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This reflection is based on Matthew 13:44-46.

“Worthless” and “priceless”: These are two words in the English language that at first may seem synonymous, but they actually mean the exact opposite of each other.

“Worthless” can be taken quite literally–it means something that has no worth, plain and simple. “Priceless,” on the other hand, must not be taken literally because it refers to something that is so extremely valuable that you can’t ever tag a price to it. Because he can’t take them with him, a dying man’s riches are worthless as he lies in his deathbed, but the love of the people who have spent the last few days and nights by his side, holding his hand and praying for him–that’s priceless. “Priceless” is a word we reserve precisely for the stuff that money can’t buy.

This homily is based on Matthew 13:24-43.

It’s not easy to find a commencement speech that’s both wise and witty.  But I think that’s exactly what J.K. Rowling, bestselling author of the “Harry Potter” series, delivered  at Harvard on June 5, 2008.  The title she gave the speech gives you a fairly good idea of the gems of wisdom that she offered the Harvard graduates: “The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination.”  Even for non-Harry Potter fans, the speech is worth reading in full because despite the recent social media flak that she (unfairly) received, her words are more relevant than ever.

This homily is based on Matthew 13:1-23.

Reading the familiar Parable of the Sower this morning reminded me of one of the last Tears for Fears songs.  It’s called “Sowing the Seeds of Love.”  Written by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, the song was No. 8 in the Billboard Charts in 1989.  Some critics claim the song is a rip-off of “I Am A Walrus,” but most do acknowledge it as a tribute to the Beatles.

As in other TFF songs, the lyrics are not easy to understand, but the refrain is a dead giveaway:  “Sowing the seeds of love.  Anything is possible when you’re sowing the seeds of love…”

This homily is based on Matthew 11:25-30.

The words of our Lord today is a loud and clear invitation to me:

“Dethrone yourself!” he tells me.

It’s a tough invitation. It’s simply against our DNA to “dethrone ourselves.” We all have a need for honor and social approval. The only problem is, sometimes we get carried away, and honor and social approval become addictive drugs, and before we know it, we find in ourselves a black hole for affirmation and approval.

This homily is based on Matthew 10:37-42.

This morning while praying over the Gospel, a line I’ve become so familiar with took on a slightly different meaning.

“Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”