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HOMILIES

UNTANGLE MY KNOTS

imageNote: This homily was delivered during the celebration of our Lady’s Nativity at the Charing Cross Hospital Chapel.

Sometimes we feel like our lives are all tangled up in knots. It may be because of a major crisis that we are facing–a financial problem, a painful relationship, or a serious illness of a loved one or our own. It may be as simple as something hurtful that someone said about us or did to us, and whatever it is, it’s causing us pain or anxiety. Or sometimes we feel our life is in knots simply because we feel entangled in our own needs and desires. There seem to be so many of them unfulfilled, and we feel frustrated and helpless.

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HOMILIES

FEEDBACK MATTERS

This reflection is based on Matthew 18:15-20.

feedbackIn one unforgettable undergrad psychology class many years ago, we were taught how to give “constructive feedback.” The idea was to choose your words carefully so that you can help people receiving the feedback to be open and to improve themselves. I still remember the formula: “Focus on a specific behavior of the person–and not on the person, and talk about how the behavior affected you and your feelings without judging the other person.”

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HOMILIES

RISKY BUSINESS

This reflection is based on Matthew 16:21-27.

image

In today’s Gospel, our Lord tells us what following him entails: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”

These words were scandalous and shocking when they were first spoken, but today we tend to just nod in vague agreement whenever we hear them. These words have simply grown too familiar, and we’ve probably heard every sort of reflection and preaching on it that we feel we’ve heard it all.

It is a pretty radical call, but how literally are we supposed to take it?

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HOMILIES

HEARSAY

imageThis reflection is based on Matthew 16:13-20.

In our Gospel reading, our Lord conducts an informal two-item survey of sorts among his disciples. The survey has two similar-sounding but significantly different questions.

The first question is: “Who do people say that I am?” And the second: “Who do you say that I am?”

While the first question immediately elicits responses, the second one leaves the disciples stumped and speechless–until Simon Peter blurts out his answer.

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HOMILIES

SUBSISTING ON CRUMBS

This reflection is based on Matthew 15:21-28.

crumbsToday’s Gospel story offers us an untypical portrait of Jesus–and for most of us, an unwelcome one as well. A distressed Canaanite woman approaches the Lord and requests His healing for her sick daughter. “Have pity on me!” she cried out. “My daughter is tormented by a demon.”

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