Healy Family Story
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Originally delivered on October 30, 1989
Readings: Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18; Paul to Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; and Luke 18:9-14
Fr. Healy begins this homily by discussing the death of his beloved sister, Sally. Through the experience of Sally’s death, the Healy family gatthered to share favorite family stories, including who among the many Healy children, was the favorite. In today’s gospel we are reminded that the least among us are loved most by God. Furthermore, Fr. Healy reminds us that we are to be the one that shows the marginalized that God loves them. We must be God’s presence in this world to our brothers and sisters. Indeed, God demands this of us in our acts and deeds and we must lay aside our comparisons with others.
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.
1st Sunday of Lent
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.
7th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Originally delivered on February 21, 1993
Readings: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18; Corinthians 3:16-23; Matthew 5:38-48
In this homily, Fr. Healy retells the tragic story of the fire that struck his family’s home and its aftermath for the family. We are reminded that we must always forgive unconditionally. Although this is very difficult, we have examples of parents, including those of Jesus, whose children were killed by others. We are called to forgive just as Mary and Joseph forgave. In today’s readings we are also given encouragement to forgive. In Leviticus, we hear the Lord say to Moses, “Be holy, for I, the Lord your God. am holy. You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart.” Then, in the second reading, Paul says to the Corinthians that we are temples of a holy God. We are challenged to let go of our hurts so that we might truly forgive.
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Isaiah 62:1-5; Corinthians 12:4-11; John 2:1-12
Originally delivered on January 15, 1989
In this week’s Gospel we hear of the first miracle at the wedding of Cana. We are invited to see Mary as a symbol for the Church itself. Furthermore, we are challenged to be like Mary and get involved. And in the second reading, Paul tells us that each of us is uniquely gifted. Do we believe it? Are we brave enough to use that gift to make glorious things for God? Anne Frank and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were both ordinary people. We too are ordinary people. How might we make our light shine as they did?
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44
Originally delivered on November 10, 1991
Fr. Healy begins this homily with a family story of his Aunt Kate. In this Gospel from Mark we hear how to live, and not live, a religious life. Indeed, we are called to give, like the widow, from our “substance” rather than just what is comfortable. We are therefore challenged to allow ourselves to respond to human situations not from what is practical, but what our hearts tell us to do. Are we giving from our substance? If so, then we never have to fear how it looks to more practical people. We are already forgiven by God, but are we living as though we’ve heard Jesus’s message that our actions toward our sisters and brothers in need?
5th Sunday of Easter
Originally delivered on April 28, 1991
Readings: Acts 9:26-31; John 3:18-24; John 15:1-8
Today we are challenged to get more serious in our following of Jesus. We have to be ready for God to change our circumstances and see the world in a whole new light. Like Paul, we might even switch sides. In the epistle, we are reminded that we are to love one another as Jesus loves. We are called to “love in deed and in truth and not merely talk about it.”
4th Sunday of Easter
Readings: Acts 4:8-12; John 3:1-2; John 10:11-18
Originally delivered on April 24, 1988
In today’s homily, Fr. Healy tells us that the second reading really touched him because we are called “children of God.” We are reminded that God loves us just as we are. Perhaps this is hard to believe because to do so requires us to love others as God already loves us.
2nd Sunday of Easter
Readings: Acts 4:32-35; John 5:1-6; John 20: 19-31
Originally delivered on April 10, 1988
In this week’s Gospel, we are reminded that God’s presence will be obvious when we take care of our sisters and brothers. When we forgive them, they will feel God’s presence. We are commissioned to be the Church. We are the Easter people that must let the world know that there is still hope to be celebrated.
Weekly Homilies 