Category: HOMILIES

Categories
HOMILIES

WHAT THE DISCIPLE SAW AND UNDERSTOOD

This homily was delivered on Easter Sunday, 20 April 2014, based on John 20:1-9.

Eugène Burnand: Peter and John Running to the Tomb
Eugène Burnand: Peter and John Running to the Tomb

This event is one of the earliest ones concerning the Resurrection; it happens early Easter morning. As we read from the Gospel, Mary Magdalene shows up at Jesus’ tomb while it is still dark, but is surprised and distressed to see the stone removed from Jesus’ tomb. So she rushes away to report this to Simon Peter and another disciple (whom many identify as the Evangelist) and tells them her very logical conclusion that the body of Jesus has been stolen.

Curious and disturbed about the news, the disciples decide to check it out for themselves. They’re understandably worried and clearly eager to find out because we’re told that they run to the tomb. In fact, the other disciple runs faster than Peter–either because he’s more fit or more desperate, we’re not sure–and arrives at the tomb first. We don’t know why, but probably out of courtesy, he does not go into the tomb until Peter gets there and in fact, he lets Peter go in first. 

Continue reading “WHAT THE DISCIPLE SAW AND UNDERSTOOD”

Categories
HOMILIES

WHAT DOES JESUS BRING OUT IN YOU?

Before the Last Supper, there was one other special supper recounted in the 12th chapter of the Gospel according to John.

It was actually a dinner thrown by the friends of our Lord, the siblings Martha, Mary, and Lazarus of Bethany. Just barely a week before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus attended what might have well been an accidental despedida party of sorts, and here we see how our Lord provoked such a wide variety of responses from the different people around him.

Anointing_La_Cite_de_Dieu

Continue reading “WHAT DOES JESUS BRING OUT IN YOU?”
Categories
HOMILIES

TAKING ANOTHER SHOT AT LENT

This reflection is on Matthew 21:1-11, from the Palm Sunday Readings.

A friend who has lived in London for years took me yesterday to a Catholic church hidden in a side street near Leicester Square. The church, built by the Marist Fathers and dedicated to the Notre Dame de France, features a number of religious art works by such eminent artists as Jean Cocteau (murals), Georges-Laurent Saupique (base relief carving of Our Lady of Mercy), and Boris Anrep (Mosaic of the Nativity).

photo (1)

Continue reading “TAKING ANOTHER SHOT AT LENT”
Categories
HOMILIES

THE WAKING DEAD

240942This reflection is on John 11:1-45.

For some time now, I’ve been hooked on the TV series “The Walking Dead.” It’s a secret guilty pleasure that I’ve indulged myself in, having watched all its four seasons now. “The Walking Dead,” of course, are the zombies, euphemistically nicknamed “walkers”  in the series for their peculiar gait. The show is filled with those half-decaying ex-humans who awaken from their death and live on human flesh, in the process, infecting others to “turn”–yet another euphemism for becoming zombies.

However, as the plot thickens (and sickens!), one begins to wonder if the term “walking dead” refers less to those mindless zombies and more to those desperately trying to survive the apocalypse by resorting to every possible–not always humane–resort.

Continue reading “THE WAKING DEAD”
Categories
HOMILIES

LONG-DISTANCE HEALING

This homily was delivered on 31 March 2014 on John 4:43-54.miracle39[1]

While this Gospel story transpires after our Lord’s encounter with the Samaritan woman, I can’t help but read this in the context of yesterday’s gospel on the healing of the blind man.

Continue reading “LONG-DISTANCE HEALING”