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01 Nov 2015 - Solemnity of All Saints, Cycle B

When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. The committed climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said: “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought. “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat. “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for. “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family. “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom. “Count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds” (from Matthew 5:1-12a). Taken from The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition by Eugene Peterson (ACTA Publications, 2014); actapublications.com; 800-397-2282.

blessed blessings

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The inner word

21 Jun 2015 - Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Where does God or your faith “amaze” you? The neighbors and relatives of Elizabeth were amazed not only at the fact that the new baby was going to have a name different from his ancestors but also that Zechariah confirmed it by being released from his muteness—and the first thing Zechariah did was to burst forth blessing God. So, again: Where has God amazed you? Helped you to say something? What do you bless God for today?

blessing

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God bless the child that's in the womb

08 Apr 2012 - Preaching the News for Sunday

"I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord," the psalmist affirms this Sunday. As the church celebrates new life in the risen Christ this Easter weekend comes word that new life in the womb of expectant mothers will be celebrated by the church in the form of a special Vatican-approved blessing dedicated to unborn children, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops USCCB) recently announced. “Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb” should be available in English and Spanish at Catholic parishes from coast to coast in time for Mother's Day on May 13, said USCCB spokesperson Don Clemmer. The blessing was prepared to support parents awaiting the birth of their child, to encourage parish prayers for and recognition of the precious gift of the child in the womb, and to foster respect for human life within society, said a USCCB press release. It can be offered within as well as outside the context of the Mass. The blessing originated several years ago when then-Bishop Joseph Kurtz of Knoxville, Tennessee (now archbishop of Louisville) asked the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities to see if a blessing existed for a child in the womb. When none was found, the committee prepared a text which was approved by the bishops in November, 2008 and then sent to Rome for editing and final approval, which has now been granted. “This new blessing gives thanks to God for the gift of life and imparts his blessing on the development [sic] child and his or her family,” said Clemmer. “As the blessing was requested by the U.S. bishops and approved by the Vatican as a blessing for use in the church in the United States, it can only be used” in the U.S., he added. Sources: A press release by the USCCB and an article by Agence France Presse

blessings life usccb joseph kurtz unborn

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Homily themes

01 Jan 2012 - Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord; Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, Cycle B

The Lord bless you and keep you. The triple blessing in the reading from Numbers is some of the oldest poetry in scripture. Blessing usually means God's giving of life-sustaining power that produces growth. The three blessings here imply the highest possible benefit. Addressed to all of Israel, the benedictions "invoke my name upon the Israelites"--literally "put the name on the people." In other words, the priests' pronouncing of God's name itself conveys the blessing. These high and solemn benedictions claim the people as God's own in an intimate way. They also set the stage for the other two readings about the great gift and blessing God has given humanity in Jesus, through Mary. Homily points Mary as our mother is a loaded concept and fraught with historical controversy. The church has agreed over time to name Mary both Mother of God and Mother of the Church. On the World Day of Prayer for Peace, we recall that Mary is also Queen of Peace.

Authors Joel Schorn

blessing mother of god world day of prayer for peace Mary
Homily themes

01 May 2011 - Solemnity of the Second Sunday of Easter; Divine Mercy Sunday, Cycle A

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . .The reading from Saint Peter's first letter opens with a blessing. Such "benedictions" also occur in other places in scripture. In Ephesians 1:3, Saint Paul writes, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places . . . ." In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 7 he prays, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction . . . ." Zechariah's canticle also opens with a benedictus: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them" (Luke 1:68). In these passages and others, biblical writers make a prayer of wonder at the grand story of the salvation God worked in Jesus. Homily points None of us have seen the signs contained in John's gospel. But we have seen some signs that John hints were left out. Those other signs are evident wherever Jesus is recognized in the least of our sisters and brothers, and where the fruits of the Spirit are alive and well. Fostering discipleship through religious education, the spirit of community, good liturgy, and growth in prayer will prepare us all to encounter the wounded world.

