Search

Results

Homily themes

16 Nov 2014 - Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Religious obligations are often presumed to be pious things we do to please God. What if God wants us to be who we were created to be most of all? Vocation is not just a job, a role, or an activity. It is a fulfillment of our humanity characterized by spiritual fruitfulness. God gives us “talents” to bring to fruition, but the external fruits are empowered by spiritual ones. The final spiritual fruit, self-control, keeps us faithful to the rest and to our ultimate goal.

vocations talents

Restricted
The inner word

27 May 2012 - Solemnity of Pentecost, Cycle B

In the Pentecost Day reading from the First Letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul notes the different kinds of abilities and forms of service each member of the Christian community has. His point, however, is that all these gifts come from one place, “the same God,” and that they all exist for one purpose: the benefit of the community. Paul may have been responding to some people in the church of Corinth who were using their talents to advance themselves past others. Whatever the situation, Paul presents Christians then and now with a challenge: to recognize and cultivate the gifts you have and use them to do the most possible good for all.

Pentecost talents Service

Restricted
Homily stories

24 Jul 2011 - Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

What matters most to you? What is the treasure you are willing to "sell all you have" in order to buy? Just check your calendar and you'll find out. As writer Annie Dillard says in her book The Writing Life, "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our life. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing." The days, hours, and minutes of our lives are the great fortune that we have to spend, whether it's spent on the pearl of great price or squandered away on one valueless trinket after another. What we do with the precious gifts of our time and our talents reveals what we truly value, whether it be wisdom, faith, and love--or our own comfort, ease, and amusement.

treasure annie dillard talents time of our life

Restricted
Homily stories

13 Nov 2011 - Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

I had a friend whose father worked a lot of evenings and also traveled a lot for his job. He once told me, "I was always relieved when I heard Dad's footstep on the stairs coming up to our apartment. Life never seemed quite right when he was away, and for a while I found myself becoming withdrawn and even depressed during his absences." Though God never leaves us, there are times we experience the absence of God. Today's gospel begins by saying that the landowner was leaving--going on a journey. The story revolves around what happens in the landowner's absence. Some people stay busy and involved in life, putting their "talents" to good use. Others withdraw from life and get disengaged. Perhaps one of the best benefits of having faith, even in those times when we don't feel God's presence, is that it gives us the confidence to continue to function well in life--physically, emotionally, and spiritually--despite our uncertainties. This is one of the biggest gifts that parents can nurture in their children--the ability to have faith even in times of doubt. We will all go through times of confusion. But the worst thing we can do at such times is to withdraw our gifts and our talents from the world. For it is in putting them to good use that we're most likely to hear God's footsteps and know that all is well.

Authors Tom McGrath

talents Faith absence of god

Restricted
Homily stories

13 Nov 2011 - Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Working in my dad's grocery store as a teen, I was taught that the customer is always right and to smile at them no matter what. One day as I was at the cash register, a stranger asked me for change for a $20 bill and then a ten and then a five. I was responding with my dazzling smile when my brother slammed the register drawer shut. Then he told the customer to get out of the store right away. I was dumbfounded. My brother explained that it was a scam and that the register at the end of the day would be at least twenty dollars short. He was right. The next time someone tried it on me, my smile vanished as I told him to leave before my brothers and I called the police. There are times to be nice and times to be not so nice. The parable of the talents remind us how "nice" God has been to bless us with so much. But with those gifts comes an important responsibility: to use them and share them in a way that they are not squandered. Should it surprise us that God is disappointed? He has given us a beautiful world and the technology to enjoy it without destroying it. But we wantonly use up our resources not to aid those less fortunate but for our own temporary pleasure. Instead of making our world a better place, we are destroying it and anyone who stands in our way. With all that God has given us comes a responsibility. When you think about it, God is being more than fair.

Authors Father Dominic Grassi

gifts talents responsibility

Restricted
Homily themes

13 Nov 2011 - Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

You yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come. In the Hebrew scriptures, the "day of the Lord" points to the time when God's final manifestation will bring an end to the world, salvation for those who do justice, and judgment upon those who do evil. In the New Testament, the "day" marks the coming of the Son of Man, the time the resurrected Jesus will judge the world and salvation history will be completed. For some New Testament writers, the "last days" are still to come (Matthew 25:31: "When the Son of Man comes in glory . . . ."), while for others they already began with Jesus' earthly life (Hebrews 1:2: "In these last days, [God] spoke to us through a son . . . ."). The day of fulfillment and judgment is neither so far distant as to demoralize us, nor able to be predicted so as to drive us to fear. Scripture's message of watchfulness counsels us to be ready regardless of when or how the world will end. Homily points Religious obligations are often presumed to be pious things we do to please God. What if God wants us to be who we were created to be most of all? Vocation is not just a job, a role, or an activity. It is a fulfillment of our humanity characterized by spiritual fruitfulness. God gives us "talents" to bring to fruition, but the external fruits are empowered by spiritual ones. The final spiritual fruit, self-control, keeps us faithful to the rest and to our ultimate goal.

