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HOMILIES

THE MIRACLE THAT TEACHES PRAYER

The Miracle at CanaBased on John 2:1-11, this homily was delivered at St. Agnes Church, San Francisco.

The wedding at Cana is one of my favorite miracle stories in the Gospel. We are told that in changing water into wine for that wedding party, our Lord performed his very first miracle.

According to biblical scholars, the miracles of Jesus generally fall into two categories: those that involve healing (including exorcisms and the raising of the dead) and those that concern nature, such as the calming of the storm, the miraculous catch of fish, and the multiplication of loaves. This first miracle at Cana is clearly one of his so-called “nature miracles.” But for me, it isn’t just any other nature miracle. As far as I can tell, it is quite unique and unlike any other miracle of our Lord that we know of.

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HOMILIES

DIDN’T HAVE TO, BUT DID IT ANYWAY

Baptism-of-Christ-300x229Based on Luke 3:15-22, this homily was delivered at St. Agnes Church, San Francisco, on the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord.

Today we recall the baptism of our Lord. Today also unfortunately marks the official end of the Christmas season. That’s why we’ve taken down our beautiful Christmas decorations in the church. 

Some of us may want to hang on to the holidays and actually feel sad about ending Christmas so soon; others, however, probably think that it’s about time, having had enough of all the celebrating–and eating–at Christmas. Time to re-implement our yearly New Year resolution to go on that discarded diet and to get back on that exercise regimen! Time to go back to what the Church so appropriately calls “Ordinary Time.”

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HOMILIES

GODSPEAK

Thisimage reflection is based on Matthew 2:1-12 on the occasion of the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.

Today we have the account of the visit of the wise men–“magi” they were called–traveling from the East in pursuit of nothing more than a star. The wise men represent the Gentiles, and this feast of the Epiphany is precisely about God becoming human not only for the Jewish people, but for the whole world. But this story of the wise men–who have come bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh–also illustrates for us one way that God speaks to us.

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HOMILIES

LOSING JESUS

5a1a7dd7a4e0a61faa2f5777967552c0This reflection is based on Luke 2:41-52 for the Feast of the Holy Family.

Just two days after we’ve celebrated the birth of Jesus, we have Mary and Joseph losing him today. Of course this event in the Temple of Jerusalem–found only in Luke–happens when Jesus is already twelve years old. Be that as it may, the account gives us some kind of rude awakening, similar to yesterday, when we commemorated the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the very day after Christmas.

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HOMILIES

UNBELIEVABLE: DETOUR TO JUDAH

imageThis Simbang Gabi homily is based on the Gospel reading for the 4th Sunday of Advent, Luke 1:39-45

Today we have the account of the so-called Visitation–probably better known to us as the Second Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary.

Most of us are familiar with the story: Upon learning of her cousin Elizabeth’s pregnancy from the angel Gabriel, Mary makes a trip to Judah not only to confirm the angel’s news, but also to help the elderly Elizabeth out in what we can only imagine would be a difficult pregnancy.

It’s tempting to regard the Visitation as a relatively unimportant event, a minor Joyful Mystery squeezed between the two earthshaking mysteries of the Annunciation and the Nativity. But today, the Church in her wisdom invites us not to rush to Bethelehem yet, but to make this necessary detour to Judah with Mary. There must be a grace waiting for us here. 

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