benedictions blessings

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Homily stories

18 Sep 2011 - Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

"If there's one thing I've learned in life, it's that things happen by God's Rolex not my Timex." Those words were shared at a reunion between two coworkers long after they both gave up trying to set the course of their lives on a timetable. They had spent a lot of time over the years on the "pity pot," as one of them called it, measuring, calculating, and weighing. And no matter how they figured it, God was shortchanging them. It just wasn't fair. Then, at a certain point, tired of listening to their own and the other's whines, they both realized that perhaps they were going about their situations all wrong. They started talking about powerlessness, acceptance, and God's will. They coached and counseled one another whenever the other was down. They weren't always sure of the truth of what they were saying, but they knew it was better than feeling sorry for themselves. They tried to live as if they really believed God was taking care of them and had their best interests at heart. Gradually their lives got better, or so it seemed to them. Despite all sorts of losses and illnesses, they remained grateful for their many blessings. Some would call this change of heart extraordinary. Others know this is just a day in the life of a practicing Christian.

Authors Patrice J. Tuohy

time listening grateful blessings

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Homily stories

13 Feb 2011 - Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Psalm 119 is the longest in the psalter, and it pretty much has it all--blessing, lament, song, thanksgiving, and above all praise. Its 176 verses stitch together a series of poems praising God's law. It also covers a wealth of human experiences: stages of life, emotions, daily existence. Its breadth symbolizes the overall sweep of the psalms themselves. In reflecting on her new translation, The Complete Psalms, the poet and writer Pamela Greenberg says: "The great thing about the psalms is that they address really the whole spectrum of human emotion, from intense despair and feelings of abandonment by God, feelings of betrayal by humankind, fear of mortality, to great joy and jubilance." The psalms, she says, put joy in the context of the eternal. They give those who suffer "a way to talk to God" and make "even . . . those periods of intense, almost unbearable torment . . . very transformative." They testify that anger is part of a relationship with God, and they "are very much concerned with justice. "I think mostly for Christians the psalms represent exactly what they do for Jews," she says, "which is the person of faith standing up in relation to God in a very honest and genuine way, and I think in that way they speak to all of us"--and for all of us.

Authors Joel Schorn

psalms Law Divine law blessing

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Homily stories

28 Nov 2010 - First Sunday of Advent, Cycle A

OUR HOUSE was broken into recently while my family and I slept soundly in our beds. We woke when we heard noise on the back porch, but it was too late. The thief was gone along with a purse filled with cash, credit cards, and keys. A hundred "if onlys" went through our heads. If only we'd double-checked that the back door was locked, if only we'd hidden the purse from view, if only we'd woken sooner and scared the no-goodnik away, if only we'd been more prepared. But then, of course, came the gratitude we all felt: Thank goodness no one was hurt, thank goodness all the thief got was a purse, thank goodness we're not so desperate as to feel compelled to steal. Perhaps we were more prepared than we realized--not for preventing the theft, but for counting our blessings. Counting our blessings is an essential part of the Advent preparation. The more aware we are of the gifts we've been given, the more able we are to appreciate the gift of Love that is to come. We may not know the hour of Love's arrival, but we can rest assured that nothing can prevent love from reaching us if we are steadfast. Death and death-dealing acts will not prevail. The thief, the liar, the betrayer, the murderer will never have the last word. The last word is, was, and always shall be reserved for the first Word--who is Love

Authors Patrice J. Tuohy

counting blessings advent gifts Love

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Homily stories

04 Jul 2010 - Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

I have an older brother who was born on the Fourth of July. He loves all the parades and fireworks and barbecues. Part of me thinks he really believes that the entire Independence Day holiday was set up to honor him. As a child I was jealous of him because there would always be a family party on the Fourth. Quite often my own non-holiday birthday later in the summer would come and go with much less hoopla. He was just born at the right time, that’s all. There are times that we as a country feel we have been set apart as a special nation blessed in a special way by God. We have to be careful about this kind of attitude because it can lead to an arrogance and a feeling that we can do no wrong. The question really should be what do we do with our abundant blessings. Isaiah tells Jerusalem to rejoice over her blessings. But later, the responsibility of prosperity means remaining faithful to God. Too often Jerusalem and God’s chosen people fail at this task set before them. It’s easy to listen to those who tell us how wonderful we are. But when we are challenged to then do God’s work, the task of being faithful to God becomes more difficult. The message is more profound. It’s not easy to hear or to respond to. This Independence Day we need to celebrate the challenge as well as the blessing of what God has given us by being here at the right place and at the right time.

Authors Father Dominic Grassi

arrogance blessing god's work

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