Authors Joel Schorn

day of the lord Salvation talents

Restricted
Homily stories

17 Jan 2010 - Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

Their company’s presentation to the new client wasn’t ready. Another day—even four or five more hours—and they could have had it in the right shape. But her partner said, “No, we’ve got to go. We can’t be late, and we can’t postpone again. This is it. Let’s go.” She was not happy, but she reluctantly agreed. The presentation went well. But she knew it could have been 10 times better. Her partner agreed they weren’t as prepared as he would have liked. They waited to hear from the client. They soon got word that the client would go for the idea. They were also accidentally sent an internal e-mail from the client: “Wow, this is so much more than we hoped, and right on time.” The one partner looked at the other. She was grateful for his wisdom. Wise counsel is what Jesus received from Mary at the feast at Cana. He, too, wasn’t ready to go, but Mary saw that it was time. Heed the advice of loved ones who urge you forward. They are often in a better position to see where your talents lie and when is the acceptable time to put them to good use. But don’t let a gentle push become a shove. Remember, all Mary said was, “They have no wine.” She let Jesus do the rest.

Authors Patrice J. Tuohy

Wisdom cana Mary jesus wine talent

Restricted
The inner word

23 Nov 2008 - Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Cycle A

It’s no accident that when Jesus was born he was placed in a food trough. He was sent to feed a hungry world. We awake each morning with spiritual and emotional hungers and thirsts. We walk into the world feeling exposed and naked. We can feel like strangers even in a crowd, imprisoned even in our unparalleled freedom. Ponder these questions on how we might be saved. What are my deepest spiritual and emotional hungers today? Am I aware that God cares deeply about them How have I fed others lately? How have others fed me? Do I find myself trying to substitute criteria for salvation other than what Jesus sets forth (i.e. feed the hungry . . .) in this gospel? Where in my life do I feel called to open up more to others and their material and spiritual needs? Are my efforts more than lip service? Last week we heard about talents. What does the gospel say about what my talents are to be used for? Who in my life models this kind of lived Christianity?

spiritual hunger needs talents Gospel

Restricted
The inner word

16 Nov 2008 - Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

We enter into a time of reckoning of sorts. The readings for this Sunday extol the fruits of a life of wisdom, issue a call to live awake and in the light, and warn us with the parable of the talents. Before preparing to preach to others about how they make use of their talents, prayerfully consider these questions and take stock of ways you give a good return on the gifts God has given you, and where you may have let them lie fallow. In the first reading, wisdom’s value is measured by the abundant goodness that she produces. What accomplishment of the past year has brought me the most satisfaction? In the letter to the Thessalonians, Paul responds to those who are disappointed that their fellow believers have died before the second coming of Jesus. What disappointments lurk in my heart? What consolation do I take from Paul’s words What gifts or talents have I buried: dreams of my younger days; potential that others have seen in me; talents that would take me out of my “comfort zone” should I try access them? Speaking of spiritual gifts, Jesus says, “To all those who have, more will be given and you will have an abundance.” What spiritual gifts have I received? How have I seen them grow through the grace of God?

talents Wisdom second coming gifts

Restricted
Homily stories

16 Nov 2008 - Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

A lot of people have been paying attention to the financial markets lately. It’s become clear that, in the world of finance, there’s always a risk in any investment. But Jesus’ story about the three servants and the talents they were entrusted with by their master makes the point that in the spiritual realm, it’s more risky not to invest. This is a strong message for parents who feel they are ill-equipped to nurture their children’s faith. They may say, “I’m not well-versed in my religion,” or “The people up at church are in a better position to handle that.” And so they hide the talent they do have (their own experience of faith), and don’t try to make more of it. They play it safe—or so they might think. In Jesus’ view, it is putting what we have to good use that reaps rewards. So share the faith you do have with your children and those around you. The good news is that we don’t have to start with a lot. Jesus says, “To all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance.” It’s time to invest.

Authors Tom McGrath

financial markets invest Faith talent good use abundance

Restricted

← Previous 1 2 Next →