Life on the Chrism Trail

Homily for the Memorial of Saint John Bosco

January 31, 2026
Theological College
Washington, D.C.

Philippians 4:4-9
Psalm 103:1bc-2, 3-4, 8-9, 13-14, 17-18
Matthew 18:1-5

Today the Church offers us this liturgical Memorial of Saint John Bosco, a saint of the nineteenth century who was renowned for his humble dedication to the care and education of orphaned and abandoned boys and adolescents. He and his brother Salesians accepted the responsibility of care for these young men whom the world considered to be a burden on society.

Homily for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 1, 2026
St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas

Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12-13
Psalm 146
1st Corinthians 1:26-31
Matthew 5:1-12a

“When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach…” There are two groups depicted in today’s Gospel: the crowds and the disciples. Jesus teaches His disciples, and they listen because He has called them by name, and they belong to Him. A crowd is without identity and thrives on frenzy. Crowds are pieced together by individuals who out of fear or indifference have jettisoned the responsibility that accompanies belonging as a lawful member of society in exchange for fitting in with the prevailing mood of the time. The disciples are governed by faith in God as Christ’s Church.

February 2, 2026

Homily for the Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church

January 2, 2026
SEEK Conference
Grapevine, Texas

1 John 2:22-28
Psalm 98:1-2-3ab, 3cd-4
John 1:19-28

So many of us have come here to SEEK in order to renew old friendships from last year and to establish new friendships among all of us who are gathered here this week. It is truly an opportunity for Christian friendship as we start a new year and as we continue our celebration of the liturgical season of Christmas. It is therefore providential that on this day the Church offers us the liturgical Memorial of Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory Nazianzen, because they were not only monks, not only bishops, not only doctors of the Church, but above all — they were truly close Christian friends since the time of their youth during which they studied together at what would be the equivalent of their college years.

January 2, 2026

Homily for Midnight Mass

December 25, 2025
St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas

Isaiah 9:1-6
Psalm 96: 1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13
Titus 2:11-14
Luke 2:1-14

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.” What is this darkness into which streams such brilliant light? What is this gloom prophesied by Isaiah? This darkness and gloom is the experience of a newborn child being born in a filthy stable and resting in a trough because he and his parents are not wanted so that there is no other room for them within a human society; valued only for enumeration in the census ordered by Caesar. The gloom of rejection that will shadow this child’s life through His Passion and Death is present even tonight.

December 25, 2025

Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

December 21, 2025
St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas

Isaiah 7:10-14
Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Romans 1:1-7
Matthew 1:18-24

At this Eucharist on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, the Church provides us with a set of readings from Scripture that present us with two different paths on which we are free to travel but on which only one leads us to God-with us-Emmanuel. There is the way of Ahaz and there is the way of Saint Joseph, the righteous man. The way of fantasy and cunning or the way of dreams and grace.

December 22, 2025

Homily for the First Sunday of Advent

Mass of Dedication and Blessing of New Altar

November 29, 2025
St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church
Roanoke, Texas

Isaiah 2:1-5
Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Romans 13:11-14
Matthew 24:37-44

This present moment is most precious in the life of your parish, in the life of the Diocese of Fort Worth, and in the life of the entire Church. This present moment marks the blessing of this new space and dedication of the altar for your liturgical worship as a parish and for your catechetical and fellowship needs as a parish and community of faith. This present moment begins the new liturgical year on this first Sunday of Advent, when begin our preparation for the coming of Christ.

November 29, 2025

Homily for All Souls Day

November 2, 2025
Casa Santa Maria
Rome, Italy

Wisdom 3:1-9
Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
Romans 5:5-11
John 6:37-40

Last weekend here in Rome you set your clocks back one hour. This weekend in most of the United States we turn our clocks back one hour to try and rescue some of the daylight that quickly disappears this time of year. We love the daylight because it helps us to use our time better for work and to enjoy our time together. In a certain sense, the setting of our clocks back one hour as part of Daylight Savings Time is an attempt by us to stave off the darkness that inevitably comes with winter. It is as if we compromise with time to negotiate with the darkness instead of simply accepting the light as it is given.

November 2, 2025

Homily for the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

World Mission Sunday

October 19, 2025
St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church
Prosper, Texas

Exodus 17:8-13
Psalm 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
2 Timothy 3:14-4:2
Luke 18:1-8

In 1926 Pope Pius XI decreed that each year on the penultimate Sunday of October, the Church would keep a day dedicated to World Missions to remind all Catholics of our shared responsibility to promote the spread of the authentic Gospel in every conceivable way. We can and should support missionary work with our financial gifts, but even more we must seek to live as faithful disciples and loving friends of the Lord Jesus and so bear witness to everyone we meet that Jesus Christ is Lord.

October 19, 2025