Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #A-730437.

Transcript:

This particular scene that is recorded in Matthew – as well as the other Synoptics – is a very important one, because it really is a point where the beginning of transition takes place in the gospel. Jesus, in the prior episodes recorded by Matthew, has fed the 5,000, has walked on the sea, has fed the 4,000, and so there is this culmination of activity by which Jesus has been manifesting his identity.

And now he asks the disciples – and particularly we’re focused here on the Twelve – Jesus asked them who do the people say that I am? What have you been hearing from the people? As we have gone through these different experiences, and the response that comes back is some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the prophets, or they’re kind of pulling together all the they have heard in the murmuring of the people as they have experienced these different events.

Continue reading “21st Sunday Ordinary Time – Homily (Msgr. LoPinto)” →

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #A-730437.

The Jesus who we see in today’s gospel is disconcerting. His treatment of the Canaanite woman seems dismissive and condescending. Is this the good shepherd? Yes, it is, but here he is speaking and more to the point acting as a prophet. The Jews who first heard and observed him would have understood immediately as would the members of Matthew’s community who were born Jews. Those born gentile and indeed we ourselves may need some background to understand what Jesus is saying and doing and how it affects us. 

As on only child I bring a particularly valuable perspective to this passage because it has to do with being chosen. Only children are chosen. We are the center of the universe for our parents who must be particularly careful that we do not think that we are the center of the universe for anyone else. Otherwise the singleton can easily become an insufferable prig. This was the case with the Jewish people. They were chosen by God and he both lavished his unconditioned love on them but also needed to show “tough love” lest they forget that they were missionaries to the Nations. They were called indeed created and formed to make the presence of God known beyond their tribes or nation. 

Continue reading “20th Sunday Ordinary Time – Homily (Fr. Smith)” →

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #A-730437.

Transcript:

I think to be able to come to grips with the Gospel selection of today, it is important to connect it with the Gospel of last week, when we saw Jesus feed the thousands with the five loaves and the two fish. If you remember that story, the disciples come to him and tell Jesus to let the people go home because they’re concerned that there isn’t food for them and there are no places in that vicinity where they will be able to buy food.

Jesus says to them, well tell me what you have. And they say all we have are five loaves of bread and two fish – what good will that do with all these people? Remember the number that’s given us is five thousand plus the women and children.

And Jesus simply says to them, bring me what you have. And he blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them to distribute. And all of the people are fed, and there are 12 baskets left over.

The story picks up here. Jesus says to the disciples that they should get in the boat and they should go to the other side and he’ll meet them there. And then he dismisses the crowd and he goes off to pray on the mountain alone.

Continue reading “19th Sunday Ordinary Time – Msgr. LoPinto Homily” →

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #A-730437.

Transcript:

Whenever St Matthew makes a reference to a previous event, he is telling us to take it very seriously. He begins today with “when Jesus heard of it”. The it was the section immediately preceding this one usually called the martyrdom of St John the Baptist. Yet Matthew will emphasize the dinner at which it occurred and as we prepare for the next stage in our lives as Christians in general and members of St Charles Borromeo church in particular so should we.  

Continue reading “18th Sunday Ordinary Time – Fr. Smith Homily” →

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Transcript:

With today’s parables, we come to the end of that section of Matthew where he has his presentation of the parables of Jesus. And all of those parables basically are related to the Kingdom of God. You’ll see that even more focused today in the parables that are presented. 

But I would suggest to you that Jesus is talking more than just about the kingdom of God, the magnificence of the Kingdom – how precious it is, how radiant it is, how wonderful it is – but he is actually talking about the life of a disciple. 

Continue reading “17th Sunday Ordinary Time – Homily (Msgr. LoPinto)” →

Transcript:

We come to this 15^th year [Sunday] in ordinary time. We listen to 3 very powerful scripture passages: one from Isaiah – and a very interesting one from Isaiah, because it factually passage at the end of the second book of Isaiah, just before the people are returning from exile. The reading from Romans began as great, for it speaks about the growing of all creation as it awaits the final resolution of God in regard to human history – all of history. Continue reading “15th Sunday Ordinary Time – Homily (Msgr. LoPinto)” →