It is often said that the family that prays together, stays together. This brings back memories of praying the rosary around my parent’s bed during May and October when I was a child. Members of our young family group have told me of their adaptations of family prayer. It is so important that Jesus recognized it and gave us the Lord’s Prayer as our “family prayer”. There is enough here for 5 sermons so we will limit ourselves to: how we are a family, what kind of family are we, and how will we know we are praying it well? 

We are a family because Jesus has made a covenant with us. A covenant is a sharing of life and is open ended. It is not a contract. A contract has definite stipulations that must be met, a covenant is a pledge to walk together. A covenant always requires a sacrifice. We commemorate this at every Mass which creates, as we say at the consecration, a “new and everlasting covenant”.  

Continue reading “Homily – 17th Sunday Ordinary Time (Fr. Smith)” →

Last week, we read the parable of the Good Samaritan and saw the importance that Jesus places on practical charity. We might then find his meeting with Martha and Mary somewhat surprising. Martha is busy preparing for guests and Mary is sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to him speak. Martha asks Jesus to have Mary help her, but he not only refuses but tells her that she, Martha, is overly concerned about the wrong things and that she should join Mary.  

This is a set up. Jesus and Luke know that we are siding with Martha just as a few weeks ago we sided with the potential disciples who wished to bury a father or take leave of family before following Jesus. (Lk.9:51-61, 13^th Sunday of Ordinary Time) The message is clear: when in the presence of Jesus, sit down and listen.  

Continue reading “Homily – 16th Sunday Ordinary Time (Fr. Smith)” →

Well, with the number of references that I make to community organizing and homilies and regular conversation, you would be correct to believe that as part of my background, it would be wrong, however, to think I was very good at it.

I have many of the skills required to do it well, but lack one important virtue.

Anger. Anger is really considered a virtue, and it’s usually not.

Continue reading “Homily – 15th Sunday Ordinary Time (Fr. Smith)” →

Good morning, everyone.

Great blessings to be with you again this morning. This would be my last time being here for a little bit because I’m heading back to California tomorrow to continue to discern with a group of monks out there in beautiful Berkeley, California. Some people have it rough, I guess. Right. But we’ll see how that goes. I promise you, I will be back later this year. And for those you’ve known a little bit about my journey, I continue to appreciate all of the prayers and support.

You know, today we hear the parable of the Good Samaritan. It’s perhaps one of the most famous parables of Jesus. It’s one that has impacted us on many levels. It’s even in our secular laws. We all know about Good Samaritan laws when someone attempts to help someone out of the goodness of their heart, and even if they kind of mess it up, they’re protected.

Continue reading “Homily – 15th Sunday Ordinary Time (Fr. Gribowich)” →

Today’s gospel is unique.

Unique in the sense that you only find this particular story in Luke.

It does not appear in the other synoptic gospels, nor does it appear in John.

And so you ask, well, why would Luke put this story in?

What was he aiming at? Well, many scholars would tell us that the best way to understand the Gospel of Luke is to look at the Magnificat, the prayer of Mary when she goes to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. And in that prayer, as Mary offers praise to God for the blessings that she has received, he makes part of the prayer, an understanding of what God is in the process of doing.

Continue reading “Homily – 15th Sunday Ordinary Time (Msgr. LoPinto)” →

Why do we call human life sacred? It is an extraordinary word, yet I often use it without a passing thought. It is far more than saying that human life is precious, or non-negotiable or even invaluable. Sacred means holy, relating to God. How can we say that? If we believe it, what must we do? The tradition of the Church will tell us why our lives are sacred and todays Gospel will show us what to do about it. 

We read in the book of Genesis: “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them”. (Ge 1:27). Jews and Christians have taken this very seriously and sought to understand what it means to be created in the image of God. Catholics have emphasized that God has revealed himself to us as the “Trinity”. Three persons in one being bound together by love. God is least badly understood as a community even a family. Therefore, we are created to be in relationship with God but also with each other. To paraphrase a key Church teaching: “a human person is not a solitary but a social being, and unless men and women relate themselves to others, they can neither live nor develop their potential” (Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 12). 

Continue reading “Homily – 14th Sunday Ordinary Time (Fr. Smith)” →

Good morning, everyone.

It’s a great joy to be with you here at Saint Charles as we welcome into our community.

I’m sorry I got to get this right. I’m sorry. Olivia Ray and Margot Michel.

Yeah. I should know who I am welcoming into the community, but I guess I have a little bit of a pass because I haven’t been around for a while.

Continue reading “Homily – 13th Sunday Ordinary Time (Fr. Gribowich)” →