My homiletic preparation has been influenced by Pope Francis. I prayerfully prepare the homily under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Who is the Doer and I am the instrument. In so doing, I focus on one major theme, which guards against wandering and freely associating. The spotlight is on the Lord, not on me the homilist. In terms of length, the sweet spot seems to be 8 minutes, no more than ten. Preaching is a lot like drilling for oil: if you haven’t struck oil at 8 minutes, stop drilling! Finally, I try to address the “so what” factor: i.e., given what has been
preached regarding the Lectionary readings, especially the Gospel, now what? A good faith-filled homily must inspire the assembly to action; otherwise, it’s just a lecture.
mulder and Thomas
Divine Mercy Sunday (A); April 12, 2026 Acts 2:42-47. Ps 118. 1 Pt 1:3-9. Jn 20:19-31 Deacon Jim McFadden During the ‘90s, a popular, albeit off-beat television show was the X-Files, featuring agent Fox Mulder, an investigator of the para-normal. He had a poster in office of a UFO and the words “I want…
A Different dawn
Easter Sunday: The Resurrection of Our Lord; 4-06-2026 Acts 10:334,37-43. Ps 118. Col 3:1-4. Jn 20:1-9 Deacon Jim McFadden Today we are celebrating the apex of the liturgical calendar; indeed, it is the nucleus of our Faith: The Resurrection of the Lord. In the midst of so much uncertainty—the dire predictions of climate change outcomes,…
The cross: A sneak preview
Good Friday: The Passion of the Lord (A); 2026 Deacon Jim McFadden Can you imagine was must have transpired in Hell when Jesus died on the Cross? No doubt some serious infernal celebration must have erupted when the Son of God breathed His last. (Think of a diabolical version of the World’s Cup Final, Super…
holy thursday: It’s not about a bath!
Ex 12:1-8, 11-14; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-15 Deacon Jim McFadden Tonight is often called the feast of friends, the friends of God. Sounds good, but there’s a stark challenge: to be friends of God, we have to live a certain way. Along this theme, tonight is also a remembrance of Who God is and…
the only life worth living is serving others
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord (A) Mt 21:1-11 (proc.) Is 50:4-7. Ps 22. Phil 2:6-11. Mt 27:11-54 Deacon Jim McFadden Every year is a moving experience on Palm Sunday as we go with Jesus towards the Temple, accompanying him on the ascent which leads to the Cross. As Jesus enters…
Beyond the walls of death
5th Sunday of Lent (A); March 22, 2026 Ez 37:12-14 P s 130 Rom 8:8-11 In 11:1-45 Deacon Jim McFadden There are only two weeks to go to Easter and the Bible readings speak about resurrection. It is not yet that of Jesus, which burst forth in absolutely mind-blowing innovation, but our own resurrection, to…
We can see clearly now
4th Sunday of Lent (A); March 15, 2026 1 Sam 16:1b,6-7,10-13a. Ps 23. Eph 5:8-14. Jn 9:1-41 Deacon Jim McFadden As we read today’s Gospel from John (9:1-41), it will be helpful to remember John’s audience and his purpose. John is writing at the end of the first century to people who were waiting…
are we drinking from the right well?
3rd Sunday of Lent (A); March 8, 2026 Ex 17:3-7. Ps 95. Rom 5:1-8. Jn 4:5-42 Deacon Jim McFadden This Sunday we have the wonderful opportunity to revisit the story of the woman at the well, which is the definitive text of Christian evangelization. The lengthy Gospel passage tells us Jesus’ meeting with a…
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 Genesis. Prior to it are chapters 3-11, which describe not the world that God intended,…
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 desert, tempted by the Devil. There are several descriptions of Satan, but one thing is…
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 God, each other, and Creation. At the beginning of our Lenten journey, the Word…
Respect a Person’s Dignity!
6th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A); February 15, 2026 Sir 15:15-20. Ps 119. 1 Cor 2:6-10. Mt 5:17-37 Deacon Jim McFadden It can begin with the smallest gesture: an interested glance across a classroom, the brushing of a hand, asking for that first date when your stomach is in a knot. Lifelong love builds…
The World really needs us to be light and salt!
5th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A); February 8, 2026 Is 58:7-10. Ps 112. 1 Cor 2:1-5. Mt 5:13-16 Deacon Jim McFadden The Sundays leading up to Lent, the liturgy offers us teachings from the Sermon of the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. The Beatitudes launch the Sermon, providing the structure for subsequent teachings,…
the eucharist: happiness now!
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); February 1, 2026 Zep 2:3; 3:12-13. Ps 146. 1 Cor 1:26-31. Mt 5:1-12 Deacon Jim McFadden In Charles Dickens’ famous tale A Christmas Carol, the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is visited on Christmas Eve by the ghost of his partner, Jacob Marley, and is then shown three ghostly scenes…
The Light that Radiates from the Periphery
3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (A); January 25, 2026 Is 8:23-9:3. Ps 27. 1 Cor 1:10-13,17. Mt 4:12-23 Deacon Jim McFadden Usually, Catholic homilists dive right into the Gospel to unpack its meaning for the community. What I’d like to do is to reflect upon our first reading, which is the take-off point for…
Our Leader is a Lamb
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); January 18, 2026 Is 49:3,5-6 Ps 40 1 Cor 1:1-3 Jn 1:29-34 Deacon Jim McFadden Ever since we were kids, we’ve learned to follow the leader. As children, the leader makes a simple challenge: “can you do what I can do?” As we get older following the leader can…
“The Heavens Were Opened”
THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD (A); January 11, 2026 Is 42:1-4,6-7. Ps 29. Acts 10:34-38. Mt 3:13-17 Deacon Jim McFadden Today we are celebrating the Baptism of our Lord Jesus. Baptisms have a special place in my heart as it is one of my cherished ministries as a deacon. Many years ago on a…
Am I a Christian Who Worships?
The Epiphany of the Lord (A); January 4, 2026 Is 60:1-6. Ps 72. Eph 3:2-3. Mt 2:1-12 Deacon Jim McFadden “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we have observed his star in the East, and have come to worship him” (Mt 2:2). These men, traditionally described as…
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 Gospel account. This view resonates because he presents the Annunciation, the birth and infancy of…
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 of Nazareth. We are very accustomed that every nativity scene shows the infant Jesus together…
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