March 2025
February 2025
February 23, 2025, The 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Homilist: Deacon Dave LaFortune
Before I begin my homily, I want to take a moment to thank all of you for the get-well cards and your prayers for my recovery over the past few months. I’m very thankful to be back. Hopefully, my health will continue to improve. With that said, let us begin my homily.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The book of Samuel tells us about an odd, random encounter in the ongoing conflict between Saul and David. Please suspend your knowledge of David for a minute because we know that he does some fairly dreadful things later on. But for now, David is standing, both literally and figuratively, on the high ground. Saul was dealing with an external conflict–war with the Philistines–and an internal political conflict–war with David.
Hate to say this, but that is our context today. We have both military and political conflicts raging right now. So how do we respond to our context?
David acts as the model for us: be merciful. We hear that same invitation to be merciful echoed in today’s Responsorial Psalm and the Gospel.
But what does it mean to be merciful?
About a month ago, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington DC, Bishop Mariann Budde, delivered a homily at the interfaith prayer service following Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration. Her sermon called for compassion and mercy toward marginalized groups. Trump and some of his supporters criticized her remarks, while other public figures and church leaders supported her. If you read the entirety of Bishop Budde’s homily, you’ll see she was asking President Trump to be merciful.
So, again, what does it mean to be merciful?
Jesus commanded his disciples to live counter-culturally. In his culture, hating your enemy was expected. You were supposed to curse people who cursed you. You didn’t pray for people who mistreated you, and turning the other check added injury to insult; you were expected to fight back. Furthermore, you never lend anything to anyone that couldn’t repay you.
Jesus’ definition of mercy is very proactive. He calls us to love our enemies, and that’s an action verb. In fact, everything he says that we should do is an action: bless, pray, offer, don’t withhold, don’t demand, don’t judge, don’t condemn but instead forgive! Ultimately, this way of living helps ourselves by doing unto others as we would have them do unto us! It’s the golden rule, and a critical part of the Lord Prayer: ” . . . forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
Do you realize most faith traditions have some form of the golden rule?
For example:
- Islam: “Not one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother or sister what he desires for himself.”
- Judaism: “What does the Lord require of thee but to do justly, and love mercy and walk humbly with thy God.
- Buddhism: “Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love.”
- Shinto: “Be charitable to all beings; love is the representation of God.”
I could go on, but you get the point: Being merciful is about putting love into action.
In our opening prayer today, we asked that we may carry out in word and deed that which is pleasing to God. We cannot simply give lip service to love. If we are to be disciples, then we must put some flesh on our words. Jesus does not merely invite us to live counter-culturally but demands it. We live in a world that embraces hatred in all its forms. Our counter to hatred is not more hatred; it is more love! When one of our brothers or sisters in our human family is wounded: by racism, Antisemitism, or sexism, or any of the ‘isms’, we are all wounded. Hatred chips away at our humanity.
It’s love and love alone that “re-“ humanizes us and helps us to imitate this God whom we profess. Let us pray today that God will help us be more merciful, to be more loving toward our brothers and sisters, and especially toward our enemies. That is what Jesus demands of us–to put our love into action by being more merciful and more loving to everyone we meet. Amen.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Homily for February 9, 2025, 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
Homilist: Deacon Doug Farwell
None Are Worthy Without Christ
Our scriptures today are about the calling of God of three popular figures of the Bible, both in the Old Testament and New Testament. Each one when experiencing God or Jesus saw himself as unworthy. It reminds me of when I’d just entered the formation of the Diaconate—of how I considered myself unworthy for ordination. Many of the men at formation had the same thoughts as we learned in conversations with each other. Our feelings of inadequacy were put to rest once the deacon who taught our Deacon Formation class walked in one day and said to us, “None of you are worthy . . . without Christ!”
It’s true. None of us—you or me—are worthy without Christ, and neither were Isaiah, Paul, nor Peter.
