Author: Frank Finamore

Trinity

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Originally delivered on June 13, 1992

Readings: Proverbs 8:22-31; Paul to the Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15

Fr. Healy begins this Trinity homily reminiscing about what it means to be as a family and as a faith community. We are reminded that on this day of the need to pause and to reflect on God.  God’s life, though incomprehensible, gives us motive and strength to carry on.  Indeed, He will be with us always. The challenge, then, is to test everything in our lives against the pattern of our God.  The same challenge exists for us, as a whole human family, in our laws and policies so that they are in harmony with God’s plan for the us and the world.

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5th Sunday of Lent

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Originally delivered on April 5, 1992

Readings: Isaiah 43: 16-21; Philippians 3: 8-14; John 8:1-11

In this week’s homily, we hear of others’ reactions to Fr. Healy’s penchant for speaking emphatically and his rationale for becoming a lawyer.  But more importantly, he discusses the law as it relates to today’s Scripture readings.  In the Gospel about the woman about to be stoned for adultery, we are reminded how Jesus showed compassion to her as well as breaking the law when He says, “Let the one among you who has no sin be the first to cast a stone at her.”  He shares with us, his thoughts on various legal issues of the day.  He compels us to be called by today’s Gospel to remember that we must follow the law of love if we are to imitate Christ.

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14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Originally delivered on June 25, 1992

Readings: Isaiah 66: 10-14, Paul to the Galatians 6:14-18; Luke 10:1-12, 17-20 or 10:1-9

 

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Christ the King

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Originally delivered on November 21, 1993

Readings: Ezekial 34:11-12, 15-17; Corinthians 15:20-26, 28; Matthew 25: 31-46

In this week’s Gospel, we hear the challenge to all people, but especially Christians, that we are called to care for our sisters and brothers. We are reminded that there is but one law — to love.  To love with all that we have without exception.  Although it’s simply stated, it’s very difficult for us to live, but that is both our calling and our challenge.  But Fr. Healy goes on to encourage us to look deeper into why some of our sisters and brothers are hungry, hurting, or marginalized.

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33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Originally delivered on November 14, 1993

Readings: Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 25:14-30 or 25: 14-15, 19-20

We are reminded in today’s Gospel that God gives each of us a Divine gift to each of us that is unique to each of us.  But our task is to take the risk of faith to make more of it. If God is, in fact, love and mercy, we must believe, in the depth of our being, that we are already in God’s love and mercy and see ourselves in that context.  We are encouraged to ask ourselves not why we got certain gifts and not others, but what we are doing with the gifts that we have been given.  If we trust in God and invest in our talents, we will increase our gifts exponentially as a reflection of God Himself.

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32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Originally delivered on November 7, 1993

Readings: Wisdom 6:12-16; Thessalonians 4:13-17 or 4:13-14; Matthew 25: 1-13

In today’s Gospel, Jesus again uses the metaphor of the wedding reception. Perhaps it’s symbolic of letting go of one’s individualism to become something greater through a newness of life.  As Jesus explores this universal symbolism, he tells us that everyone is invited to the marriage with God, but some refuse in one way or another.  But for those that engage in a relationship with Christ, we are called to be of service to our sisters and brothers. On this day, we also hear from Fr. Antoine Adrien about what was happening in Haiti in 1993, their fight for freedom and justice, and his plea for our continued support as sisters and brothers in God.

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29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Originally delivered on October, 18. 1987

Readings: Isaiah 45:1, 4-6; Thessalonians 1:1-5; Matthew 22:15-21

In this week’s Gospel, we hear Jesus’ instructions to “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, but give to God what is God’s.” We are reminded that our government is a gift from our God to construct an order of things to more effectively achieve our ultimate goal of establishing the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.  That means that we must care and love for one another. Government is a means, therefore, to that end, but the governors sometimes believe that it was God’s gift to them individually, rather than God’s gift to all His people. We are reminded that we have a responsibility to God to be responsible citizens and participate in the political system in order to care for our brothers and sisters in the spirit laid out in the Gospel.

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27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Originally delivered on October 7, 1990

Readings: Isaiah 5:1-7; Philippians 4:6-9; Matthew 21:33-43

In this week’s Gospel, we hear another parable about a vineyard.  Today we hear about tenant farmers who brought forth beautiful grapes, but they thought it was their own doing and forgot about their responsibility to the vineyard owner.  We are challenged to think of how we act toward others and if we see God, as the vineyard owner, as the reason for our abundant harvest.

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26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Originally delivered on September 30, 1990

Readings: Ezekial 18: 25-28; Philippians 2:1-11 or 2:1-5; Matthew 21:28-32

Today Jesus speaks to us again in a parable about a son who says he’ll do something for his father and doesn’t while another son who refuses, but eventually does what is asked.  Fr. Healy discusses how we are each like the first son when we accept the call of Jesus and yet we often find it difficult to carry out that promise. There are others , such as Mitch Snyder, who don’t accept any structures or institutions, but then go on to serve their brothers and sisters, in the spirit that Jesus calls us all.  But we are also asked to think of those that go through the motions of faith, but then don’t live the Gospel in their daily actions and habits. We might remember all the amens that we’ve given and reconsider those that we might discard, but who do great works on behalf of our less fortunate sisters and brothers.

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25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Originally delivered on September 19, 1993

Readings: Isaiah 55: 6-9; Philippians 1:20-24, 27; Matthew 20: 1-16

In the second reading, we hear Paul say that he “prefers to be freed from this life and to be with Christ..” We are supposed to be on our way to the vision of Jesus.  May we be getting our thoughts, attitudes, and priorities ever more in harmony with God’s so that our ways are more like His ways. In this week’s Gospel we hear the parable of the vineyard owner who pays those hired at the end of the day, the same wage as those workers that labor all day.  We are challenged, in the context of this Gospel, to think about those among us who don’t receive a fair day’s wage, immigration, national health insurance, and trade policy.

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