General

The theme this third Sunday of Advent, like all of Advent itself, is about expectations. Those of you who have heard me talk before will expect a short explanation of…

Isaiah 11:1-10        Romans 15:4-9        Matthew 3:1-12 The days are getting darker, still, and will for another two weeks.  It gives me hope in these…

Isaiah 2, Romans 13, Matthew 24 When I read this Sunday’s Gospel earlier in the week, I thought that, in some metaphorical way, it speaks to the current situation in…

It’s pretty easy to feel good with today’s Old Testament readings. Gone are the wars and bloody battles where God has a favored side. There’s no strife or conflict. No…

Sometimes, when I stand in Lebanon, Ky., holding a sign on Wednesday mornings, I have said the rosary. One day recently, I said, I believe in – long pause. What…

Reading the first reading and the Gospel I was reminded of our human tendency, over thousands of years, to attribute to God or gods (depending on the particular beliefs) everything…

Today’s readings are a wonderful collection of literary styles from Ezekiel’s visionary magical realism to the poetry of Psalm 46, the metaphor from Paul, and finally, a dramatic narrative about…

When I was in the seminary taking homiletics, our professor told us that our listeners would likely not remember everything we said in a homily and so he advised that…

Sirach 35: 12 Paul to Timothy 4: 6-8, 16-18 Luke 18: 9-14 Luke was a master storyteller. When reading today’s Gospel, remember that the setting for the dialogue was the…

Exodus, 2 Timothy, Luke 18 Pray always, we hear today. Be patient and constant, don’t get weary, keep at it, don’t give up, don’t lose heart. These commands or urgings…

A few years ago, I had the privilege and fun of distributing some family inheritance funds to my five nieces and nephews. It was a very substantial sum. Two of…