Readings: 1 Kings 19:4-8; Ephesians 4: 30-5:2; John 6: 41-51 Preacher: Brigit Hurley About 20 years ago I was sitting in a church basement on a Saturday morning, enjoying a presentation on Catholic social teaching given by Jack Jezreel. Jack founded the JustFaith program, (justfaith.org/) which has inspired much Catholic social justice activism in the Rochester area and throughout the country.… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 40: 1-5, 9-11; 2 Peter 3:8-14; Mark 1: 1-8 Preacher: Brigit Hurley We’ve become accustomed to celebrating Advent by preparing our hearts for the arrival of Jesus, Savior of the world, in the form of a poor, helpless infant. For people unfamiliar with the nativity story, it must seem wildly imaginative that the Divine would enter the world in… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 56: 1, 6-7; Romans 11: 13-5, 29-32; Matthew 15: 21-28 Preacher: Brigit Hurley “Are you a believer?!” I struggled to answer this question, posed to me by a work acquaintance I ran into at a concert featuring Christian artists many years ago. Growing up Roman Catholic, I attended Mass and was active in youth group, but I never used… read more →
Readings: Matthew 21: 1-11; 89;Isaiah 50: 4-7; Philippians 2: 6-11; Matthew 26: 14-27: 66 Preacher: Brigit Hurley Today’s first reading presents the happy image of Jesus being welcomed into Jerusalem by crowds calling out exclamations of praise and honor. Yet within days the same crowds call for his execution. What happened? Why did he fall out of favor so quickly? Perhaps… read more →
Readings: 2 Maccabees 7: 1-2, 9-14; 2 Thessalonians 2: 16-3:5; Luke 20: 27-38 Preacher: Brigit Hurley The disciples who were listening as Jesus answered the Sadducees’ trick questions in the Gospel story were no older than twenty-something, and possibly as young as 12. His mother was likely 12 or 13 when she gave birth to Jesus. The prominence given to these… read more →
Readings: Jeremiah 31: 7-9; Hebrews 5: 1-6; Mark 10: 46-52 Preacher: Brigit Hurley In today’s Gospel we see a model for seeking justice and change in the world. As the Rochester community marks the 2021 Children’s Sabbath this month with prayer and advocacy for children struggling with mental and social-emotional needs, we would do well to follow Bartimaeus’ example: Be persistent. Be loud. … read more →
Readings: Exodus 22:20-26; 1 Thessalonians 1:5C-10; Matthew 22: 34-40Click here to download a PDF of this homily.Preacher: Brigit Hurley [Jesus] said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love… read more →
Readings: Exodus 17:8-13; 2 Timothy 3: 14-4:2; Luke 18:1-8Click here to download a PDF of this homily Preacher: Brigit Hurley The widow in today’s Gospel will not take “No” for an answer. She persists in her pursuit of justice, undeterred by the judge’s disregard for her needs. We only see a glimpse of her as she stands before the powerful,… read more →
Readings: Michah 5:1-4A; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45 Click here to download a PDF of this homily. Preacher: Brigit Hurley As the Gospel story begins, a newly pregnant Mary is arriving at her cousin Elizabeth’s home. They share a warm embrace. It is a tender, familiar scene. But we can’t let sentimentality prevent us from seeing the deeper story behind these… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 45: 1, 4-6; 1 Thessalonians 1: 1-5B; Matthew 22: 15-21 Click here to download PDF of this homily. Preacher: Brigit Hurley Today’s Gospel reading appears to be “ripped from the headlines,” raising issues that have been in our news and in our public discourse lately about Americans’ values—such as, questions about separation of church and state, and… read more →