Passion
Passion Sunday
Readings: Isaiah 50: 4-7; Philippians 2:6-11; Matthew 26:14-27, 66
Originally delivered on April 8, 1990
How can we understand those that called for Jesus’s death? How are we like them? Like them, do we think that we are doing the right thing? Or do we shrink at the thought of standing up for what we know is right? That is, what are our motivations for what we do? Indeed, part of the human condition perhaps, is that we are not always at our best. But, we must pray to God to be accepting of our human limitations and that we may have more courage to stand up for a cause that makes the world better.
Passion of Our Lord
Originally delivered on April 9, 1995
Readings: Isaiah 50: 4-7; Paul 2: 6-11; Luke 22:14-23, 56 or 23:1-49
In this homily, we are challenged to ask ourselves “What does crucifying Jesus look like in our times?” However we celebrate the passion of our Lord, it ends with the sacred recalling of Jesus being utterly rejected and shamed before his sisters and brothers that He came to save. We must ask ourselves if we fear really welcoming Jesus. Yet we must also remember that He came to save us, despite our imperfections. We must be with Jesus on the hill if we are to be with Him as the Risen Lord.
5th sunday of Easter
Readings: Acts 9:26-31; John 3:18-24; John 15:1-8
Originally delivered on May 1, 1988
In the first reading, we hear about Paul’s conversion. We are invited to examine if we are being too nice, rather than making some uneasy. We have been baptized and anointed in Confirmation, but are we passionate for Jesus? In the Gospel, we hear that if we live as His branch on the His vines, that we will be animated by the Spirit of Jesus and our prayers will be answered.
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.
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Originally delivered on September 6, 1992
Readings: Wisdom 9:13-18; Paul to Philemon 9-10, 12-17; Luke 14:25-33
We are reminded of the importance of reviewing the readings each week in preparation for the anticipated Mass. In the first reading, our plight is defined: how will we ever live our lives so that we are doing God’s will? In the second reading, we hear about Paul and his prudence and in the gospel, we hear of Jesus’s desire for us to be both passionate and practical. Fr. Healy talks about the challenge that we each face in pursuing something passionately, but still with the need to be practical and prudent in doing so. What is God’s will versus our will? That is exactly our struggle.
Weekly Homilies 