Remember a few years ago when they had those terrible floods in Quebec? The damage from raging rivers was unbelievable. Whole towns were wiped out. I think it was in the town of Chicoutimi that an earth dam broke and the main street of the down was a scene of devastation. But from it all there was one photo that stood out. A small frame house sitting on a huge rock, everything around it has been washed away. A graphic picture that speaks so loudly to today’s words of Jesus about building your home on a rock. (more…)
Archive for the ‘Homily’ Category
Homily – March 6
Sunday, March 6th, 2011First Things First
Sunday, February 27th, 2011This is a true story. A man dropped in to see me one day and told this story. He is in the office cleaning business. He finished one job and was on this way to another. Getting into his car in the underground parking he put the keys to the many offices he cleans on the roof of the car while looked for his car keys. He got into his car drove up from the underground parking and went to the next job which was some distance away. He drove down into the underground parking and got out of his car. There on the roof of his car were his office keys. He’d forgotten all about them and couldn’t believe they’d stayed on the roof during his many twists and turns. He told me he was greatly concerned about his young daughter and the choices she was making in her life. Being a prayerful man he immediately thanked God for caring for his keys. Then he thought to himself, if God can watch over my car keys He will watch over my daughter. This whole experience deepened his sense that God was watching over him and those he loved. This experience deepened his conviction that he was of more value than birds of the air or the lilies of the fields. (more…)
Homily – February 20
Sunday, February 20th, 2011When Jesus said, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you cannot have life in you,” many of his followers said, “this is a hard saying and who can take it?” And they walked with him no more. (more…)
Homily – February 6
Sunday, February 6th, 2011In talking about today’s scripture readings someone on staff claimed that salt never loses it flavor. I guess that may be true. But I discovered that salt can lose its saltiness. I was reading up on the background of today’s gospel and found this out: (more…)
Oh the Blessedness of Those
Sunday, January 30th, 2011During our trip to the Holy Land last November one of the places we visited was the Mount of the Beatitudes. Our guide told us this was a place of quiet and reflection and suggested each of us find a spot and spend some time in peace and quiet. From this mount we could look down over green fields and on the Sea of Galilee. The place was packed by other pilgrims, everyone was taking pictures, and there was a cacophony of different languages as guides explained the importance of the Mount. The church was not all that impressive. It didn’t take long to realize this was not a place of solitude; in fact it was rather noisy. The lasting memory I have of the Mount was meeting a nun from Malta who was a friend of our guide. This nun asked us to pray that her superior in Malta would send her more sisters to help her in her work of hosting the many pilgrims who came to this special place. Right after Christmas we got word that this nun and two of her assistants were killed in an automobile accident while on their way to midnight Mass in Bethlehem. Having heard this gospel and with my memories of my visit to the Mount of the Beatitudes last November I ask you to pray for these good Sisters and pray too that the important work they did on the Mount of the Beatitudes will continue. (more…)
Founded by St. Paul of the Cross, every Passionist takes a special vow to spend his or her energies in promoting remembrance of the sufferings of Jesus, the memory of the Cross, and reflection of the meaning of the Cross for the world.
