Cycle A
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.
2nd Sunday of Advent
Originally delivered on December 10, 1989
Readings: Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12
In this homily, we hear of the death of Fr. Healy’s sister, Sally, and Pope John Paul II’s warning of the impending ecological crisis. Animated about the issues of racism, refugees from Central America, and Haiti, Fr. Healy shares his struggle about which issues to address with the people of God. We are asked to hear the words of John the Baptist, as if he was speaking directly to each of us when he say’s “prepare ye the way of the Lord. Make straight His path.” May we make a resolution to not be content to enjoy any of the blessings of God’s creation without a daily consciousness of how our use of God’s gifts affects the lives of our sisters and brothers.
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Originally delivered on August 8, 1993
Readings: Kings: 19:9, 11-13; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:22-33
In today’s readings, we are challenged to see God in our midst. In the Gospel, Jesus appears and approaches his disciples while walking on the water. Peter, in his human frailty, begins to sink when he is invited to walk on the water with Jesus. But Jesus, in a wonderful showing of his humanity, simply reaches out and catches Peter. From our scripture readings today, we know that there are precious few people that see God in all of His splendor. For the remainder of us, God is present in the faces and actions of our sisters and brothers. In this homily, we are reminded of the floods in the Mississippi and the tornadoes in Petersburg, VA not because of the natural disasters themselves, but because of the tremendous response from others who offered their help.
The Assumption
Originally delivered on August 15, 1993
Readings: Revelation 11:19; 12:1-6, 10; Corinthians 15:20-26; Luke 1: 39-56
In this homily, we hear a reflection of Jesus’ response to woman that yelled out “Blest is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!” In response, He said, “Rather, blest are they who hear the word of God and keep it.” Fr. Healy asks us to consider that Mary’s willingness to hear God’s word and carry out His will is her true gift to us so that we might emulate her actions.
Assumption
Originally delivered on August 15, 1993
Readings: Revelation 11:19; 12:1-6, 10; Corinthians 15:20-26; Luke 1: 39-56
In this homily, we hear a reflection of Jesus’ response to woman that yelled out “Blest is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!” In response, He said, “Rather, blest are they who hear the word of God and keep it.” Fr. Healy asks us to consider that Mary’s willingness to hear God’s word and carry out His will is her true gift to us so that we might emulate her actions.
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Originally delivered on July 18, 1993
Readings: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-43 or 13:24-30
In the first reading from the book of Wisdom, we are reminded of God’s unconditional forgiveness and compassion for us. How much do we hold onto the hurts that we’ve experienced? But today, through the infusion of the Holy Spirit, we are asked to let go of these hurts, as God forgives us. In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to think of people as crops and weeds — the good and bad — and to pour our energy not into pulling weeds. We should focus on ourselves and let God sort out the wheat from the weeds. We are called, therefore, to be loving, compassionate, and forgiving as Jesus is to us. We are reminded of the courage of the six Jesuits killed in El Salvador in 1989, the debate of gays in the military, and the situation in Haiti as current events happening in 1993 that challenge us to not judge others lest we, one day, be judged by others to be a weed rather than the wheat.
14th Sunday of Ordinary Time
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.
2nd Sunday of Easter
Readings: Acts 2:42-47; Peter 1:3-9; John 20:1931
Originally delivered on April 26, 1987
In this week’s Gospel, the Risen Jesus appears to the disciples, but Thomas was not present and only believed when Jesus appeared to Thomas and showed him His wounds. Just like us, Thomas had his doubts. And yet, the words that Thomas proclaimed to Jesus were powerful, “My Lord and my God.” In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear that the apostles provided for one another based on their individual needs. Indeed, we must be there for our brothers and sisters. When we search for the Risen Christ, do we find those in need or are we only aligning ourselves the oppressors? We are, in fact, called to be the sign of the Risen Christ in our deeds. Through all of these trials, like Thomas, we will have our doubts, but we must persist because Jesus will be with us.
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Weekly Homilies 