Reflection for 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection for 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

On the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time we reflect on themes of humility, service and the Christian life. In the second reading James seems to emphasize the importance of unity. He tells us that jealousy and ambition lead to disharmony and wickedness. We can see that for ourselves at every level of human life these days; from international relations all the way down to relationships between individuals. The fracturing of human relationships is not in line with the ” wisdom that ...

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Cathy Keirstead

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Homily – September 15th, 2024 – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homily – September 15th, 2024 – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Do we ever know who another person really is? Do we ever know who we, ourselves, are? Sixteen years ago, I participated at a Men’s Rite of Passage Retreat (M.R.O.P.) in Southern California with 50 other men of various ages and backgrounds. After the first night’s talk, the assignment was to go back to our cabins and to share with the other men in our cabin this way. Each man was to describe himself to the others in 10 ways ...

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Fr Phil

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Reflection – September 15th, 2024 – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection – September 15th, 2024 – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

“You shouldn’t have to suffer … You don’t know that that’s what’s going to happen. … You have to stay positive! … There must be something you can do to change it. … Have you thought of … I think you should try … Why don’t you talk to …” 

I don’t know what Peter’s words were, when he was rebuking Jesus for talking about his impending death.  I imagine that they may have been similar to many of ...

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Pam Driedger

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Homily – September 8th, 2024 – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homily – September 8th, 2024 – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Once again the Scriptures give us a wicked piece of humour. You may have picked up on it. Jesus encounters a man who was not able to speak, he heals the man of his muteness, and immediately proceeds tells him to shut up and not tell anyone what just happened.

The people in Biblical times were not Scripture scholars any more than we are. Yet, those who experienced Jesus opening the ears and mouth of this deaf and mute man, on ...

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Fr Phil

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Homily – September 1st, 2024 – 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homily – September 1st, 2024 – 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

We have all heard sayings or proverbs that seem to contradict each other. For example you’ve heard, “Don’t put all your eggs in the one basket.” Maybe it was your financial advisor telling you to diversify your investments so that if one area of the economy crashes you won’t lose all your hard-earned savings. But you’ve also heard, “Don’t spread yourself too thin.” So, which one of these two are true? Here’s another one. You’ve all heard, “Practice makes perfect,” ...

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Fr Phil

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Homily – August 25, 2024 – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homily – August 25, 2024 – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Peter, the Apostle, is one of my favorite characters in the Gospels, and it’s not because he’s considered the leader of the pack or the first pope of the Church. He’s one of my favorites because he’s so human; he’s so relatable. When he’s on his game, there’s nobody like him. For instance, when Jesus asked the 12, “Who do you say that I am?” It was Peter who gave the brilliant answer, “Jesus, you are the Christ, Son of ...

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Fr Phil

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Homily – August 18th, 2024 – 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homily – August 18th, 2024 – 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

For those of you who enjoy reading, I’m sure have read at least one book in your lifetime that you had a hard time putting down. If the author was good, they were able to get your attention and keep your attention from chapter to chapter. Usually at the end of one chapter, there was a “hook” that grabbed hold of you and made you want to read the next chapter. This “hook” pushed you deeper into the plot or ...

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Fr Phil

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Homily – August 11th, 2024 – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homily – August 11th, 2024 – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Twenty one years ago, while driving back from a retreat in Arizona, I visited Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. It was November, and the tourists were pretty much gone for the season except for a few stragglers like myself. I remember getting very close to the mule deer, within a few meters, and they weren’t afraid at all. I suspected that they had gotten acclimated to the huge number of visitors to the park over the summer, and I ...

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Fr Phil

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Homily – August 4th, 2024 – 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homily – August 4th, 2024 – 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

While looking at the readings for this weekend and preparing my reflection, I was reminded of a story my father told me about something he and a friend did in his younger days.  Apparently, when he was all of 14 years old, he had had enough of living at home and he and his friend quit school and boarded a train bound for Montreal to begin their “adult life” there.  This is hard to imagine by today’s standards, but this ...

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Mark Mahoney

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Homily – July 28th, 2024 – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homily – July 28th, 2024 – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The story of the feeding of the multitude apparently is the only “miracle” story that’s common to all four gospels writers. However, John—our gospel writer today—prefers to use the word “signs,” over the word miracles. I think the reason he does this is that a miracle keeps you right where you are, in a place of awe, excitement and fascination. But a sign invites you forward into deeper reflection. It was the great philosopher Socrates, as you may recall, who ...

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Fr Phil

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