Author: Frank Finamore
1st Sunday of Advent
Originally delivered on November 27, 1988
Readings: Jeremiah 33:14-16; Thessalonians 3:12-4:2; Luke 21:25-28,34-36
Advent is a time of waiting for the birth of Jesus. What we do while waiting is worth examining. Do we seize the opportunity to improve our current condition and the quality of tomorrow? If we don’t take action to make tomorrow better, how will we ever explain this to ourselves and to God?
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?
6th Sunday of Easter
Readings: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48, John 4:7-10, John 15:9-17
Originally delivered on May 8, 1994
In today’s homily, we are reminded that we are called to love one another – sometimes easy and other times difficult. God is Love. When we live in love then we live in God and God in us. We are not to set a measure on what makes others lovable. We must love everyone, just as God loves each of us. We are therefore called to be more forgiving with others. Indeed, in today’s Gospel, we hear: “There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
3rd Sunday of Easter
Readings: Acts 5:12-16; Revelation 1:9-11, 12-13, 17-19; John 20:19-31
Originally delivered on April 17, 1994
In this homily, we are reminded that our sins are always forgiven. Indeed, God is Mercy and Redemption. It’s so amazing that it’s difficult for many of us to believe. Nonetheless, we must try to reflect God’s forgiveness in how we treat one another. We must love one another, just as God loves us.
Easter
Reading: Matthew 28:1-10
Originally delivered on March 31, 1991 (Scheduled to be posted on April 4, 2021)
As we sing our Easter alleluias, how can we acknowledge the despair that exists by many in our world? Perhaps our alleluia can be strength for those hurting.
1st Sunday of Lent
Originally delivered on March 4, 1990
Readings: Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-19 or 5:12, 17-19; Matthew 4:1-11
In today’s readings we hear about the Garden of Eden, Jesus’ forty days in the desert, and His temptation by the devil. We are reminded that God created the right order of things in His creation of the Garden of Eden, but like Jesus, we each experience our time in the desert, struggling with every demon. We would do well to remember that Jesus went before us and will always be with us, as God’s people. But with Jesus’ support and love, we are each called to re-create the right order of things. This means that we must experience the desert and our temptations, such as our desire for things and power, and trust in our God. To do this requires our penance, but most importantly, responsibility to make the future different.
5th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Originally delivered on February 8, 1987
Readings: Isaiah 58:7-10 (73A); 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Matthew 5:13-16
In this week’s homily, Fr. Healy reflects on his experiences as a missionary in Tanzania. He hopes for a day when every person would feel and believe that would believe that they “are the light of the world” and “the salt of the earth.” He invites us to think about to whom Jesus spoke those words. Just as He did then, He is indeed speaking to us, as the ordinary people. This means that we who have heard these words are meant to be a difference to a suffering world. We are reminded of the responsibilities of being called and the examples that we’ve seen in our parish and community of taking action.
4th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Originally delivered on January 31, 1993
Readings: Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Matthew 5:1-12a
In this homily, we remember the passing of Justice Thurgood Marshall. The first African-American member of the Supreme Court, he challenged the status quo and represented the poor and marginalized. Perhaps he was considered a thorn in the side of the establishment, just as Jesus must have been considered by His contemporaries. In this week’s Gospel, we hear Jesus from the mountain, just as Moses gave the ten commandments from the mount, giving us the Beatitudes which were so very different in nature than the straightforward ten commandments. But who are the poor in Spirit? Poverty in Spirit surely means genuine dependence on and trust in the Lord. But being poor in Spirit also may mean those with material wealth who stand with the poor, the disadvantaged, and the marginalized. In doing so, we will be rich in God’s love.
Baptism of the Lord
Originally delivered on January 10, 1993
Readings: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Matthew 3:13-17
Through a touching Healy family story, we glean new insight about why Jesus was baptized. Perhaps he wanted to identify with us, as much as possible — with our difficulties, shame, and sin which is all washed away in Baptism. He wanted to be one with us in our struggle. When we are at our most frail, Jesus, through His own Baptism, has shown us that He is truly with us. Just as we should be with our oppressed sisters in brothers, especially those that don’t yet know about Jesus.
Baptism of the Lord
Readings: Isaiah 42: 1-4, 6-7; Acts: 10:34-38; Mark 1:7-11
Originally delivered on January 13, 1991
How do we give others power or authority over our lives? When we are baptized in Jesus, it is a proclamation that we are joined with Jesus as Lord. No one is Lord except Jesus. Therefore, we must stand with Jesus when contemplating actions, policies, laws, etc. Our challenge is to keep asking ourselves where Jesus is leading us.
Weekly Homilies 