Homily: 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Synoptic Gospel writes all give us the story of the institution of the Eucharist – the story of Jesus gathering his disciples at table: blessing, breaking and giving them bread and asking them to do the same thing over and over again and…to remember him. But some 20 or so years later, when John takes pen to paper, he doesn’t write anything about the Last Supper, rather he gives us this Bread of Life Discourse which we have listened to these past few weeks. So why did John make this substitution of stories?  After all, what could be more important than Eucharist?  Check it out…

Click here for a podcast of the homily

Click here for the text of the homily

Click here for the readings of the day

Homily: 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In reviewing the readings for the weekend I wondered why, beginning three weeks ago, that our Sunday lectionary interrupted the Gospel of Mark in order to insert the 6^th chapter of John – a sermon often called the “Bread of Life Discourse.”  Instead of following the earlier Gospel writers and recollecting the Last Supper, John talks about Eucharist in a different way.

Why did John make this substitution of stories?  After all, what could be more important than Eucharist?  It would seem that John’s Gospel goes to great lengths to remind us there is more to Eucharist that just coming to the table to receive the real presence of Christ.

So how can the insight of three Jesuits, a game of pinochle and potato pancakes shed light on this Gospel?

Click and check it out…

To listen to the podcast, click here

For a copy of the homily, click here

For the readings of the day, click here

Homily: 7th Sunday of Easter

For six weeks we have listened to post resurrection Gospel stories, which when woven together give us great insight into Christ’s explanation of what it is like to be in relationship with him - to be fed by him, to be in communion with him.

Two thousand years later, our problem is that I think we make it more complicated, more ego-centered, and more difficult than it really is.

So what do you have to do?  Perhaps a baby can give you the answer.  Check it out….

Click here for the podcast of the homily

Click here for the text of the homily

Click here for the readings of the day

Homily: Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

This week we find ourselves deep into the Bread of Life Discourse taken from the gospel of John. Earlier, with a handful of bread and fish Jesus fed 5,000 followers. This week Jesus now proclaims that he is the “living bread that came down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.” 

And the response Jesus hears?  Murmuring! Indeed, it seems a lot of complaining going on.  Last week the Israelites were grumbling.  This week it is the Jewish leaders who are murmuring.  And all God is trying to do is feed us.  So why the murmuring and complaining?  

Perhaps Olympian Oscar Pistorius and his blade prosthetics can add clarity to it all!

Click here for the readings

Click here for the homily