God proposes: he doesn’t impose
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…
Category: Uncategorized
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Who Is The Way To Salvation?
21 st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); August 24, 2025Is 66:18-21. Ps 117. Heb 12:5-7,11-13. Lk 13:22-30 Deacon Jim McFadden Nearly 20 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…
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Greed is not good!
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); August 3, 2025 Eccl 1:2; 2:21-23. Ps 95. Col 3:1-5,9-11. Lk 12:13-21 Deacon Jim McFadden Twenty years ago Oliver Stone directed the movie Wall Street (2005) in which the main character Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglas, intoned the famous line “Greed is good!” as he was immersed…
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Is God the Father a Man?
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); 7-27-2025 Gn 18:20-32. Ps 138. Col 2:12-14. Lk 11:1-13 Deacon Jim McFadden The Our Father is probably the prayer most often prayed throughout the world. Within the Catholic Church, it is prayed twice during the Liturgy of the Hours—at Lauds and Vespers—which doesn’t include being recited at Holy…
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Stop and Listen: then Act
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C); July 20, 2025 Gn 18:1-10a. Ps 15. Col 1:24-28. Lk 10:38-42 Deacon Jim McFadden The Gospel for this Sunday’s Liturgy presents us with a lively domestic scene with Martha and Mary, two sisters who extend their hospitality to Jesus in their home. Luke notes that it is Martha…
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Jesus is Present in a New Way
The Ascension of the Lord; June 1, 2025 Acts 1:1-11. Ps 47. Eph 1:17-23. Lk 24:46-53 Deacon Jim McFadden Today we are celebrating the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven, which occurred 40 days after the Resurrection and is the culmination of the Easter season in which Jesus is “lifted up” to full participation in…
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Overcoming Fear Leads to Mission
Divine Mercy Sunday (C); April 26, 2025 Acts 5:12-16 Ps 118 Rv 1:9-13,17-19. Jn 20:19-31 Deacon Jim McFadden Jesus is Risen! What a joy to proclaim this wonderful message—one that is the ultimate “game changer”! The Resurrection is THE pivotal moment in all of Salvation History. Everything has changed; everything is relative to this…
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The Ultimate Encounter-Clash
5th Sunday of Lent (A); April 6, 2025 Ex 37:12-14. Ps 130. Rom 8:8-11. Jn 11:1-45 Deacon Jim McFadden In today’s Gospel for the 5th Sunday of Lent is the Raising of Lazarus, presents a stark contrast between Jesus, who is the Lord of Life and the ruins of death. It is the context…
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Don’t Invite the Enemy to your Table
1st Week of Lent (C); March 9, 2025 Deut 26:4-10. Ps 91. Rom 10:8-13. Lk 4:1-13 Deacon Jim McFadden As we begin the great season of Lent, which is a time of repentance, conversion, and metanoia we intentionally return to the source of our faith and spend these 40 days allowing ourselves to be…
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Circle of Love
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The Binding of Isaac/The Binding of Jesus
2nd Sunday of Lent (B); February 25, 2024 Gen 22:1-2,9a, 10-13. Ps 116. Rom 8:31b-6:34. Mk 9:2-10 Deacon Jim McFadden During the 2nd Sunday of Lent we come across a most troubling story in the first reading that is traditionally called the “Binding of Isaac.” The story is terrible, not just because it involves human…
homilies
The wicked tenants: Ungrateful and greedy
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…
the road home
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); September 27, 2026 Ez 18:25-28. Ps 25. Phil 2:1-11. Mt 21:28-3 Deacon Jim McFadden In a past issue of the Catholic Herald (September/October 2020), the newsmagazine for the Diocese of Sacramento, there is a…
