Christmas II – The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 67; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21 Some say that ever ‘gainst that season comes Wherein our Saviour’s birth is celebrated, This bird of dawning singeth all night long; … Continue reading →

Christmas I – The Nativity of the Lord Isaiah 9:1-6; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14 “…in two days we will celebrate Christmas. Maybe candlelit. Not because it’s more romantic, no, but because there will not be, there will be … Continue reading →

The Fourth Sunday of Advent Isaiah 7:10-14; Psalm 24; Romans 1:1-17; Matthew 1:18-24 Mary is discovered to be pregnant before she and her fiancée live together. So to avoid shame all around, Joseph decides to divorce her quietly. Joseph goes … Continue reading →

The Third Sunday of Advent Isaiah 35: 1-6a, 10; Psalm 146; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11 Context is everything. It sets up a framework in which we reflect and give meaning to experience. The desert and the parched land will exult;the … Continue reading →

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Genesis 3:9-15,20; Psalm 98; Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12; Luke 1:26-38 The belief in the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary are unique to Catholic Christianity. Are these … Continue reading →

The Second Sunday of Advent Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72; Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12 We live in an age of destruction. Plagues, droughts, floods, toxic air and water, wars, inflation, massacres, famines, earthquakes, pandemics, heat waves, wildfires, recessions, deforestation, dust storms, … Continue reading →

The First Sunday of Advent Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44 Liao Chung Lun is twenty-four-years-old; a graduate student of environmental studies. He has just completed his mandatory military training. Like most young people he feels thoroughly Taiwanese … Continue reading →

The Thirty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe 2 Samuel 5:1-3; Psalm 122; Colossians 1:12-20; Luke 23:35-43 “The LORD God said: It is not good for the man to be alone. … Continue reading →

The Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Malachi 3:19-20a; Psalm 98; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12; Luke 21:5-19 Do you find yourself emotionally exhausted these days? Are you feeling hopeless? Do you have feelings of fear? Are you expressing anger and impatience more … Continue reading →

The Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14; Psalm 17; 2Thessolonians 2:16-3:5; Luke 20:27-38 I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sinsand I look forward to the resurrection of … Continue reading →

The Solemnity of All Saints Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; Psalm 24; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12a The lives of our parents steeped in unconditional love for us their children. The courage and selflessness of police, firefighters and emergency teams. The prayerfulness … Continue reading →

The Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time Wisdom 11:22 – 12:2; Psalm 145; 2Thessolonians 1:11- – 2:2; Luke 19:1-10 Human beings have always looked up into the night sky. Its beauty, vast expanse and twinkling lights has always fascinated us. Comets, … Continue reading →

The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18; Psalm 34; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14 I recently called a friend to check in on her. She is up there in years and her health has been failing. Her … Continue reading →

The Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Exodus 17:8-13; Psalm 121; 2 Timothy 3:14–4:2; Luke 18:1-18 A pastor serving in Montréal visited a parishioner in the hospital who was in the final stages of a terrible disease and dying. She was … Continue reading →

The Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2 Kings 5:14-17; Psalm 98; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Luke 17:11-19 It is said that “the devil is in the details” and that can be true for the sacred scriptures. Without biblical scholarship and other … Continue reading →

The Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Amos 8:4-7; Psalm 113; 1 Timothy 2:1-8; Luke 16:1-13 Money makes the world go round, the world go round, the world go round… So sang Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey in Cabaret. Were they … Continue reading →

The Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14; Psalm 51; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-32 How do you conceive of sin? What images come to mind? I was given as a child the image of black stains on my … Continue reading →

The Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Wisdom 9:13-18b; Psalm 90; Philemon 9-10, 12-17; Luke 14:25-33 Paul’s letter to Philemon is intimate, personal and complicated. Philemon is a Christian who heard and accepted the gospel message through Paul. And now Philemon’s … Continue reading →

The Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29; Psalm 68; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a; Luke 14:1, 7-14 As Jesus gives instructions on where dinner guests might consider sitting at table or who should be included on an invitation list … Continue reading →

The Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time Isaiah 66:18-21; Psalm 117; Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13; Luke 13:22-30 “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” The questioner presumes much, do they not? Why do we diminish the vastness of God’s graciousness and … Continue reading →