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…
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…
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!…
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…
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…
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…
21st Sunday in O.T. (C); 8-25-2019 Is 66:18-21 Ps 117 Heb 12:5-7,11-13 Lk 13:22-30 Deacon Jim McFadden A few years ago an inmate at Folsom Prison approached me and said, “Deacon, I came across a number in Scripture that says only 150,000 people are going to be saved. If that’s so, I don’t stand a…
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time; 9-1-2019 Sir 3:17-18,20,28-29 Ps 68 Heb 12:18-19,22-24a Lk 14:1,7-14 Deacon Jim McFadden; (New) Folsom Prison At the mid-point of the 90’s blockbuster film Titanic, the Leonardi DiCaprio character, spread-eagled with his arms extended on the stern of the ship, boasts loudly, “I am the King of the World!” Contrast…
20th Sunday in O.T. (C); August 18, 2019 Jer 38:4-6,8-10 Ps 40 Heb 12:1-4 Lk 12:49-53 Deacon Jim McFadden; SJB In today’s first reading Jeremiah is in the middle of a national crisis, political power plays, and civic turmoil. Jeremiah, speaking in God’s name, advocates that the people surrender to the their enemy,…
The Father has given you the Kingdom 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); 8-11-2019 Wis 18:6-9 Ps 33 Heb 11:1-2,8-19 Lk 12:32-48 Deacon Jim McFadden Do you know how you can pick out a Christian? They are the ones who enjoy life. When we set our hearts on the Kingdom of God, we…
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); October 18, 2026 Is 45:1,4-6. Ps 96. 1 Thes 1:1-5b. Mt 22:15-21 Deacon Jim McFadden We’ve just heard one of the famous passages of the entire Gospel: “Render to Caesar the things that are…
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); October 11, 2026 Is 25:6-10a. Ps 23. Phil 4:12-20. Mt 22:1-14 Deacon Jim McFadden The parable we hear in today’s Gospel tells us a lot about the Kingdom of God, which is likened…
27th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A); October 4, 2026 Is 5:1-7. Ps 80. Phil 4:6-9. Mt 21:33-43 Deacon Jim McFadden The parable about the mismanagement of the vineyard tells us a lot about the Kingdom of God, the choices we…
