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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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Exploring the word

08 Apr 2012 - Solemnity of the Resurrection of the Lord (Easter Sunday), Cycle B

EASTER ISN’T PRIMARILY about the Resurrection of Jesus—that is, Easter isn’t fundamentally when we celebrate what happened to Jesus. None of the feasts of the church are meant to be days of holy nostalgia. We don’t all gather on this day to peek into the empty tomb and sigh together: Wasn’t it great of God to do that? To give our good Jesus a happy ending? The scripture stories of Easter reflect our proper orientation to this feast. These are narratives of discovery and insight, commissioning and departure. Most of all they are stories about witnessing. What happened to Jesus is the discovery. What it means for us is the insight. What we have to do about it is our commissioning. Where we go with it determines our departure. Whom we tell and how we tell it—now that’s our witness! It’s obvious that we each don’t have to tell it precisely the same way. The first witnesses didn’t. Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John each have their own spin on who got there first, who saw what, how many angels were in attendance, and where to go first with the news. In addition, each time you witness you don’t have to do it the same way. What Peter has to say on Pentecost morning—the first time he dares to speak of it at all—he’s saying to fellow Israelites. So he chooses to quote prophets and King David and to use heated and forceful terms that only work between insiders. Today we hear his testimony to Cornelius, a Roman centurion outsider. Peter chooses softer language, deflects the guilt, offers a much more welcoming message. If the first approach is more “woe to you,” the second is more “come and see.” When did you first stumble upon the empty tomb in your life, and how did you first understand what it means to say, “Jesus lives”? The man on the cross is nailed there, flesh and blood and bone to wood; yet the grave cannot contain him. Jesus escapes death, not by avoiding it but by faithfully passing through it, like a doorway. If this story is only about Jesus, good for him. But if it has meaning for us, what does it say? It’s important that we get the meaning right, because next comes the commission: to go and tell. Just as the event is not meant solely for Jesus, it’s not enough for it to have some private meaning for you or me. Where do we take this message: to those who already know it, or to those who’ve never heard the merest whisper of good news? Do we share it with people we like, or with enemies or strangers? What difference does it make that, on Easter morning, the tomb is always empty? Related scripture links The beloved disciple: John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7-8; 20-24 (possibly 1:40; 18:15) Peter’s bad disciple days: Mark 10:28; 14:29-31, 37; Matt. 14:28-31; 15:15-16; 16:22-23; 18:21; 19:27; 26:33-35, 40; Luke 18:28; 22:31-34; John 13:6-9; 13:36-38; 18:10-11 Anointing the body of Jesus: John 19:38-42 Simon do you love me?: John 21:15-19 Thomas and believing: John 20:27-29 Another contest between the other disciple and Peter: John 21:7-8 Catechism links Evangelization: CCC 2-3; 74; 425-429; 846-848; 900-913; 1816 Saint Peter: CCC 442; 552-556; 640-642; 765; 816; 862; 881

Authors Alice Camille

Easter Resurrection discovery insight commissioning departure witnessing

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Homily stories

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

Consider these simple paths to peace: Don’t take the bait of someone itching for a fight. If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything. Imagine the childhood of those you disdain or abhor. Pray intentionally at least once a day. Sing a song out loud. Say please, thank you, and excuse me to everyone, including family members. Acknowledge that there are some things you’re not good at. Travel outside your usual circles on occasion—different people, different places, different beliefs.

pray sing

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Homily themes

05 Oct 2014 - Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Love songs are apparently a dime a dozen. And they often end quite badly. Scripture contains love songs that match the dire endings of contemporary lyrics. By our choices, we can sing a new song unto the Lord with a brighter conclusion.

