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…
Category: Homilies
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Watch Out!
3rd Sunday of Lent (C); March 24, 2019 Ex 3:1-8,13-15; Ps 103; 1 Cor 10:1-6; Lk 13:1-9 Deacon Jim McFadden Throughout the Catholic Church, today is the First Scrutiny for catechumens. Who are catechumens? They are those who have inquired into becoming a member of the Catholic Church and, after a period of
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The Glorified Body
2nd Sunday of Lent; March 17, 2019 Gn 15:5-18 Ps 27 Phil 3:17-4:1 Lk 9:288-36 Deacon Jim McFadden; (New) Folsom Prison & SJB The readings from today awaken a sense of wonder to a world beyond our own—a mystical consciousness. So, in the first reading—memorable, magical, strange—Abraham enacts a ritual in which God establishes
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Three Questions from the Desert
1st Week of Lent (C); March 10, 2019 Deut 26:4-10 Ps 91 Rom 10:8-13 Lk 4:1-13 Deacon Jim McFadden; (New) Folsom Prison Brothers, we come, once again, to that great season of lent, which by its nature is a desert time, which is to say, a time of simplicity, purification, and asceticism. We notice
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Who’s Your Teacher?
8th Sunday in O.T.; March 3, 2019 Sir 27:4-7 Ps 92 1 Cor 15:54-58 Lk 6:39-45 Deacon Jim McFadden There are different levels of spiritual development. Though we hope that we are all moving in the same direction as we strive to realize our destiny, we are at different stages of the journey. If
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The Mystery of Forgiveness
7th Sunday in O.T. (C); February 24, 2019 1 Sam 26: 2,7…23 Ps 103 1 Cor 15:45-49 Lk 6:27-38 Deacon Jim McFadden; St. John the Baptist C.C. The Sermon of the Mount, which may be construed as Jesus’ State of the Kingdom address, is in two parts: (1) the Beatitudes, which describes what
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Discipleship: We’re All Unworthy
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); 2-10-19 Is 6:1-8 Ps 138 1 Cor 15:1-11 Lk 5:1-11 Deacon Jim McFadden; (New) Folsom Prison One of my spiritual heroes is the Protestant theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer who once wrote that Christianity without discipleship is cheap grace. He walked the talk as he sacrificed his life in
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Peace: It Begins with a Willing Heart
Pax et Bonum Mass; January 30, 2019 Matthew 5:1-12 Deacon Jim McFadden; St. Francis H.S. Prior to the offering of the Sign of Peace, the priest says aloud, “Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the
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A Messiah for Everyone
4th Sunday in O.T. (C); February 3, 2019 Jer 1:4-5, 17-19 Ps 71 1 Cor 12:31-13:13 Lk 4:21-30 Deacon Jim McFadden; (New) Folsom Prison The readings today relate the beginning of the two great prophetic careers of Jeremiah and Jesus. Jeremiah’s prophesies are driven by the revelation given on Mt. Sinai that Israel is
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Married to God
The Wedding Feast of Cana 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time (C); 1-20-19 Is 62:1-5 Ps 96 1 Cor 12:4-11 Jn 2:1-11 Deacon Jim McFadden; (New) Folsom Prison & SJB St. Paul has compared the relationship between Christ and his Church as that of a bridegroom and his bride (cf. Ephesians 5:22-33). What that
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Baptism: the Door to the Spiritual Life
The Baptism of the Lord (C); January 13, 2019 Is 40:1-11 Ps 29 Ti 2:11-14; 3:4-7 Lk 3:15-22 Deacon Jim McFadden In celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, it is a good occasion to reflect upon this most basic Sacrament of the Church. Since most of us have been baptized, it defines our relationship
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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