Over the past three weeks, the 15^th, 16^th and 17^th Sundays of Ordinary Time- Year A, the Sunday Gospel has been taken from a series of parables from the Gospel of Matthew. These parables have centered around the image of a gardener who plants abundantly, a garden where weeds grow up among good plants, and a treasure that has been found in a field. All of these parables provide wonderful material for reflection on our faith, the gift that it is and how we respond to this gift. One of the themes that came forward from the parish council’s survey this past Spring was in regard to further catechesis and formation in order that people might participate more fully in the celebration of the Eucharist. It occurred to me as a good idea to respond to that theme by giving a few homilies on the Mass and how we might all enter into it with greater appreciation and understanding of what we are participating in as we celebrate. That theme went well with these parables.  I was asked to post these homilies together. They appear together below. Continue reading →

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time—Year A

The Gospel of Matthew today continues the series of parables that we have been listening to these past few weeks with parables about the treasures that one finds buried in a field and is willing to trade everything to obtain. For the Church, the greatest treasure that it knows of is Christ and the eternal life that He has won for us through His life, death and resurrection. The Christian is to have so much confidence in Christ, and His victory over death, that we are to be willing to give everything to obtain that salvation. However, because it is often difficult to remember that Christ has won salvation for us through His life, death and resurrection, Jesus has commanded us to celebrate the Eucharist every Sunday “in remembrance” of Him so that we may be strengthened to live our faith with the Sacrament of His Body and Blood.

This Sunday, I will conclude the three-part homily on the Mass by speaking about the high point of the celebration of Mass, the Eucharistic Liturgy and the Dismissal Rites, which send us out into the world to bring to others the same Christ whom we have received in the Eucharist at Mass. Let’s start with the Eucharistic Liturgy. Continue reading →