listen!
2nd Sunday of Lent (A); March 1, 2026 Gen 12:1-4a. Ps 33. 2 Tim 1:8b-10. Mt 17:1-9 Deacon Jim McFadden Our magnificent first reading is a short passage from the beginning of the 12th chapter of the book of…
Category: Homilies
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What’s Your Plan?
25th Sunday in O.T.; September 18, 2016 Am 8:4-7 Ps 113 1 Tm 2:1-8 Lk 16:1-13 Deacon Jim McFadden; St. John the Baptist C.C. The Gospel story is about a shrewd, albeit dishonest steward, who’s prepared to do anything at keeping himself alive, short of doing manual labor and begging. The manager’s panic of…
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Is God “Crazy”?
24th Sunday in O.T. (C); Sept. 11, 2016 Ex 32:7-11, 13-14 Ps 51 1 Tm 1:12-17 Lk 15:1-32 Deacon Jim McFadden; (New) Folsom Prison 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 Old Testament from the prophet Isaiah,…
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The Cost of Discipleship
23rd Sunday in O.T. (C); September 4, 2016 Wis 9:13-18b Ps 90 Phlm 9-10,12-17 Lk 14:25-33 Deacon Jim McFadden; (New) Folsom Prison 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…
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The Narrow Gate
21st Sunday in O.T. (C); August 21, 2016 Is 66:18-21 Ps 117 Heb 12:5-7,11-13 Lk 13:22-30 Deacon Jim McFadden; Folsom Prison & SJB 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.…
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Discovering Who We Are in Our Father’s Eyes
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time; July 24, 2016 Gn 18:20-32; Ps 138:1-3,6-8; Col 2:12-14; Lk 11:1-13 Deacon Jim McFadden Thirteen years ago I was facilitating a catechist class at Folsom Prison (Minimum Security), preparing some for Confirmation. One of the men, named ‘Juan’ was telling his story. He narrated that his…
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Joyful Missionaries
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time; 7-3-16 Is 66:10-14 Ps 66 Gal 6:14-18 Lk 10:1-12, 17-20 Deacon Jim McFadden; (New) Folsom Prison Brothers, quick question: how many of you are missionary disciples? Hmmm, another question: how many of you are baptized. O.K., if you’re baptized, you’re meant to be a missionary disciple. Why? By virtue…
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The Sacrament of Ongoing Christian Life
The Sacrament of Ongoing Christian Life The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Cycle C; May 29, 2016 Gen 14:18-20 Ps 110 1 Cor 11:23-26 Lk 9:11-17 Deacon Jim McFadden During the Easter season, a major concern in the Sunday Scripture readings was how the movement begun by Jesus of Nazareth would continue…
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Life Begins with the Trinity
The Most Holy Trinity (C); May 22, 2016 Prv 8:22-31 Ps8:4-9 Rom 5:1-5 Jn 16:12-15 Deacon Jim McFadden; St. John the Baptist C.C. It’s difficult enough to believe in a single God, but have you ever tried to explain the Trinity to a non-believer? It’s not easy. Believing in three persons who is…
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Making Everything New
Solemnity of the Feast of Pentecost; May 15, 2016 Acts 2:1-11 Ps 104 1 Cor 12:3-7,12-13 Jn 14:15-16,23-26 Deacon Jim McFadden; (New) Folsom Prison Today, we reflect and re-live the liturgy of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit sent by the Risen Christ upon the Church. I say “re-live” this event because when we…
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Jesus is Present in a New Way
The Feast of the Ascension; May 8, 2016 Acts 1:1-11 Ps 47 Eph 1:17-23 Lk 24:46-53 Deacon Jim McFadden; (New) Folsom Prison Today we are celebrating the great Feast of the Ascension, which is the culmination of the Easter season in which Jesus is “lifted up” to full participation in the…
homilies
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…
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…
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