Cycle A

15th Sunday of Ordinary Time

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Originally delivered on July 11, 1993

Readings: Isaiah 55: 10-11; Romans 8: 18-23; Matthew 13: 1-23

What should we feel in the face of tragedies, such as diseases or natural disasters, in light of the first reading where Isaiah eloquently says that God’s words and actions come down to enrich our lives?  Jesus asks us in this day’s Gospel to let God’s words live within us to be the best people that we can be, bringing triumph out of tragedy by being one with our sisters and brothers in their need.  We can never understand or control nature, but we can be in harmony with it through our unique giftedness.

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14th Sunday of Ordinary Time

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Originally delivered on July 4, 1993

Readings: Zechariah 9:9-10;  Romans 8:9, 11-13; Matthew 11:25-30

What does it mean to be a citizen of God’s Kingdom?  From the fist reading of Zechariah, we hear that God would put an end to war, jealousy, and human competition. In the second reading, Paul reminds the Romans and us today, that we must walk in the spirit. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us to learn from Him just as children learn.  That is, we are to be gentle and humble of heart.  We are challenged to reflect on how capital punishment fits with our being citizens of God’s Kingdom. If we really believe in the unconditional, all-embracing forgiveness of Jesus, we cannot harbor vindictive, hostile dispositions toward anyone. Let us all learn from Jesus and forgive others. Only in this way, will be truly free, in the way that Jesus talks about freedom, and find rest in our hearts.

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13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Originally delivered on June 27, 1993

Readings: Kings 4:8-11, 14-16; Romans 6:3-4, 8-11; Matthew 1-:37-42

In this challenging homily, Father Healy reflects on the Christian vocation to be a prophetic people. Drawing from the readings’ call to welcome the prophet and to embrace the cross, he argues that discipleship cannot be confined to private spirituality or polite conversation. Baptized and confirmed believers are called to discern God’s presence in the events of their time and to speak courageously when human dignity is threatened. Using the contemporary issue of Haitian refugees as a concrete example, Father Healy explores the tension between what is legal and what is moral, reminding us that prophecy seeks not merely what is possible but what God desires. The homily challenges listeners to recognize the prophetic voice in unexpected places, to engage the social and political realities around them, and to trust that Christ’s victory already empowers the struggle for justice, compassion, and truth. (Unfortunately, the homily is cut off prematurely.)

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13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Originally delivered on July 1, 1990

Readings: Kings 4:8-11, 14-16; Romans 6:3-4, 8-11; Matthew 1-:37-42

Prophets will always be like us, frail sinners.  today’s first and third readings, we hear about welcoming prophets. Indeed, in Matthew’s Gospel, we hear that “he who welcomes a holy man because he is known as holy receives a holy man’s reward. And I promise you that whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of these lowly ones because he is a disciple will not want for his reward.”  But what about when God sends a prophet that challenges us?  Will we welcome that prophet in our midst?  We are always in a struggle to understand what God is telling us through these prophets.  But, finally, we must remember that we are each, in all of our human weakness, called to be prophets.

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1st Sunday of Lent

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Originally delivered on February 28, 1993

Readings: Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-19 or 5:12, 17-19; Matthew 4:1-11

We all struggle with a God who is love and mercy who also permits pain, suffering, and evil within His creation.  But through Jesus, we know that we are redeemed.  In spite of and in the midst of all the meanness, madness, and idiocy of human behavior, we are loved and forgiven for our shortcomings.

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Holy Family

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Originally delivered on December 31, 1989

Readings: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3:12-21; Matthew: 2:13-15, 19-23

We celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family.  As we gather each week, it’s truly a family reunion as everyone is together as one family of God. We are called to reflect on what the world would be like if we treated others truly as our sisters and brothers.  Family is loving, learning, sharing, and caring deeply for one another while keeping a treasured tradition which is renewed and celebrated together when we gather.  But most importantly, being family, is to be forgiving of the faults and failings of our brothers and sisters.  We are also called to recognize the family resemblance in the spirit of every person on earth.

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3rd Sunday of Advent

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Originally delivered on December 13, 1992

Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44

In this week’s homily, Fr. Healy argues that the Bible is a revolutionary message on behalf of the poor. In the first ready, Isaiah is picturing the glory of our Lord.  We are asked to consider the plight of the poor, such as a Somali woman, hearing those words. Would we feel abandoned or swindled by our sisters and brothers? Perhaps for this reason it was dangerous to have slaves or the poor learn to read for fear of them reading the Bible.  It is meant to be an energizer to the the poor and oppressed to stand up to claim their rightful place as God’s children. Indeed, this could be an historic moment for each of us, to decide to give the message to the poor and then to work to make that message come true for our marginalized sisters and brothers.

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2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

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Originally delivered on January 14, 1990 

Readings: Isaiah 49:3, 5-6; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3; John 1:29-34

We are a frail people.  And yet, despite our failings and weaknesses, when we embrace Jesus, we also embrace the truth that He sums up:  All people are precious in the eyes of God.  The dignity of every human being are worthy of our greatest efforts of advocacy, even if we fail and far short.  We must get back to it and be the giant for others because we have been consecrated in Christ Jesus.  We are called to be a holy people.

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Epiphany of the Lord

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Originally delivered on January 3, 1993

Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12

Fr. Healy reminds us that Epiphany caps the Christmas season.  We are called to be the Good News to others.  While we may look to the stars, we must be the light of Christ to our sisters and brothers in the here and now.

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Mary, Mother of God

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Originally delivered on January 1, 1990

Readings: Numbers 6:22-27, Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21

In this homily, Father Healy reminds us that Mary is the first woman to be liberated by Christ Jesus.  She is a prophet for all ages. We are reminded that a simple girl was asked to say Amen to Jesus and change history.  We, too, can make a difference regardless of our fears.  We must not allow the magic moment of grace today to pass us by.  We are called to act for justice and human rights and dignity.  Because of Jesus, we must hold ourselves accountable to love our enemies and to be one family with everyone in the world.

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