Last week, we read from the prophet Malachi who referenced a refiner’s fire in purifying silver and gold. Malachi used the refiner’s fire as an analogy to the Day of the Lord. In Malachi’s day, this messenger is Elijah.
In the Gospels, however, Jesus refers to the messenger as John the Baptist. Either way, when the Day of the Lord comes, it will be the same: The wicked will be consumed by fire. And what’s left behind will be purified, for God can purify those seeking repentance. God sent Jesus to take away sins by his sacrifice, leaving salvation for people of all nations.
Called to His Will
This week, we hear of three prominent figures in scripture who didn’t have a clue about God’s plans for them. Yet they all became pivotal characters in the salvific history of Israel and Christianity. Each of these chosen men came from different backgrounds and different experiences of a calling that resulted in conversion.
Much the same can be said of other prophets and disciples called by God to do His Will.
Upon encountering the Holy One, most are reluctant at first to embrace their calling, but once they surrendered their will to His—becoming open to the grace and compassion of God intervening in their lives—they respond without further reservation.
God’s response to Isaiah’s confession as a man with unclean lips is one that all of us long to hear: “your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.” When a hot ember is touched to his lips, Isaiah’s sins are removed, cauterizing his impurities and leaving behind cleanliness. Despite God’s desire and initiative, though, Isaiah is still afforded the freedom to choose.
Paul after his conversion, still had the freedom to choose and embraces the humility of calling himself, “the least of the apostles.”
After experiencing the power of Jesus, Peter felt unworthy to be in Jesus’ presence, but responded to Jesus’ invitation to be a fisher of men.
These sinful men’s humble admission of their own unworthiness is not in vain but allows the goodness and mercy of God to become manifest through them. By surrendering to God, they allow God’s works to begin in them.
The Miracle of the Eucharist and Our Own Calling
Today’s scriptures stories can relate to our own stories as we’re also called by God at one time or another. How do I know this? Because as baptized Christians, we are mandated to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord.
As each of the men in our scripture readings today encountered a miracle that shook them to the core, we are also called in one way or another to serve God and the people.
Imagine how you would react right now if this church shook and filled with smoke!
Or if we received a miracle as Peter did, or like Paul, were at first blinded, heard Jesus’ voice speaking to us, and then regained our sight.
The revelations of Isaiah, Paul and Peter may not be as prevalent as we heard today, yet we have something more spectacular and a miracle itself: The Eucharist, where the ordinary substances of bread and wine become the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. And likewise, our partaking of this Sacrament takes away our sins and leaves us cleansed and pure.
While we might not have the bold revelations we heard today in our scripture readings, we’re still witnesses to the omnipotence of God in the Eucharist. Through the Eucharist, we have the same freedom of choice to believe or not believe, to follow or not to follow.
Would you recognize the power of God in your presence and answer the call?
Most of us are confident enough to preach Christ died, Christ buried, and Christ resurrected. Preaching the Good News may not be as a clergy or a catechist, but your calling might your example of living a Christian life to those you work or interact with daily.
Or you may be called to care for the poor, the hungry, and the oppressed , or just simply love your neighbor in need.
Each of us has been given charisms to evangelize—to manifest what it is to be a Christian.
By whatever mean, we are disciples through God’s initiative and called to service in God’s realm.
Will you answer the call when the Lord asks, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?”
January 2025
Homily January 5, 2025, Epiphany (Year C)
Homilist: Deacon Doug Farwell
Things Revealed
Today we honor the “mystery of the manifestation of Our Lord, Jesus Christ to all peoples.” This feast day began in the East in the 3rd century. Today’s celebration embraces the visit of the Magi, Jesus’ baptism, and His first miracle at Cana. Together they represent God’s appearance to mankind. Today’s Epiphany presents us with Jesus’ divinity, and we come to understand that His saving work is available to all.
The Epiphany season lasts from January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, to the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The length of the season can vary from 4-9 weeks, depending on the date of Easter. This year, the season will be almost nine weeks as Ash Wednesday falls on March 5th.
