Homilies

Homily for the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ, May 17th, 2026

It might be difficult to soar above what seems a rather prosaic description of the Ascension of Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 1:9) so as to benefit spiritually as much as possible from this solemnity and not forget what is the hope that belongs to God’s call and lest we forget also what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones. (Ephesians 1:18)  Since this phrase found in today’s 2nd reading is convoluted, I shall try to put it in plain English.  While we are on t

Homilies

Homily for 6th Sunday of Easter, May 10th, 2026

This passage from the gospel of John (14: 15-21) speaks so intensely of intimacy that it stirs in us sentiments of warm, sacred reverence.  They are words spoken in a most uncommon setting by Jesus only hours before giving his life on the cross.  Thus, they are etched forever in the memories and hearts of his friends who hear them for the first time and, then, feel compelled to hand&

Homilies

Homily for 5th Sunday of Easter, May 3rd, 2026

Here are some questions that arise from the passage of John’s gospel I just read to you. (John 14:1-12)  How can Jesus be sent to do the will of the Father and be one with the Father at the same time? How can Jesus be in the Father and the Father be in him, yet Jesus be about to go back to the Father?   And here is perhaps the most intriguing question: how is it possible that if we, mere mortals, believe in Jesus, we would be capable of doing wor

Homilies

Homily for 4th Sunday of Easter, April 26th, 2026

Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.  (John 10:6)  In today’s gospel passage (John 10:1-10) we find this warning about guarding against the self-righteousness of the Pharisees seeping into our hearts.  To really benefit spiritually and emotionally from the allegory of the sheepfold, gatekeeper, sheep and shepherd (John 10:1-10), we must start from an attitude of deep humility and&n

Homilies

Homily for 3rd Sunday of Easter, April 19th, 2026

At times, when we find it hard to persevere on the right path, or whenever we notice weakness in our faith, we might say to ourselves: “If only I had lived at the time of Jesus’ physical presence, I would have been one of his best friends and a most faithful disciple!”  Today’s gospel passage (Luke 24:13-35) might eliminate such nonsense from our bag of justifications.   Far from it: perhaps, in fright, we would have fled or we would have been among

Homilies

Homily for 2nd Sunday of Easter, April 12th, 2026

Holy Mother Church has given us this page of John’s gospel (John 20: 19-31) so that we may be among the blessed ones.  She wants us to be among those who, although they have not seen, have believed, nonetheless.  She wants us to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief we may have Life (with the capital L) in his name.  Let us not forget that we are assembled in this church because we are looking for Life in the Lord, and not simply fo

Homilies

Homily for Easter Sunday, April 5th, 2026

If Jesus’s display of love for us had ended at dusk of Good Friday, when his disfigured corpse was taken down from the cross, washed and placed in a new tomb, he would be a hero who lost his life trying to save us all. But we would have been lost forever.  The resurrection is instead that lone, historical fact that proves that through Jesus’s victory over death, all of us possess the guarantee of Life without end.  The resurrection changes everything for Jesus as Son of Man and

Homilies

Homily for Palm Sunday, March 29th, 2026

Perhaps what impresses us the most in this Passion Narrative by St. Matthew is the fact that Jesus does not defend himself.   The script that the Father had chosen for him calls for him to be made sport of, to be betrayed, arrested, falsely accused, struck, beaten, crowned with thorns, flogged and nailed to a cross.  This shocking fact offers us a splendid opportunity to assess the level of our trust in God our Father.  I am not referring to our duty to protect ourselves and our loved ones from very serious t

Homilies

Homily for the 5th Sunday of Lent, March 22nd, 2026

The resuscitation of Lazarus by Jesus (John 11:1-45) is meant to help us believers focus on what eternally endures, and channel our limited energies to make the most of this earthly life so that we may be found worthy of claiming our heavenly citizenship.  …but our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20  Jesus grants a few more years of earthly life to Lazarus who was rotting in his tomb for four days.   Apar

Homilies

Homily for the 4th Sunday of Lent, March 15th, 2026

Considering the last blistering words coming straight from Jesus’ mouth today, we might want to take a second look at our spiritual condition, perhaps decades, ages, after we received the light of Christ at our Baptism.   I am referring of course to these words: “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see’, so your sin remains.”  Since Christ, as we so readily claim, is present at our assembly, these searing words are directed also at us.  We