This homily is based on Mark 6:1-6.
Do we ever cramp the Lord’s style?
I suspect that’s what happens in the scene we have in the Gospel today. Jesus goes back to his hometown and preaches at the village synagogue. Not an easy thing to do since he’s surrounded by people he’s grown up with, people who’ve known him, people who think they can see right through him.
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.
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.
This reflection is based on Mark 4:26-34.
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…”
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.
