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32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44
Originally delivered on November 10, 1991
Fr. Healy begins this homily with a family story of his Aunt Kate. In this Gospel from Mark we hear how to live, and not live, a religious life. Indeed, we are called to give, like the widow, from our “substance” rather than just what is comfortable. We are therefore challenged to allow ourselves to respond to human situations not from what is practical, but what our hearts tell us to do. Are we giving from our substance? If so, then we never have to fear how it looks to more practical people. We are already forgiven by God, but are we living as though we’ve heard Jesus’s message that our actions toward our sisters and brothers in need?
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Deuteronomy 6:2-6; Hebrews 7:23-28; Mark 12:28-34
Originally delivered on November 3, 1991
In this week’s homily, Fr. Healy tells us a fairytale, The Kingdom of Love, that illustrates the spirit of of our God, who is Love. We are reminded that God loves each and every one of us, just as we are. We must risk believing how much God loves his people.
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Jeremiah 31:7-9; Hebrews 5:1-6; Mark 10:46-52
Originally delivered on October 23, 1988
Today, we are asked to consider what God is saying to us in this week’s readings. In this first reading we hear what will be given to the chosen people. Then, the gospel tells of a public healing of a blind man. We must struggle in our imperfection and wrestle with our conscience to try to bring about the kingdom of God in our midst. If we look at the present reality with the vision that God provides in the scriptures, then we will begin to agitate with our imperfect criticism to bring the world more in line with Jesus’s plan for the world. We may be walking in blindness, but we must remember that Jesus is always with us. What do we want Jesus to do for us? Do we want to see?
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Isaiah 53:10-11; Hebrews 4:14-16; Mark 10:35-45
Originally delivered on October 20, 1991
In today’s homily, Fr. Healy reminds us that the not only does God exist, but that God loves us as we are. Jesus became human, and as it says in the second reading, he was tempted but never sinned, and yet, we are always forgiven. Indeed, Fr. Healy passionately insists that God doesn’t just have love and mercy, but is love and mercy. And yet, we are not able to merely rest on that love because, as we hear in the gospel, we also have a responsibility to care for our sisters and brothers. We are called to let go of earthly things (e.g., money and power) and be servants to others until everyone in the family has a fair share of God’s blessings.
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Wisdom 2:17-20; James 3:16-4:3; Mark 9:30-37
Originally delivered on September 18, 1988
In this week’s Gospel, we hear that to be first we must be last and be servant to all. We hear today of a massacre in Haiti for the priest, Fr. Aristide, confronted those in power over the obvious injustices. When we say that we walk with Jesus, what are we saying and what does that mean that we will do to stand up for our hurting sisters and brothers? We are reminded that even the disciples argued about who was the greatest among them, just like we can get caught up in our own issues of prestige. And yet, we are called today to put that aside and really follow Jesus in being the servant to everyone. If not by us, then by whom? If not now, when?
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Isaiah 50: 4-9; James 2: 14-18; Mark 8:27-35
Originally delivered on September 11, 1988
We are asked if we would have liked to be in Peter’s shoes to be the first person to say to Jesus, “You are the Messiah.” But then a few minutes later when Peter when Peter said what being a Messiah meant, he was called Satan. We must each be ready to answer the question about who we think Jesus is. Perhaps we might rephrase the question to be “Why have we gone to church today?” Is it because of Jesus? For comfort, community, or consolation? What about to be challenged and confronted?
