Homilies (Page 6)

No Outsiders, Only Insiders! Numbers 11:25-29; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 In the midst of the cry for the heads of priests to be chopped off, at least in the West, the Spirit of God is still alive and active. Amidst the commercialization of religion in Africa and elsewhere, there are still prophetic voices speaking up in the wilderness of sin that we live in. In the desire of the world to equate the Church of  saints, martyrs and sinners with the crime of pedophilia, the Spirit of God still raises distinct voices to announce the immortality of the Church of Jesus Christ. TheseRead More →

No Outsiders, Only Insiders! Numbers 11:25-29; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 In the midst of the cry for the heads of priests to be chopped off, at least in the West, the Spirit of God is still alive and active. Amidst the commercialization of religion in Africa and elsewhere, there are still prophetic voices speaking up in the wilderness of sin that we live in. In the desire of the world to equate the Church of  saints, martyrs and sinners with the crime of pedophilia, the Spirit of God still raises distinct voices to announce the immortality of the Church of Jesus Christ. TheseRead More →

Defenders of the Faith Sunday Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; James 3:16-4:3; Mark 9:30-37 This Sunday is defenders of the faith Sunday. God invites Christians to become defenders of the faith; with a shield strong and resilient enough to fend off the attackers of the Christian faith. The audacity of the “wicked”, in our first reading, to attack the righteous – “Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training” – must be met with a superseding iron-dome of faith to ward it off.Read More →

Audacity of Love Sunday   Isaiah 50:5-9a; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35 When I walk down the streets of my neighborhoods, there’re enough beggars and homeless people loitering. One wonders what family means today, with so many human beings ending up on the streets. When I go to high school for Mass, I meet many sad children because their homes are broken by divorce and domestic violence. Divorce questions our notion of love beyond needing a sex partner or sex object as the definition of marriage. After Sunday Masses and all week long, I hear parents lamenting about their children and grandchildren who are addicted to allRead More →

Pas Jésus, tu es le sauveur d’aujourd’hui ! Ésaïe 35:4-7a ; Jacques 2:1-5 ; Marc 7:31-37 Quand j’entends parler de toutes sortes de cancers aujourd’hui, c’est tellement effrayant que je me demande pourquoi les êtres humains doivent souffrir ainsi ! Peut-être que pour les adultes, on comprendrait les maladies (même si cela aussi est inexplicable), mais les enfants souffrant de cancer me tentent à la révolte contre Dieu – pourquoi la souffrance des innocents et des faibles ? Les questions de pauvreté inutile et d’injustices aux proportions absurdes nous regardent quotidiennement en face. Des situations comme celles-ci me font rêver d’un monde sans maladie ; un monde oùRead More →

Not Jesus, You’re Today’s Savior! Isaiah 35:4-7a; James 2:1-5; Mark 7:31-37 When I hear of all kinds of cancers today, it is so frightening that I wonder why human beings must suffer thus! Perhaps for adults, one would understand illnesses (even though that too is inexplicable), but children suffering from cancer keeps one on the verge of revolt and rebellion against God – why the suffering of the innocent and the weak? Issues of needless poverty and injustices of preposterous proportions stare us in the face on a daily basis. Situations like these make me dream of a sickness-free world; a world where people areRead More →

Dimanche de carte d’identité : Votre comportement compte ! Deutéronome 4:1-2, 6-8 ; Jacques 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27 ; Marc 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Identifiez-vous, s’il vous plaît ! Où est votre pièce d’identité (carte d’identité) ? Ne le niez pas ; nous en avons tous un. Je ne parle pas des cartes d’identité délivrées par le gouvernement ou le milieu de travail. Qu’est-ce que votre comportement affiche devant les gens? Laissez-moi vous aider. Comment distinguez-vous les Canadiens de leurs voisins américains ? C’est facile. Chaque fois que vous entendez quelqu’un dire : « Je suis désolé », même pour n’avoir rien fait de mal, sachez qu’il est Canadien ! Ceci n’est pas uniqueRead More →

Identity Card Sunday: Your Behavior Matters! Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Identify yourself, please! Where is your ID (identity card)? Don’t deny it; we all have one. I am not talking about government or work related issued ID cards. I mean, the ID people see when the real you (your behavior) reveals itself to them. Let me help you. How do you make out  Canadians from their American neighbors? It is easy. Each time you hear someone saying, “I am sorry,” even for doing nothing wrong, know that he is Canadian! This is not unique to American versus CanadianRead More →

God’s Democracy Convention Sunday: Choose God over All Else! Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b; Ephesians 5:21-32; John 6:60-69 For those who still believe in God and find the time to gather/assemble as a Church, every Sunday is God’s Democracy Convention Day. Every assembly convoked in God’s name, as Joshua did in our first reading, where two or three are gathered in God’s name, it is God’s convention/assembly moment! It is an opportunity to choose God over everything else: “. . . choose today whom you will serve . . . as for me and my household, we shall serve the Lord,” says God’s candidate, Joshua! IfRead More →