The Epiphany season is a time to reflect on the events demonstrating Jesus’ divinity. Epiphany can be referred to as the “Theophany” from the Greek theophaneia, which means “appearance of a deity.”
Today’s reading from Isaiah is upbeat and brims with radiance and glory. It’s written about the time of the Israelites’ release from exile and their return to Jerusalem. Divine promises are fulfilled. The prophets foresee the recreation of the covenant people, the city of Zion, and God’s presence among them, or in Hebrew “shekina,” meaning the unveiled, glorious presence of Yahweh. This shekina glory is also revealed in St. John’s prophecies in the Book of Revelations.
This glory revealed would be for all nations, and we also hear the wealth of all nations (in this case: Midian, Ephah, and Sheba) “shall be brought to you.” God’s restoration of Israel will be seen by all nations as the salvation of the Lord, the one true God.
This further foreshadows what will happen with the coming of the Christ.
God’s Plan of Salvation All Along: Jesus.
Today’s Psalm is called, “A prayer for the King.” It’s a hymn composed for the Davidic monarchy but also speaks of the future messiah. A king represents God as an instrument of divine justice. Thus, all nations bearing gifts recognize God’s salvific work, and the Messiah/King would bring God’s justice, liberation, and help for the oppressed and needy.
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians strongly emphasizes that God’s plan of salvation can only reach completion through the united Body of Jesus Christ. At the time of Paul, it was through hand-picked Apostles and prophets who spread the word. But today, we’ve become the instruments God uses since we, through our baptism, have become coheirs–members of the same body of Christ–as priests, prophets, and kings.
Our gospel reading today is as familiar to us as Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol. We look upon this Christmas story not only as a historical event, but also as the manifestation (i.e., a sign that something exists) of Our Lord. Christ is the manifestation of God’s glory. However, we need to dissect this to understand the significance of this gospel that was first revealed in the Old Testament .
We’re told of these Magi coming from the East, indicating they’re Gentiles. In Matthew’s Gospel, they are the first to pay homage to the infant “King of the Jews.” As astrologers, they understood the great star’s appearance to proclaim the birth of a ruler. They also knew from scripture about Balaam’s oracle found in Numbers, Chapter 24:17, that “a star shall advance from Jacob.” There is an irony here as it’s the scribes and Pharisees, quoting scriptures, who direct these Gentile Magi to Bethlehem, the birthplace of the coming Messiah. (The scripture Pharisees and scribes quoted came from the Old Testament prophet Micah from whom we heard on the 4th Sunday of Advent.)
Micah references the one who is to “shepherd Israel,” possibly alluding to the shepherd-king David and the ancestral lineage of which Jesus hails. Another reference to the Messiah comes from Ezekiel, Chapter 34:15, from which God promises in the age of salvation, “I myself will pasture my sheep.” Finally, the Magi’s gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh proffered as gifts to the baby Jesus symbolize Christ’s kingship, his divinity, and his suffering as we heard today from our first reading from Isaiah.
Saving Us from Ourselves
Christ became incarnate in our world, manifesting God’s presence and plan to save the world from itself. Sin could only be conquered through the life, death, and resurrection of the One who would reveal God’s glory to all nations. This gospel proclaims the “shekina” glory of God through Christ.
Through scripture, such as we have heard today, we hear of Christ’s manifestation. But today. our shekina glory is present in the Eucharist, where God’s salvation come to us in the real presence of the Body and Blood.
Our Lord doesn’t need gifts of gold, frankincense or myrrh. What He wants from us is the gift of ourselves.
Finally, we heard today that, having been warned in a dream about Herod’s plot to kill the infant Jesus, the Magi returned to their countries by another route.
As Bishop Fulton Sheen remarked so magnificently: “Of course they [the Magi] did; for no one comes to Christ and goes back the same way he came!”