7.  Mt 1:18-24 Deacon Jim McFadden             As we enter into the 4th Sunday of Advent, let us remember that salvation history has a trajectory which comes…