Reflection – January 21st, 2024 – Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sunday Celebration of the Liturgy of the Word

From the first century onward, the Church (the people of God) has always insisted on the importance of gathering on Sunday. Early Church documents attest to Christians gathering on the Day of the Lord to break bread and give thanks in remembrance of Christ. Each Sunday was, and still is, considered “Little Easter” since the Resurrection of Christ is the central event in our faith. Moreover, we believe it is the Risen Lord ...

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Homily – January 14th, 2024 – 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homily – January 14, 2024 – 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

I’m going to make a generalization which I think is true. It is that everyone, who has ever come into our lives—even for the shortest amount of time—has made a contribution to who we have become. Even someone who was a bad example, indirectly, set us on a path to become the opposite of what they are. So, there is learning in the negative. There is much to be learned ...

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Reflection – January 14th, 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Miracle of Ordinary Time

Today is the second Sunday in ordinary time. For much of my life I’ve thought of ordinary time as the “boring time” in the church year, the space holder between the important events. Today I am struck by the fact that ordinary time is the time of infinite possibility. Ordinary time is the time immediately after the creation, the birth, the resurrection, the pouring out of the Spirit. Ordinary time is the time when we are ...

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Homily – January 7th, 2024 – Epiphany of the Lord

While away in Ottawa last week, and staying with my youngest brother, Todd, he introduced me to a wonderful show called Fake or Fortune. It’s been airing in Britain for about 12 years and has to do with art. (Europeans, in general, have much more of an appreciation for art than we, North Americans, do). I’ve just seen a couple of episodes, but I’m already hooked. The show deals with ordinary people, like ourselves, who have a piece of art ...

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Reflection – January 7th, 2024 – Epiphany of the Lord

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. We celebrate the revelation that Jesus was born as the Son of God. Today’s Gospel illustrates this revelation through the story of the three Magi ( Wise Men) who travelled to visit Jesus following His birth.  

“There ahead of them went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the Child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. ...

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Reflection – December 31st – Feast of the Holy Family

Mary, A Model of Faith

Talk about a jampacked weekend. Sunday we are celebrating Epiphany, and then right back to church on Monday to celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. I would like to use this reflection to focus on Mary, and what a model of faith she is for all of us. The Solemnity of Mary, from the church in Canada’s pointof view, carries a great deal of importance as it is one of only twoholy ...

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Homily ~ Christmas Eve – December 24th, 2023

While baby showers have been around for a long time, gender reveal parties have only existed for less than 20 years. If you don’t already know, a gender reveal party is a party held during pregnancy to reveal the baby’s sex to the expectant parents’ family and friend, and sometimes to the parents themselves. To me, the real excitement is looking into the face of the newborn child…that’s the real reveal. There’s nothing more beautiful and nothing more  mesmerizing than ...

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Homily – December 24, 2023, Fourth Sunday of Advent

At every Eucharistic celebration you have ever participated in, you heard the priest say during the Eucharistic Prayer, “The Mystery of faith.” “Mystery” refers to God’s eternally conceived but hidden plan. In other words, God had, and still has, a plan, a purpose in mind for everything and everyone, including you. That plan, that Mystery, is not given in a single moment, but it unfolds over time, a long period of time. We couldn’t handle the entire mystery of our ...

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Homily – December 17th, 2023 – Third Sunday of Advent

John the Baptist, to put it mildly, is an interesting character. He was a prophet, and according to Jesus, the greatest of all the prophets (Lk. 7:28). Prophets have always, and still do, want more for us than what we want for ourselves. Once I get comfortable in my little kingdom, my little control tower, I really don’t want anyone else rattling my little world even if the rattling come with a promise of a bigger and better world, like ...

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Reflection – December 17th, 2023 – Third Sunday of Advent

The Consoling Joy of the Gospel1

In a world that has not enough of any, the themes of Advent are significant – hope, peace, joy and love.  This  Sunday the focus is on joy.  The prophet Isaiah, a key character of the season, reminds us of the ‘good news’ which he has been sent to proclaim, for which he is ‘greatly rejoicing.’ Mary, on arriving at her cousin Elizabeth’s home, responds to Elizabeth’s greeting with her beautiful Magnificate – a prayer ...

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