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Homily stories

25 Nov 2018 - Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Cycle B

I was mad at a guy in my parish. He had accused my daughter of pulling a Halloween prank—splattering his porch with eggs and shaving cream. My daughter tried to explain to him what happened—that she was trick-or-treating with friends when a group of older kids attacked them—but he wouldn’t believe her. He hung up on her. I trust my daughter, but I was happy to get independent confirmation from a neighbor who saw what happened that her story was true. She happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. After that phone call, whenever I walked by that house or saw this man or his wife at church, I seethed inside. I wanted them to know and admit the truth. One day at Mass I was strongly feeling God’s presence. The music was good. The homily was challenging. The prayer of the faithful inspired me to be open to others, and the Eucharistic Prayer had me feeling connected to God and my fellow worshipers. Then it came time for the sign of peace. I turned around and there was that man. I wanted to withdraw my hand, but I thought of Jesus, who said his Kingdom is not of this world, a world where being right and getting even and proving my point is all important. I set aside my animosity, and so did he. We offered each other the Peace of Christ and we both accepted each other’s offer. I felt lighter going up to Communion.

Authors Tom McGrath

peace of christ sign of peace

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Homily stories

09 Jun 2019 - Solemnity of Pentecost, Cycle C

“A whole hour?” Randy asked. “Sometimes longer,” I replied. I was taking my college friend Randy as my date to another friend’s wedding. A Catholic wedding—something Randy had never attended before. Randy was sweet and outgoing, but he could be a bit nervous and self-conscious. He also had ADHD. So the thought of being stuck in a strange environment for an entire hour was a little unnerving to him. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” he said as we entered the church. “Just follow along,” I told him. It was fun to experience Mass with someone who was going for the first time—to see it through his eyes. The church was an exceptional one—huge and old and as ornate as they come. Randy couldn’t stop looking around. He seemed to like all the sitting-standing-kneeling repetition, and I could tell he appreciated the beauty of the liturgy. But the best part came during the sign of peace. Everyone around us coincidentally turned to Randy at the same time offering their hands and wishing him peace. His face lit up with surprised delight and he eagerly accepted with thank-yous all around. Before Randy, I used to dislike the sign of peace—it felt perfunctory. But now when I shake hands at Mass, I think of him and smile big every time.

Authors Jennifer Tomshack

catholic weddings sign of peace

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Homily stories

09 Feb 2020 - Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

My sister is discussing the significance of offering the sign of peace at Mass with the students in her catechism class. “Many times you are extending peace to people you know—friends and family. But often you are offering the gesture to a perfect stranger. That is a very powerful thing to do.” Then she told this story: "I went to Mass at a downtown church one Saturday night. At the appropriate time, I turned around and gave the sign of peace to the couple behind me. A week later I was riding on a bus in another part of town when the same couple got on and sat next to me. I recognized them, but at first I didn’t say anything. Then I thought, why not? I tapped the man on the shoulder and introduced myself by saying, ‘You probably don’t remember me, but I gave you peace last week.’ The couple looked surprised at first, but then a vague recognition crossed their faces. We formally introduced ourselves and talked for about 20 minutes until my stop. "It was such a pleasant experience; I felt a deep sense of connection with the couple and an overwhelming feeling of hope that we all can get along. Peace is a wonderful gift to give and receive." To those who know her well, my sister is the salt of the earth. To those who don’t, she is nothing less.

Authors Patrice J. Tuohy

salt of the earth sign of peace connections

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Homily stories

05 Feb 2023 - Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

My sister was discussing the significance of offering the sign of peace at Mass with the students in her C.C.D. class. "Many times you are extending peace to people you know—friends and family. But often you are offering the gesture to a perfect stranger. That is a very powerful thing to do." Then she told this story: "I went to Mass at a downtown church one Saturday night. At the appropriate time, I turned around and gave the sign of peace to the couple behind me. A week later I was riding on a bus in another part of town when the same couple got on and sat next to me. I recognized them, but at first I didn't say anything. Then I thought, why not? I tapped the man on the shoulder and introduced myself by saying, 'You probably don't remember me, but I gave you peace last week.' The couple looked surprised at first, but then a vague recognition crossed their faces. We formally introduced ourselves and talked for about 20 minutes until my stop. "It was such a pleasant experience; I felt a deep sense of connection with the couple and an overwhelming feeling of hope that we all can get along. Peace is a wonderful gift to give and receive." To those who know her well, my sister is the salt of the earth. To those who don't, she is nothing less.

Authors Patrice J. Tuohy

sign of peace salt of the earth

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