Category: HOMILIES

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HOMILIES

BEYOND HAPPY ENDINGS

jesus_healing_blindThis reflection is on the healing of the blind man in John 9:1-41.

There is something awesome, strange, and sad about this story of our Lord’s  healing of the blind man. It’s a very special miracle for a couple of reasons.

First of all, it is one of our Lord’s most astonishing healing miracle. The man had been born blind, so this was a most important moment in this one person’s life–someone who had never seen anything all his life, who probably did not even have a grasp of the concept of colors, and now for the very first time, was going to see!

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HOMILIES

LEARNING FROM PHARISEES AND PUBLICANS

pharisaeer-und-zoellner-grThis homily was delivered on 29 March 2014 based on Luke 18:9-14.

We’re all familiar with this short and simple parable of the Pharisee and Publican. Listening to the parable, we get the feeling that we’ve met these characters before. It’s not just because we’ve actually heard this parable many times, but also because both the Pharisee and the Publican have made their appearances in other Gospel passages–though in different guises.

There is the Parable of the Lost Son, which seems like a straightforward enough parable about God’s mercy until the understandably resentful–and also understandably self-righteous–elder brother shows up in the end, refusing to join his brother’s welcome party, and in the process, revealing the Pharisee inside him.

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HOMILIES

INTERIOR DESIGNS

This reflection on Luke 1:26-38 was made on the occasion of the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord.

Arrange-Furniture-More-Easily-Create-a-scale-drawI moved into my new room the other day and took pains in planning how to arrange its furniture. I thought to myself: “I’m going to spend a lot of time here this year, so I may as well design this space carefully.” It took me a couple of days moving and rearranging the furniture. Once satisfied with the lay-out, I capped my chore by vacuuming my new sanctuary and work space, optimistic and eager to settle in.

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HOMILIES

WORRY NOT

textThis homily was delivered on March 2, 2014 at Mary the Queen Parish.

These days I’ve been quite fascinated by this so-called text or chat language. I’m referring to all these acronyms and abbreviations that young people seem to be using all the time when they message each other on their phone and on the Internet. It’s an ever-growing, ever-evolving language, and it’s really not easy keeping up with some of the new stuff that’s coming out.

For example, many of us probably know that LOL stands for “Laughing Out Loud,” but did you know what A-LOL means? It means “Actually Laughing Out Loud.” I didn’t know that either!

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HOMILIES

FOIL (The feast of Paul Miki and companions)

This homily was delivered on 06 February 2014 on the Feast of Paul Miki and his companion martyrs of Japan.

One religious shrine that has left a deep impression on me is the Martyrs’ Shrine in Nagasaki, Japan. The first thing you’ll see when you get there is a row of 26 figures: the martyrs of Japan, each one hand clasped in prayer, with a distinctive facial expression. Some are Japanese; others foreigners. Some are priests and religious; others lay people. Among them is a Japanese youth, the Jesuit novice Paul Miki, who was well-known for his preaching.

Martyrs' Shrine, Nagasaki

Eye witness accounts tell us that he was crucified along with his companions, and in his last moments, he preached to the crowd (certainly the last thing I would do if I were crucified!). Paul Miki took the occasion to address the crowds, preaching about forgiveness but also about hope.

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