sing song

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Happy house hunting

02 Aug 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

In this Sunday's gospel the people ask Jesus for a sign they can "see and believe in." Beleaguered homeowners and businesses waiting for a sign that recovery in the troubled housing market is near may have received it: The U.S. Commerce Department reported Monday that new home sales in the U.S. rose in June by the largest amount in more than eight years. The report is another encouraging indicator that the beleaguered housing sector is finally coming back to life. Last Thursday the National Association of Realtors said that home resales posted a monthly increase of 3.6 percent in June. Along with greater numbers of houses selling, the rate of home price deterioration has slowed and in some places leveled off, according to the widely watched Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index. The index, which tracks home prices in 20 metropolitan areas, rose 0.5 percent for the three-month period ending in May, compared with the three months ending in April. It marked the index's first increase after 34 straight months of decline. The home-sale numbers surprised Robert Shiller, the Yale University economist who helped create the Case-Shiller indexes. "The change in momentum here is very significant," he said. Shiller expects home prices to remain at current levels over the next five years, possibly declining a little further before bouncing back. Fallout from the housing crisis has played a central role in the U.S. recession, now the longest since World War II. Foreclosures have spiked, homebuilders have slashed construction, and financial companies have lost billions. Source: Articles by Nick Timiraos and Kelly Evans for the Wall Street Journal and Alan Zibel for Associated Press

recession housing housing market commerce department home sales national association of realtors standard poors case-shiller home price index robert shiller

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Happy house hunting

02 Aug 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

In this Sunday's gospel the people ask Jesus for a sign they can "see and believe in." Beleaguered homeowners and businesses waiting for a sign that recovery in the troubled housing market is near may have received it: The U.S. Commerce Department reported Monday that new home sales in the U.S. rose in June by the largest amount in more than eight years. The report is another encouraging indicator that the beleaguered housing sector is finally coming back to life. Last Thursday the National Association of Realtors said that home resales posted a monthly increase of 3.6 percent in June. Along with greater numbers of houses selling, the rate of home price deterioration has slowed and in some places leveled off, according to the widely watched Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index. The index, which tracks home prices in 20 metropolitan areas, rose 0.5 percent for the three-month period ending in May, compared with the three months ending in April. It marked the index's first increase after 34 straight months of decline. The home-sale numbers surprised Robert Shiller, the Yale University economist who helped create the Case-Shiller indexes. "The change in momentum here is very significant," he said. Shiller expects home prices to remain at current levels over the next five years, possibly declining a little further before bouncing back. Fallout from the housing crisis has played a central role in the U.S. recession, now the longest since World War II. Foreclosures have spiked, homebuilders have slashed construction, and financial companies have lost billions. Source: Articles by Nick Timiraos and Kelly Evans for the Wall Street Journal and Alan Zibel for Associated Press

recession housing housing market commerce department home sales national association of realtors standard poors case-shiller home price index robert shiller

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Pilgrims asked to kiss a tradition good-bye

30 Aug 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Purification rituals of all sorts were part of daily life for many Jews in Jesus' time, we see in this Sunday's gospel. Pilgrims visiting Santiago de Compostela, Spain, one of the world's most popular religious shrines, are being asked not to follow the traditional practice of kissing the statue of Saint James in an effort to stem Spain's fast-spreading cases of swine flu. Even holy water had been removed from the shrine area in an effort to curb the disease. The cathedral's dean, Jose Maria Diaz, said Friday the campaign was being handled discreetly. "We have not put up any signs or anything," he said. Rather, an usher stationed next to the statue quietly passes the message on. "They are asked at least to refrain from kissing it," Diaz said. He said the measure stems from a new health ministry campaign offering hygiene hints on how to curb the spread of swine flu, one of which is to discourage Spaniards' deeply ingrained custom of greeting one another with kisses, one on each cheek, even when meeting strangers. Spaniards are now being encouraged to shake hands instead. Health minister Trinidad Jimenez goofed the day after announcing the drive this month, however, receiving a colleague with two kisses prior to a meeting on swine flu. Swine flu has killed 12 people in Spain and is spreading so fast the government has stopped trying to count the number of confirmed cases, shifting instead to a weekly estimate. By that measure it says Spain is seeing more than 10,000 cases new cases of swine flu per week. Source: An article by Daniel Woolls for Associated Press

swine flu h1n1 pilgrims santiago de compostela spain shrines jose maria diaz kissing trinidad jimenez

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