Search

Results

The inner word

11 Jan 2015 - Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Cycle B

We all like to be told, “Good job.” It’s even better to be told, “You’re a really great person.” Deep in our hearts, we all long to hear the words that Jesus heard as he broke through the waters of the Jordan at his Baptism: “You are my beloved child of whom I am well pleased.” Our truest identity is beloved son or daughter of God. Knowing our true identity tells us not only who we are, but also what our mission is. In Isaiah, God tells the servant leader, “I have formed you . . . as a light for the nations.” God forms us “as a light for the nations.” Where have I seen signs of God’s forming me in my past–in school, with family and friends, through trial and difficulty, through grace? John the Baptist says of Jesus, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Where in my own experience do I see the effects of this infusion of the Holy Spirit in my life and ministry? What have been some of the fruits of this Baptism?

baptism recognition

Restricted
Sign & sacrament

04 May 2014 - Third Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

Jesus offered his disciples two forms of knowledge, one through his words and the other through experience of his physical presence. When walking the road to Emmaus two of his disciples shared with a stranger the story of Christ’s resurrection. These were two who had learned from the words of Christ. But not until they invited the stranger into their home did they see the physical presence of Christ. We are told that it was “made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” Every Mass has two parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Together these parts offer total knowledge that includes mind and body. For more “Sign & sacrament” material, search the Prepare the Word database by today’s scripture reading, a particular theme, or a special occasion.

Eucharist recognition Emmaus

Restricted
Homily themes

04 May 2014 - Third Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

In the readings this week you hear some pretty effective preaching, from Saint Peter opening up the psalm and the prophet and of course from Jesus who “interpreted . . . what referred to him in all the Scriptures.” What’s part of that message proclaimed? Recognize Jesus. You were bad witnesses, Saint Peter says in Acts. You saw the signs, wonders, and deeds and heard David and the prophets and still you did not believe. Recognition may take a little time, may be a process, but in the end there is little excuse for it not to happen. Get better at it! Peter preaches. “He was . . . revealed in the final time for you.” Don’t ignore the signs, especially the most important one of all: “God raised this Jesus” to “the right hand of God.” “Of this we are all witnesses”!

recognition

Restricted
The inner word

18 Mar 2012 - Fourth Sunday of Lent, Cycle B

The readings this week point to the importance of recognition--and the consequences of not recognizing. Did the Israelites recognize the prophets God sent them? If they did, what did they do? Do you see any prophets today? Do you as a Christian recognize how your salvation is through grace--a gift of God? Do you have faith in that? What do you see in the "Son of Man . . . lifted up"? The love of God? Eternal life?

recognition prophets

Restricted
Homily themes

18 Mar 2012 - Fourth Sunday of Lent, Cycle B

"The light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light." All the readings this week speak of the importance of choices and their consequences. God gave the Israelites a chance to heed the prophets, but they "scoffed" at them, and so Jerusalem went up in flames. As it frequently does, the Gospel of John offers a stark choice between believing in Jesus and living forever or doing what those who "preferred darkness to light" did by not believing and therefore facing condemnation. The Letter to the Ephesians offers alternatives as well: Realize that "by grace you have been saved through faith," not by your own work or initiative. The psalmist gets into the choices act as well: Let me never forget you, Lord! These decisions boil down to one thing: recognition--recognizing the Word of God incarnated in the Son of God as a free gift of God. That is the challenge to believers then as it is now.

Authors Joel Schorn

recognition choices

Restricted
Homily stories

15 Aug 2010 - Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Cycle C

Nowadays, she would have flipped open her cell phone and called her cousin. "Guess what?" she'd have exclaimed. But as soon as she found out she was expecting, Mary set out and traveled to see her cousin Elizabeth, who was also expecting. At Mary's first words of greeting, Elizabeth's child (John the Baptist) leapt within her. Theologian John Shea cites this story as an example of blessedness in one awakening the blessedness in another. The blessedness in Mary called forth and awakened the blessedness in Elizabeth. This is not so unusual in a family. In fact it seems to me to be the usual way things go: One family member recognizes the goodness, the potential, the talent, even the holiness of another family member and calls it forth. A mom will tell her son, "You really have a knack at noticing when people are feeling down." Or a dad will tell his daughter, "I am always impressed with how much courage you have to do the right thing." Once when I was feeling especially down about myself after a series of seeming failures, my wife picked up my spirits by saying, "I married you because I knew just what a good and talented man you were." I hope I've offered her and my daughters the same kinds of blessings in return. So whose blessedness are you recognizing? Don't keep it to yourself. Let them know.

