Homily for the Twenty-first Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 27, 2023
St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas
Isaiah 22:19-23
Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 6, 8
Romans 11:33-36
Matthew 16:13-20
In our second reading today, taken from Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Romans – Saint Paul abandons himself to the Mystery of God, whose judgments are inscrutable and whose ways are unsearchable. While Saint Paul is speaking particularly about the question of Israel’s destiny, his point is that only the truly wise and prepared are humble enough to acknowledge that they really do not know – “the when,” “the how,” and “the why” of God’s call to them. Paul faithfully trusts the One whom no one can fully comprehend but who is revealed to us fully in Jesus Christ. Thus should each of us believe that God is upright and will never reject us His People – His Church – even when we cannot grasp the details of the entire picture.
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Homily for Saturday of the Twentieth Week of Ordinary Time
Mass for Saint Andrew Breakfast
August 26, 2023
Saint Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas
Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17
Psalm 128:1b-2, 3, 4, 5
Matthew 23:1-12
“Let me go and glean ears of grain in the field of anyone who will allow me that favor.” Gleaning is the practice of gathering the leftover pieces of grain that remained on the ground after the wheat was harvested. Gleaning was forbidden for the owners of the field because it was to be left behind for God who in His Providence would give it to the poor who in turn would gather it themselves. This action recognizes the priority of the poor in the eyes of God and everybody’s reliance upon God for their flourishing in life. It also speaks against the deadly sin of greed. It seems that greed dominates so many people and motivates many to ignore the needs of others and to sin in other ways.
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Homily for the Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 20, 2023
St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas
Isaiah 56:1,6-7
Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8
Romans 11:13-15, 29-32
Matthew 15:21-28
In our second reading from Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans, he tells the Gentiles, to whom he has been sent for their salvation, that he boasts about them to inspire his fellow Jews to listen to the Gospel with the same ears of faith that it might take root in their lives with the fulfillment of their identity as God’s chosen people as the Gospel has begun to blossom in the lives of the Gentiles. He mentions that the Gentiles were once strangers to God, but now God has bestowed His grace on the Gentiles just as Isaiah had prophesied. In so doing, Saint Paul reminds the Gentiles of his time and us today, that God’s gifts are irrevocable so we should not settle for anything less than what God offers us completely in Christ through our Baptism, Confirmation and ongoing sacramental life centered on the Eucharist that is not simply formulaic ritual. Not only are these gifts irrevocable, but they are also intended for everybody and not simply for an elite group of the perfect.
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Homily for Mass with the Blessing of a New Pipe Organ
August 17, 2023
St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church
Flower Mound, Texas
Ephesians 5:15-20
Psalm 47
Luke 1:39-47
As we gather this evening to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and within this celebration to ask God’s blessing upon this new pipe organ that will be used to praise God beautifully and fittingly, we listen to the words of the Gospel of Luke describe the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary with her elder kinswoman, Saint Elizabeth, the pregnant mother of Saint John the Baptist. This reading of the Gospel then concludes with the first words of Our Lady’s “Song of Praise,” the Magnificat: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”
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Homily for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
August 15, 2023
Nolan Catholic High School
Fort Worth, Texas
Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
Psalm 45:10, 11, 12, 16
First Corinthians 15:20-27
Luke 1:39-56
Mary’s positive response to the Archangel Gabriel’s message of God’s invitation to her was to travel in haste to attend in love to her pregnant cousin, Elizabeth, whose pregnancy would be replete with many difficulties because of her advanced age. Mary’s journey is made “in haste” because the mission of the Lord defies indifference and passivity; it is a vocation; it possesses a dignity and importance requiring urgency and mindfulness for it is given and can only be received in love. Mary’s response to Elizabeth’s greeting is a song, an outpouring of joy for what God has done in her life. Through her song, Mary heralds the victory of her Son over the dragon of indifference, selfishness, and hatred.
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Homily for the Memorial of Maximilian Kolbe
Mass for Convocation of Teachers of the Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Fort Worth
August 14, 2023
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church
Keller, Texas
1st John 3:14-18
Psalm 116:10-11, 12-13, 16ac-17
John 15:12-16
“Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good He has done for me?”
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Homily for the Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 13, 2023
St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas
1 Kings 19:9A-11-13A
Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:22-33
Today in our Sunday Mass we will also celebrate what is known as the Rite of Reception of Candidacy for Isaac McCracken, a seminarian for the Diocese of Fort Worth. The Rite of Candidacy is an official step in the process of priestly formation.
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Homily for Institution of Lectors and Acolytes
August 12, 2023
St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas
Deuteronomy 6:3-9
Psalm 19:8-11
Acts: 2:42-47
Luke 24:44-48
“Hear then, Israel, and be careful to observe them, that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly; for the LORD, the God of your ancestors, promised you a land flowing with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel! — The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!
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