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HOMILIES

TWO AWESOME MIRACLES

Today’s homily is based on Mark 5:21-43.

Today we are treated not to one, but to two miracles of Jesus!  And they also aren’t just your typical Jesus miracles , where the Lord lays his hand on the sick or the possessed, and they are healed. There’s something quite unique about these two miracles, and they offer us some interesting and valuable lessons.

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Categories
HOMILIES

MICAH AND MINDY

This homily was delivered at the wedding of Micah and Mindy at St. Joseph’s Parish, Seattle on 23 June 2018.

At first glance, our couple today couldn’t be more different from each other. She is a Catholic girl born in Manila, and he a Jewish boy born in Nevada and raised in Missouri, Texas, among others.. She’s of Chinese descent; he comes from a Polish background. He’s a great cook who can serve you a mean steak; she, on the other hand, is at best what you would call a microwave cook.

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HOMILIES

PICS OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN!

This reflection is based on Mark 4:26-34.

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There has been a deluge of clever memes online that says “Pics or it didn’t happen.” It’s a phrase more and more often used to challenge people who make claims that are either extraordinary or simply impossible.

Last month I casually mentioned to a friend that I had met a Hollywood actor on the set of the location shoot of his latest movie. My friend’s response? “Pics or it didn’t happen!”

My surprisingly defensive explanation (“But pictures are forbidden on set!”) did nothing but elicit one skeptically raised eyebrow that said it all in silent judgment: “Right, no selfie…”

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HOMILIES

DO YOU FEEL ALONE AND MISUNDERSTOOD?

This homily, based on Mark 3:20-35, was delivered at St. Agnes Church.

There’s a lot going on in the Gospel reading today. I think there is no other passage that shows how alone and misunderstood our Lord can sometimes feel even when he’s in a crowd.  In today’s Gospel account, our Lord seems confronted on every front—not only by those most opposed to him, but even by those most devoted to him.

jesus misunderstood

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HOMILIES

IS IT REAL?

This homily, based on Mark 14:12-26, was delivered on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, or the Corpus Christi, at St. Agnes Church.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Corpus Christi–which literally means the “body of Christ.” But actually, the feast is not so much about the body of Christ as it is about the presence of the Lord Jesus in the Eucharist.

Russian Orthodox eucharist