The Vine and the Branches 5th Sunday of Easter (B); May 2, 2021 Acts 9:26-41. Ps 22. 1 Jn 3:18-24. Jn 15:1-8 Deacon Jim McFadden You may be familiar with the Co-Exist bumper sticker, which horizontally lists the great religions of the world: it uses the Islamic crescent moon for ‘C’, a peace sign
4th Sunday of Easter (B); April 25, 2021 Acts 4:8-12. Ps 118. 1 Jn 3:1-2. Jn 10:11-18 Deacon Jim McFadden Two lovers look at one another and say without any reservation: “I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to
3rd Sunday of Easter (B); April 18, 2021 Acts 3:13-15,17-19. Ps 42. 1 Jn 2:1-5. Lk 24:35-48 Deacon Jim McFadden In the mid-‘80s the Australian director Peter Weir (Gallipoli, Mosquito Coast, The Truman Show) did his first American film, a successful thriller, Witness (1985), which starred Harrison Ford (in his only performance that earned
The Resurrection of our Lord; Easter Sunday (B) Acts 10:34,37-43. Ps 18 Col 3:1-4. Jn 10:1-9 Deacon Jim McFadden Today we celebrate with utter joy the Resurrection of Jesus. The Resurrection confirms that Jesus is truly the son of God, that His love for us has no limits, and that He is God among his
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord (B) Palm Sunday is the great doorway leading into Holy Week—the week in which the Lord Jesus makes his way to the culmination of his earthly existence. He goes to Jerusalem, where he will fulfill the promises of the Messianic hope, but will do so in
5th Sunday of Lent (B); 3-21-2021 Jer 31:31-34. Ps 51. Heb 5:7-9. Jn 12:20-33 Deacon Jim McFadden As Lent comes to closure, the Church gives us an extraordinary text for our meditation: Jeremiah 31:31ff which reads, “The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the House of
4th Sunday of Lent (B); 3-14-2021 2 Chr 36:14-16,19-23. Ps 137. Eph 2:4-10. Jn 3:14-21 Deacon Jim McFadden Today is the 4th Sunday of Lent, a.k.a. “Laetare”, that is, “rejoice,” because the opening antiphon of the Eucharistic liturgy invites us to that joy: “Rejoice, Jerusalem—“Be joyful, all who were in mourning.” This is how
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); 9-20-2020 Is 55:6-9. Ps 145. Phil 1:20c-24. Mt 20:1-16a Deacon Jim McFadden Sometimes Jesus just doesn’t seem fair. The parable of the Day Laborers evokes the sense of getting ripped off. That’s why it’s probably the least liked parable that Jesus ever told because it offends our
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); 9-13-20 Sir 27:30-28:7. Ps 103. Rom 14:7-9. Mt 18:21-35 Deacon Jim McFadden Last week’s readings spoke of reconciliation. This week we consider the same theme, but from the perspective of forgiveness. We all know how difficult it is to swallow our pride and say that we’re sorry
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); 9-6-20 Ez 13:8-10. Ps 95. Rom 13:8-10. Mt 18:15-20 Deacon Jim McFadden If there is one absolute in our secular culture today is non-judgmentalism. That basis of that implicit bias is that there are no universal, absolute, objective standards that apply to all people at all times
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…
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…
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…
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