Authors Tom McGrath

Mary elizabeth blessedness recognition family

Restricted
Homily stories

11 Apr 2010 - Solemnity of the Second Sunday of Easter; Divine Mercy Sunday, Cycle C

There’s an old pop standard that begins, “I’ll be seeing you, in all the old familiar places.” It’s a classic song because it evokes the many layers of meaning of the phrase “I’ll be seeing you.” And as the Easter season plays out, we observe that the disciples “see” Jesus in all the old familiar places—when they gather together, when they break the bread, when they preach the Good News, and when they heal the sick. And that’s where we will see Jesus, too—in all the old familiar places that God reaches out to people.

recognition Resurrection

Restricted
Homily stories

18 Apr 2010 - Third Sunday of Easter, Cycle C

When I was a kid there was a narrow, shallow, stagnant pond that ran for half a mile or so between two sets of railroad tracks near my home. In the summer we would spend hours at a time there trying to catch crayfish. How they got there, I’ll never know. They must have descended from crustaceans that populated the pond long before the railroads came through. Our fishing methods weren’t sophisticated: We’d tie a hunk of baloney on the end of a string and drop it alluringly in front of a large rock, old discarded gas can, or thick stand of weeds. Eventually the baloney would lure a hidden crayfish out into the open and its large claw would close on the meat in a vicelike grip. We could then yank our prize out of the water and into a waiting bucket. We’d watch it crawl around and around the bucket for a while and then release it. Chasing crayfish taught us the habit of simply observing nature. It taught us to pay attention, to see what was there and what more might be there. There’s always more under the surface than first meets the eye. That was Jesus’ lesson to the apostles this week, when he invited them to cast their nets one more time after a disappointing night of fishing. They followed Jesus’ lead and hauled in an abundant harvest. Watch with great expectation, and your life will know abundance.

Authors Tom McGrath

recognition fishing

Restricted
Homily themes

25 Oct 2009 - Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you. The story of Bartimaeus presents an extraordinary example of faith and discipleship for the readers of Mark’s gospel. Unlike the cure of the blind man in chapter 8, Bartimaeus comes to Jesus himself, rather than others bringing him. His initiative continues in his calling out to Jesus—in this gospel he is the first besides a demon to call on Christ by a name and the first person to call him “master.” On top of that, though he is blind, Bartimaeus recognizes who Jesus really is: the “Son of David.” He even persists through the attempts of others to hush him. Jesus has no need to reach out to him or tell him his faith has saved him, such is Bartimaeus’ enthusiastic and fearless faith. On top of all this, he responds to his healing by following Jesus “on the way,” both the road to Jerusalem and the way of discipleship. Homily points A lot of people met Jesus along the journey of their lives, and a lot of them got their needs met. But where did they go after they got what they wanted? Those who were transformed inside and out remained part of the story. We call them disciples. Discipleship changes us, gives us eyes to see. Anyone with true sight will keep his or her eyes on Jesus.

Authors Joel Schorn

call clarity blindness recognition

Restricted
Homily stories

25 Oct 2009 - Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

There is so much that we are blind to in our lives, isn’t there? We don’t see the few pounds we’ve added until the pants don’t button any more. We don’t see the graying hairs and wrinkles until the waitress innocently asks us if we want the senior discount. We don’t see the pain and hurt we cause until someone finally breaks down in tears. What is sad is when everyone else around us sees what we can’t. How pathetic a 50-year-old looks dressing and acting like a teenager. How frustrating when an employer fails to see the worker who is destroying the rest of the team. What makes the blind person so heroic in the gospel today was his courage. He sprang up and without hesitation asked for the sight that will change his life beyond his imagination. He was not afraid to ask for it. What are we afraid of? Why are we unwilling to ask to see things more clearly in our lives? What relationship needs to be reformed? What personal issue or concern needs to be confronted? What will change our lives dramatically if we are only able to see through it more clearly? It is time to ask God for the sight we need to be the best person we can be. God wants to help us and waits patiently for us to ask.

Authors Father Dominic Grassi

blindness clarity recognition

Restricted

← Previous 1 2 Next →