Homily for the Third Sunday of Lent, Year B. Sometimes there’s a single word which brings out the meaning of the gospel. This morning, it’s a single number. And that number in 46. When Jesus says that He could rebuild the Temple in three days, the Jews, flabbergasted by this seemingly outrageous claim, remind Jesus …
10 or 10,000 Commandments?
Homily for the Third Sunday of Lent, Year B. When I was growing up, the Catholic Church was frequently stereotyped as being a Church of rules and commandments. Now that I’m older, and hopefully wiser, I realize that the Catholic Church actually has far fewer rules and commandments than the rest of the world. In …
The Light and Hope of the Transfiguration
Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent, Year B. I distinctly remember my first full week here at St. Charles. And that’s because I actually wasn’t here at St. Charles; I was down in St. Louis with our teens on our summer mission trip. The trip was an amazing experience and I returned with many …
Men, Where Do You Stand?
Homily for the First Sunday of Lent, Year B. In the long history of marriage, from Adam and Eve down to the present day, many husbands have been impressed by the fact that their wives can think about more than one thing at once. And in the long history of marriage, many wives have been …
The Leprosy of Self-Hatred
Homily for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B. What do you dislike about yourself? What do you hate about yourself? Most of us have an answer to this question, even if we’re not willing to share it. I know I do. What do you dislike, or even hate, about yourself? Perhaps you dislike …
Two Tactics of the Devil
Homily for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B. There are certain scenes in movies which terrify you as a kid and amuse you as an adult. One of those scenes for me personally, is when Dorothy, the Lion, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Man finally meet the Wizard of Oz. That scene used …
Can you deny that He’s called you?
Homily for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B. “Can you deny that He’s called you?” These words were ringing in my ears as I drove home last night. “Can you deny that He’s called you?” A religious sister by the name of Mother Mary Catherine once asked me this question. It was the …
God Has Not Abandoned Us
Homily for the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B. Sometimes when you’re growing up, you pretend not to hear your mom or dad when they call your name the first time. Perhaps you’re in the basement, perhaps you’re upstairs in the bedroom, but they call you by name and you just pretend not to …
What is Wrong with the World Today?
Homily for the Baptism of the Lord, Year B. Although I haven’t had the privilege of living there, like Fr. Ken or my brother Fr. John, I have had the opportunity to visit Rome several times. And the very first time I visited was during a time of spiritual darkness, when I felt like God …
Mary, the Door of the New Year
Homily for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. What changes on New Year’s Day? Besides the Calendar, not a whole lot. And yet there’s something magical about it. It almost feels like an enchanted door which, the moment we pass through it, allows us to leave the old year behind and to set out …
