Homilies

Homily for the 17th Sunday in Ordinal Time, July 30, 2023

And Jesus replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old." Matthew 13:52 This is an obscure yet intriguing sentence with which Jesus concludes his teachings about the Kingdom of Heaven by means of parables during the last several Sundays. It reveals a most reassuring fact about this Kingdom applicable to each one of us: from the beginning of time, God the Father has thought of me both as an individual and as a future member of his divine family. Fr

Homilies

Homily for the 16th Sunday in Ordinal Time, July 23, 2023

Since the words “The Kingdom of God” might sound vague to some, to make Jesus’ teaching clearer, we could replace the words Kingdom of God with the following words: “God’s presence and action in the world.” We are familiar with the three parables found in today’s gospel as they reveal to us three crucial aspects of God’s Kingdom, of God’s presence and action in the world. (Matthew 13: 24-43) The first parable deals with the ability Jesus gives us to discern what comes from the Kingdom from what is attempted sabotage of his rule over us. The second parable reveals

Homilies

Homily for the 15th Sunday in Ordinal Time, July 16, 2023

Today, we find out from Jesus that, as Sower, the Father is one of the worst farmers around. His wasteful clumsiness is due to his infinite love for all his children; he scatters his seed even in the most improbable, unsuited spots such as on a busy trail, rocky ground, and thorn bushes. Nobody can ever accuse God of being less than insanely generous in his sowing! Since Jesus has the same heart of the Father in heaven, we learn that he desires ardently to keep us in the number of his disciples and away from deadly obduracy and hardening of the heart. To this en

Homilies

Homily for the 14th Sunday in Ordinal Time, July 9, 2023

"I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones.” Matthew 11:25 Every time I hear these poignant words from the gospel of Matthew, I think of the Saint who lived them out so egregiously: St. Therese of Lisieux “the Little Flower.” Undoubtedly inspired by the Holy Spirit, St. Therese realized that the secret to be showered with divine blessings and favors was the way of relishing our smallness and littleness. She lived her short life (24 years) fo

Homilies

Homily for the 13th Sunday in Ordinal Time, July 2, 2023

Today’s Gospel passage and 2nd reading have a few powerful sentences with which we are familiar, yet they might have lost their edge precisely because we heard them so many times before. Hence, by now, they might be unable to penetrate the thick layer of spiritual insensitivity that, perhaps, we have built up around our minds and hearts. Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:38 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:39 You must think of yourselves as de

Homilies

Homily for the 12th Sunday in Ordinal Time, June 25, 2023

In the passage I just read to you (Matthew 10: 26-33) Jesus talks about the right kind of fear we should have as we live out and preach his Gospel mainly with our lives. It can be understood better if taken together with what is written in preceding verses (Matthew 10: 16-23). In them, Jesus conveys the idea of the explosive energy of the Gospel. For Jesus, the Good News packs such power that we should live it out and preach it without reliance on human resources (cf. Matthew 10: 9-10). We should be so impelled by its content that we propose it to others, boldly

Homilies

Homily for the 11th Sunday in Ordinal Time, June 18, 2023

At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36 It should be reassuring to us to know that Jesus is fully aware of all the things and the situations that trouble us, cause us much concern and even sleepless nights. We should never forget that Jesus is moved with pity at the sight of the divisiveness in which our country finds itself and all the flights from common sense and decency we are forced to witness—daily. What troubles him the most?  A few deca

Homilies

Homily for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, June 11, 2023

In these readings (Deuteronomy 8:2-3,14-16; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; John 6:51-58) there is an invitation extended to all of us to capitalize on today’s feast of Corpus Christi so that our personal and communal bond with Jesus Christ may become stronger and bear good fruit. They focus on the “New Manna” that comes down from heaven and sustains us in our perilous journey through the desert of life. Now, one thing that I do not need to prove to you is that our life journey is tested by afflictions and trials. The older we get the more serious and more challenging th

Homilies

Homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, June 4, 2023

I wonder what must have been Nicodemus’ reaction the night in which Jesus broke to him the greatest piece of good news ever: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 What is our reaction to it now? Decades ago, we might have seen those placards, posters, even big signs at ballgames simply saying: Jn 3:16.  The most astonishing news ever is encapsulated in that brief, incredible statement. Sadly, we Catholics get used to the crucifix in church, at home, aro

Homilies

Homily for Pentecost, May 28, 2023

We should keep in mind that not only the solemnity of the Ascension, but also the solemnity of Pentecost can be correctly understood only within the context of the mystical Body of Christ, of which Jesus Christ is the Head and all of us are the members of his Body; we are the Church. Now, while we do not know when the birthday of Jesus the Head is, we certainly know that Pentecost is the birthday of the Body, of all of us, the Church. Pentecost is indeed our “birthday” as the Body of Christ in the sense that we are born to new life in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Sp