Lent – Life on the Chrism Trail

Homily for Palm Sunday

April 13, 2025
St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas

Isaiah 50:4-7
Psalm 22
Philippians 2:6-11
Luke 22:14-23:56

Among the many lessons I learned from the dedicated ministry and vocation of the Franciscan sisters who taught me in grade school was how to prepare each night for death by making an act of perfect contrition. The sisters were clear that preparation for death was not just preparation for an event but was truly preparation to meet Jesus who loved each of us unconditionally as our friend by giving us the gift of life eternal through His death freely offered on the Cross. The sisters wisely instructed us that an “act of contrition is not a magic formula, it is an honest conversation with a friend — Jesus.” She added, “simply speak the name of Jesus in love to Him, with sadness for your sins, confidently say ‘My Jesus, have mercy.’” I have found that these four simple words are helpful for meditating on God’s love and mercy.

April 13, 2025

Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Lent

April 6, 2025
University Catholic Center of University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, Texas

Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalm 126:1-2,2-3, 4-5, 6
Philippians 3:8-14
John 8:1-11

Pope Francis in bringing to conclusion the extraordinary Jubilee year of Mercy in 2016 entitled his apostolic letter with that very phrase — Miseria et Misericordia — thus highlighting the interpretation that Saint Augustine gave to this seminal passage of the Scriptures. The Holy Father wrote: “It would be difficult to imagine a more beautiful or apt way of expressing the mystery of God’s love when it touches the sinner: ‘the two of them alone remained: mercy with misery.’ What great mercy and divine justice shine forth in this narrative!”

April 6, 2025

2025 Mass of Reparation for Victims and Survivors of Abuse

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent

April 5, 2025
St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church
Flower Mound, Texas

Jeremiah 11:18-20
Psalm 7:2-3, 9b-12
John 7:40-53

The first reading from Jeremiah speaks of corrupt religious and government leaders who hate the truth and collude in plots to destroy and kill the young Jeremiah who is upsetting the status quo by his speaking the truth in fidelity to God’s command. Jeremiah calls all to conversion from their dishonest ways. The plight of Jeremiah foreshadows the coming of Jesus as the Christ who will suffer rejection and death from His own people and the hands of their leadership.

April 5, 2025

Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent

March 30, 2025
St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas

Joshua 5:9a, 10-12
Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

In today’s Gospel from Luke, we find Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem and engaged in a discussion with the Scribes and Pharisees. They are watching for Him to make a mistake and find a reason to judge and to condemn Him since “He welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So, Jesus instructs them by telling them a parable.

March 30, 2025

Homily for the First Sunday of Lent

February 18, 2024
Saint Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas

Genesis 9:8-15
Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
1 Peter 3:18-22
Mark 1:12-15

The covenant between God and Noah symbolized by the rainbow foreshadows the covenant between God and the Church; the waters of the flood indicate the waters of Baptism – they bring life not death; the ark symbolizes the Church. Just as Noah and his family received refuge in the ark from death by being carried upon the waters of the flood, so, God offers us refuge in the Church from the death of sin and its punishments by carrying us upon the waters of Baptism that open for us the gates of eternal life.

February 18, 2024

Homily for Chrism Mass

April 4, 2023
St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas

Isaiah 61:1-3, 6a,8-9
Psalm 89:21-22, 25, 27
Revelation 1:5-8
Luke 4:16-21

“To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his Blood, who has made us into a Kingdom, priests for His God and Father, to Him be glory and power forever and ever.” Christ has freed us from our sins by His Blood. He has made us a Kingdom and His priests for His God and Father. These words of the Book of Revelation concisely reveal the mystery of our redemption won for us by Christ in His suffering and His love.

April 5, 2023

Homily for Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

April 2, 2023
St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas

Isaiah 50:4-7
Psalm 22
Philippians 2:6-11
Matthew 26:14-27:66

Throughout Lent we have been following Jesus on His journey to Jerusalem. We have done so like the first disciples but with the difference being that we know and are confident of His victory. Yet, even with this confidence born of faith we have traveled with Him to the heights in the shadow of the cross – His cross and our share in the cross. Perhaps we have struggled with our Lenten resolutions. Perhaps we have not tried very hard to maintain them. Perhaps we have approached them in a spirit of self-improvement and have failed in the face of what seems to us to be the futile inevitability of sin and selfishness. Nonetheless, we stand here today with an unavoidable decision to remain with the initially enthusiastic but eventually fickle and defeated crowd, or to proceed with Jesus to the victorious culmination of His Passion and Resurrection.

April 2, 2023

Homily for the Fifth Sunday in Lent

March 26, 2023
St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas

Ezekiel 37:12-14
Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
Romans 8:8-11
John 11:1-45

Martha’s statement and Mary’s tears convey what all of us think and what all of us are feeling when death snatches from us a loved one. Mary’s tears are those of deep grief and fear at the death of her brother with only a sense that what was familiar, safe, and pleasant is now gone. Martha’s statement to Jesus speaks a firm knowledge based upon her clear perception of appearances. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Implied by this statement is the question, “Where were you?” “It’s only two miles away.” “Didn’t you know, and don’t you care?” Martha’s words and Mary’s tears each articulate our emotions that we experience in the face of the cruelty of death, “Lord, if you were here” (but you weren’t) he would not have died.” “You could have prevented this” (but you didn’t.). If you were here, your compassion would have saved Lazarus.

March 26, 2023