Homily stories

1 Oct 2023

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

A fitting epithet

He was quiet and unassuming, sitting in the same pew faithfully every Sunday. He’d pause to tip his fedora and thank me for the Mass.

1 Oct 2023

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

You'll never change!

I worked as a counselor for a childcare agency years ago. The kids were orphans and/or wards of the state. One boy, Ray, was a good kid—friendly, helpful, even cheerful. Yet just below the surface, there seemed to be a slow-burning anger in him.

24 Sep 2023

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Seat of honor

It was a hot summer day, and the family had spent the afternoon at the swimming pool and then made a quick trip to the grocery store. It was time to get home and prepare dinner.

24 Sep 2023

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

The last word

Everyone loves an underdog—in sports, politics, historical battles—but it’s usually when that person is involved in some kind of heated competition. What about the average guy who just beats back difficult life circumstances and comes out ahead?

17 Sep 2023

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

A peace beyond understanding

In 1945, as the Nazi regime neared defeat, tens of thousands of women and children imprisoned in the Ravensbrück Concentration Camp were either slaughtered outright or forced on a death march where an estimated 40,000 more perished.

17 Sep 2023

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Relationship trumps righteous indignation

“Do you want to be right or do you want to be in relationship?” That was a question Catholic psychologist Sidney Callahan said a friend posed after an extended feud. It was a lesson in forgiveness. 

10 Sep 2023

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

The call to unity has sounded

I’ve heard the unforgettably beautiful Muslim call to prayer—the Adhan, which is recited from the tall minarets of mosques five times daily—while traveling in Delhi, India; Cape Town, South Africa; and Amman, Jordan. I never dreamed I’d hear it deep in the backcountry of Michigan.

10 Sep 2023

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Embrace the quality of mercy

A remarkable story about Saint Francis tells of a brother who was a community leader having a very difficult time with a brother who was what we sometimes call a “repeat offender.”

3 Sep 2023

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Duped

Traveling to our familial home in Southern Italy with my mother, brothers, and their families was a learning experience for me. A Roman collar there came with many perks. 

3 Sep 2023

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Hold on for dear, dear life

Waiting in line at the funeral home to talk to the young parents who had lost their 11-year-old child in a tragic bicycle accident, I listened as those ahead of me offered their condolences.