Readings: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3: 12-21; Matthew 2: 13-15, 19-23 Click here to download a PDF of this homily. Preacher: Deni Mack The Holy Family fleeing to Egypt is frightened. Two thousand years later we may overlook their fear because we know the rest of the story: King Herod did not find the child Jesus and so did not… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 7:10-14; Romans 1: 1-7; Matthew 1: 18-24Click here to download a PDF of this homily. Preacher: Cathy Kamp What if the story of Mary and Joseph had turned out differently than the Scripture stories we hear in Advent? We have reflected on the Annunciation of Mary on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception when Mary was told: Do… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 35:1-6a,10; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11Click here to download a PDF of this homily. Preacher: Deirdre McKiernan Hetzler “Rejoice in the Lord always! And again, I say, rejoice!” Do the words of this Sunday’s entrance prayer seem a bit incongruous in light of the times we live in? How must the Israelites have felt, receiving Isaiah’s message? They had… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 11: 1-10; Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3: 1-12Click here to download a PDF of this homily. Preacher: Gloria Ulterino Thirty years ago, as Pastoral Associate in my first parish, I was about to preach on this Second Sunday of Advent. Why not, I thought, enter and go down the main aisle … as John the Baptist? Complete with sheepskin… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44Click here to download a PDF of this homily. Preacher: Virginia Fifield Today it seems that our world is facing a crisis of spirit. We are all being held captive by uncertainty, fear of “the other,” political unrest, bigotry and confusion and we are scandalized by the abuse within the church. We are bombarded… read more →
Readings: 2 Samuel 5:1-3; Colossians 1:12-20; Luke 23: 35-43Click here to download a PDF of this homily. Preacher: Patrick Fox As we celebrate the close of another year in the life of our Church I am caught in the reflection of the turbulent times through which we travel. Then I bump up against the title of our feast, Jesus Christ… read more →
Readings: Malachi 3:19-20A; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12; Luke 21:5-19Click here to download a PDF of this homily. Preacher: Nancy DeRycke Many Scripture scholars think that Jesus was an apocalyptic preacher, that he thought the end was coming soon. So when his followers began to realize that the end might not be coming as soon as first anticipated, they had to figure… read more →
Readings: 2 Maccabees 7:1-2,9-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:5; Luke 20:27-38Click here to download a PDF of this homily. Preacher: Sr. Karen Dietz Fascination with the afterlife has been with us for a very long time. The readings given to us today certainly bear that out. Popular television programs like Touched by an Angel and God Friended Me as well as movies… read more →
Readings: Wisdom 11:22-12:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2; Luke 19:1-10Click here to download a PDF of this homily. Preacher: Susan Howard As small as a grain of sand was Zacchaeus in the scheme of world affairs. No one really, just a small man caught up in the money-making schemes that everyone went along with. Just a guy who wanted to be bigger,… read more →
Readings: Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14Click here to download a PDF of this homily. Preacher: Irene Goodwin At the British surrender at Yorktown a drinking song was sung by the soldiers. The words were: “The world turned upside down, the world turned upside down.” Today, we consider the American Revolution as a turning point for the… read more →