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Homily, 9-22-24; Sunday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time, Cycle B: Our readings this week are very similar to those from last week, and have a very similar message. First, let’s look at the first readings from the Old Testament. Last we week we had a prophecy of Christ’s passion from the Book of… Continue reading Be Charitable in Actions and Words

Homily 9-9-24; Monday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time: In our first reading today, we have the case of a man living with his father’s wife, his step mother. It is an incestuous relationship, which was considered to be even more immoral than the practices of the pagans. And yet the community in Corinth… Continue reading Excommunication as a Medicinal Penalty

Homily, 9-8-24; 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Ephphatha!—Be opened! Be open; have eyes to see and ears to hear. We hear this theme often in the gospels. Being open to the Word of God is very important, but it is only the first step; we must share the knowledge we obtain with others. We hear… Continue reading Ephphatha!

Homily, 8-26-24; Monday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time: Today we hear about two different struggling congregations. We have the Jewish community suffering under the teachings of the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees. And we have the Thessalonians suffering persecution for following the teachings of Paul and Silvanus and Timothy. Both are suffering, but they… Continue reading Being a Catholic is a Struggle

Homily, 8-18-24; 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time: At the offertory at this Mass, Fr. Hurley will bless the bread, the hosts, and then bless the wine that I will have mixed with water. Then, during the Eucharistic Prayer, he will call down the Holy Spirit upon the gifts on the altar in preparation for the… Continue reading Understanding is a Gift

Homily, 8-12-24; Monday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time: In his book, Rome Sweet Home, Scott Hahn discusses his struggle with accepting the doctrine of Purgatory during his conversion process to Catholicism. But finally he was able to come to grips with the differences between the destructive power of fire in Hell, the purifying… Continue reading Evidence of God’s Existence

Homily, 8-5-24; Monday of the 18th Week of Ordinary Time: In our first reading today, we heard about the prophet Jeremiah and the prophet Hananiah. Jeremiah was a true prophet. Hananiah was a false prophet. People didn’t want to hear what Jeremiah had to say; they preferred listening to Hananiah’s message. God speaks through whom… Continue reading False Prophets

Homily, 7-29-24: Monday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time: Each year, Michigan State holds a viticulture field day at their experimental vineyard in Benton Harbor. At the field day they give tips on growing and caring for grapes. We heard about it last year and made the drive out to attend for the first… Continue reading Tighty Whitey

Homily, 7-28-24; Sunday of the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B: The large crowd that had followed Jesus up the mountain did so “because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.” They were chasing after miracles, not searching for the truth. St. John Chrysostom comments: “Though favored with [His] teaching, they… Continue reading Miracle Chasers

Homily, 7-15-24; Memorial of St. Bonaventure: Today we celebrate the memorial of St. Bonaventure, and so I asked Mary Kay to read the optional readings for his feast day. She had the challenge of reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians. It was a challenge because today’s passage was one long run-on… Continue reading Live Rightly to Discern God’s Will