Deep Calls to Deep Roc Homily – 32nd Sunday Ordinary Time 2015
“…you have come to the aid of your people with your divinity and even fashioned a remedy out of our mortality that the cause of our downfall might become the means of our salvation through Christ the Lord.” – A strong undercurrent that runs through the Gospel of Mark has to do with “the Two Ways” – the way […]
Roc Homily – All Saints Day 2015
“Blessed are the Poor in Spirit” – It seems to me that this year our feast day is about Saint-Making. How? By receiving Jesus instruction (Sermon on the Mount) as disciples – those willing to learn today – who have been part of the crowd of the lame, blind, and deaf. Today’s theme, as it were comes […]
024 – ThE BurDeN of PerfectionIsM ThE FifTh – The Terror of Human Vulnerability
THe BurdEn of Perfectionism ThE FifTh: The Terror of Human Vulnerability I’m not a perfectionist (probably an Idealist… slightly different) but I connect with perfectionists at the sheer terror of being vulnerable before God and others. Rather, I’ve learned to put other things – accomplishments, etc. – between me and God to distract God, others and […]
Roc Homily – Thirtieth Sunday Ordinary Time
“The Two Ways – Part 2” – The 9:00 am community at Gesu celebrated the baptism of a 7 week old boy, Jack. I held the little guy during the homily and spoke to him, having invited the congregation to listen in. Here’s a summary: The Wisdom Tradition grounds the basic gospel message of Jesus as a call […]
023-THe BurdEn of Perfectionism IV – Ever a Mess; Ever on Trial
THe BurdEn of PErfEctionisM IV Many who bear the Burden of Perfectionism live with the constant the sense of always being on trial, right there before the judge and jury. The terror of judgment has to do with not being unassailably perfect! Hence, the person makes preemptive strikes against the self to fend of divine wrath: “I’m […]
Roc Homily – Twenty-Ninth Sunday Ordinary Time = Oops
“The Two Ways” – The Wisdom Tradition grounds the basic gospel message of Jesus as a call from foolishness to wisdom. We see it here in Mark’s use of the Greek word, thelo, “to wish, want, desire.” John & James want to be recognized as great as do the scribes & Pharisees, and not seen as vulnerable. Jesus […]
The Return of the Native, of sorts…
Greetings! It’s been two months since I’ve posted. Yep. Tons of stuff has happened – I served as ‘temporary administrator’ of Gesu parish for about 6 weeks when our (former) pastor, John P. Schlegel, SJ officially resigned. I’ve been at 3 weddings, a couple funerals, was part of a St. Louis Jesuit concert (Milwaukee, […]
Roc Homily – Twentieth Sunday Ordinary Time
“The Bread of Life Discourse IV” – Believing in the Word means abiding in Jesus, who abides in the Father who abides in the Son. Eating the Bread of Life means abiding in Jesus. Following the Good Shepherd means abiding contemplatively in Jesus. Remaining in the True Vine means abiding in Jesus contemplatively. And this passage […]
Roc Homily – Nineteenth Sunday Ordinary Time 2015
“The Bread of Life Discourse III” – The several days I spent hiking in the Grand Canyon last week intensified this question for me: “What is the difference between that which is transitory and that which endures?” One way this gospel addresses this is through the (implicitly stated) connect between eating the bread of life and […]
Roc Homily – Eighteenth Sunday Ordinary Time 2015
“The Bread of Life Discourse II” – This week’s gospel from John reveals us to ourselves by identifying with the crowds and their hungers, our hungers. “You are not looking for me because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food […]
Deep Calls to Deep 