Homily: Funeral for Vincent Poloney

If I go back some twenty or so years, I remember our family and friends gathering back in my wife’s hometown for many weddings, baptisms, and other sacraments. But as time has moved on and age begins to creep up on our generation, it seems that recently we have gathered all too often to mourn the death of one of our loved ones.

And so, this afternoon we remember the life and the love of Vincent. And while Vincent was physically and emotionally dis-abled – when it came to love he had the capacity to be very ‘able’ indeed. Being in the season of Lent, while writing this homily, it gave me reason to pause and to believe that in some respect I think Vincent had an advantage over most, if not all of us. 

What was that advantage…and how did he impact the lives around him?  Check it out…

Click here for the text of the homily

Click here for the podcast of the homily

 

Homily: 5th Sunday of Lent - Lazarus

God’s love is often described as a Divine flow of love and grace - movement that is never restricted.  Nothing we say or do changes the love that is poured out upon us by God.  It is unmerited in every sense – freely given to all.  The only thing we have to do is be willing to accept and trust and share in the flow of that love.

So during Lent we have been examining our lives to see what blocks that flow - in other words, to examine our personal garbage. Thus shifting through our hurts and wounds and addictions so that we can be present and aware and participating in that ever present flow.

And today's gospel gives deeper insight on the fully human and fully divine side of Jesus Christ and his relationship to the community and the importance of our active participation.  What does that look like?  And what is the ending of this story that is often missed, but key in bringing forth the good news?

 

Click here for the podcast of the live recording of the Homily

Click here for the text of the Homily

 
Click here for the readings

Homily: Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

This Sunday we were given the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  And on cursory read of this parable it would seem that that the Rich Man, because he was rich, was tormented in the netherworld… and the poor man, because he was poor, is carried by angels to the bosom of Abraham. Can you picture how rankled the Pharisees were, dressed in their fine robes and upper-class status, as they listened to this story? 

Actually many who read this parable today are just as upset – after all isn’t being rich what life is all about?!

Well, would you be surprised that recently the Pope was preaching the same lesson to all of us as Jesus was to the Pharisees? 

Click the link, and see what I mean…

Click here for the Sunday Readings

Click here for the text of the homily

Homily: 5th Sunday of Lent - The Raising of Lazarus



Fresco by Giotto located at the Church of St. Francis in Assisi

On this 5^th Sunday of Lent we celebrate the Third Scrutiny as we pray over our Elect who will be baptized in two weeks at the Easter Vigil.  The readings from Cycle A are used for this occasion and so this weekend we are treated to the only account of the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead, as recorded by John.

This Sunday I was blessed to have been asked to be a guest homilist at my high school alma mater, Oratory Prep in Summit N.J. for their annual Family Mass.  It was a beautiful liturgy to see so many families come together as a community of faith.  This sense of ‘community’ or what we call ‘church’ tied right into my insight into this popular Gospel story.  But it is a meaning that is often overlooked by all the attention given to the miracle.

What was Christ really up to? 

Check it out!

For the Sunday Readings click: here

For the Homily click: here