Haiti
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Originally delivered on September 12, 1993
Readings: Sirach 27: 30-28:7; Romans 14: 7-9; Matthew 18: 21-35
In this week’s homily, we hear of the atrocity of a supporter of Haitian President Aristide being dragged out of a Mass being said by Fr. Antoine Adrien and murdered. We are also reminded of the history taking place in Yugoslavia. Despite these global injustices, and even with our personal pains and grievances, we are, as Christians, called to forgive, just as God forgives us. Indeed, the message is clear: God is forgiveness. What about you?
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Originally delivered on September 5, 1993
Readings: Ezekial 33: 7-9; Romans 13: 8-10; Matthew 18: 15-20
In today’s readings, we first hear Ezekial telling us that we must speak the truth. Paul then tells us that we must love our neighbor as we love ourself. Indeed, it must be our life’s work. Finally, in the Gospel, Jesus tells us to talk to the person. Sometimes we need others to help us, even the whole Church, if necessary, but understand that sometimes nothing will work, but still love them. We must know and believe that when we’ve done our best, we can leave it in God’s hands. There are dramatic examples of people following these words and being prophets in our time. We too are called to be prophets.
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Originally delivered on September 6, 1987
Readings: Ezekial 33: 7-9; Romans 13: 8-10; Matthew 18: 15-20
Today we are reminded that we have the responsibility to change evil to good through our actions. And in doing so, we are told in the second reading, that we must confront the evildoer in a loving manner. Indeed, we are called to “love our neighbor as yourself.” The implications of this is immediate and consequential for each and every one of us. We must wrestle with how we can be more effective witnesses within our own families, neighborhood, country, and the entire world. We are called to stand up while knowing that we risk ourselves in some ways.
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Originally delivered on August 30, 1987
Readings: Jeremiah 20: 7-9; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16: 21-27
In today’s Gospel, Jesus rebukes Peter and tells him to “Get out of my sight, satan!” Like Peter, the Church, and all of us, will stray from God. We must return to the will of God, knowing that Jesus will be with us through the turmoil. Indeed, Jesus already knows that we will be human. That is, weak and sometimes even cowardly. And yet, Jesus is with us. We are told of Father Antoine Adrien and his courage in standing up for the poor of Haiti as well as the ways that the Church has failed to serve the people of Haiti. Like Peter, we, the Church, are both courageous and incredibly weak at other times. In each of those times, Jesus is with us; sometimes encouraging us and sometimes scolding us, but always as a means of reminding us to follow His ways, regardless what that means for our journey.
4th Sunday of Easter
Originally delivered on May 6, 1990
Readings: Acts of the Apostles 2:14, 36-41; Peter 2:20-25; John 10:1-10
Again today we hear about the Good Shepherd and his sheep. Fr. Healy invites us to wonder why that one sheep might have left the flock. Could the flock have made it impossible to fit in? But in this day’s readings, we hear that Jesus is the gatekeeper. Others do not the have the right to keep some of the sheep out of the flock. Therefore, we have a responsibility to be like Jesus and always welcome others, and perhaps especially, the one sheep that has wondered off because of how the flock treats him or her.
3rd Sunday of Easter
Originally delivered on April 25, 1993
Passion Sunday
Originally delivered on April 4, 1993
Readings: Isaiah 50: 4-7; Philippians 2:6-11; Matthew 26:14-27, 66
How can we ever understand the people’s choice of releasing Barabbas over Jesus? Fr. Healy challenges us to see similar situations in our lives where we, the people, choose Barrabas. Indeed, when we live in a society that maximizes a right or benefit for a few at the expense of the many, we are living in a time when the people still choose Barabbus. Indeed, the Passion is still with us today. We are encouraged to recognize, acknowledge, and repent for our collective sins, when we chose Barabbus, even in our complicity. Jesus, the Son of god, is in the most desperate person among us. The choice is ours how we will respond.
1st Sunday of Advent
Originally delivered on November 29, 1992
Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44
In the week’s Gospel, Fr. Healy urges us to see the message that we are challenged, as God’s people, to get a “mountain view”. That is, to see things as God does. On this first Sunday of Advent, we are asked to look at ourselves, our lives, and this world from a whole new perspective. With Jesus as our anchor, we can, in fact, get a new perspective and to find the courage to hope and to change things. We only have a finite amount of time in our lives to make these changes. We don’t know what the hereafter might be so we must seize the opportunity now to see the world as God sees the world. It may cost us something, but it’s what God’s calling for us to do, and what Jesus is calling us to do through this day’s readings. We are called to consecrate the earth, share with others, and loving each others as brothers and sisters. That’s the view from the mountain that we are challenged to see, accept, and act upon.
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