Homily

4 Easter Sunday

22 April 2018 at St. Peter the Apostle and St. William Churches in Naples, FL

Acts of the Apostles 4, 8-12 + Psalm 118 + 1 John 3, 1-2 + John 10, 11-18

Seven times in John’s Gospel Jesus says: “I am.” Now pay attention. There might be a quiz! I am the Bread of Life. I am the Light of the World. I am the Gate. I am the Resurrection and the Life. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. I am the Vine. Now today, I am the Good Shepherd. Each of these rely on an Old Testament image of God, but only one describes a human role. Jesus has just had an altercation with the Pharisees who have objected that he healed a blind man on the Sabbath. … more »

3 Easter Sunday

15 April 2018 at St. Peter the Apostle and St. William Churches in Naples, FL

Acts of the Apostles 3, 13-15, 17-19 + Psalm 4 + 1 John 2, 1-5 + Luke 24, 35-48

In all four of the Gospels, Jesus is on a journey to Jerusalem. That is the focus of his life, and the center of his mission. These disciples are not just grieving, they are all mixed up. Maybe their grieving is an excuse, but the fact is, they are going the wrong way. The whole life of Jesus, and the message of the Gospels, takes us to Jerusalem, to the cross. Those disciples are going away from the cross, and I suppose we tell their story because too often we are doing the same thing. … more »

2 Easter Sunday

8 April 2018 on Board the MS Amsterdam

Acts of the Apostles 4, 32-35 + Psalm 118 + 1 John 5, 1-6 + John 20, 19-31

This story is about fear as much as it is about faith. It explores the two experiences and reveals how fear is to be overcome. In my opinion, fear is the first human experience. Did anyone ever hear of a new born baby giggling or laughing? The first and deepest fear in all humanity is the fear of being alone, of being abandoned. That fear is what causes us so often to be terrified of death which is why we need to tell this story at the beginning of the Easter Season. … more »

Easter Sunday

1 April 2018 at St Peter the Apostle and St William Churches in Naples, FL

Acts of the Apostles 10,34, 37-43 + Psalm 118 + Colossians 3, 1-4 + John 20, 1-9

In all four of the Gospels as the Resurrection is reported, someone goes into the tomb. Matthew, Mark, and Luke have the women go in. John sends in Peter and the Beloved Disciple. They all go in, and they all come out just like Jesus. Our proclamation of the Resurrection today cannot be simply a repetition of these ancient reports about Jesus. We must confirm from our own experience that what is in a tomb will come out, and when that happens, it is a new day, a new beginning, a new man or woman full of life, promise, and hope. … more »

The Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

25 March 2018 at Saint Peter and Saint William Churches in Naples, FL

Isaiah 50, 4-7 + Psalm 22 + Philippians 2, 6-11 + Mark 14, 1 to 15, 47

Too often suffering is seen as a punishment from God, but nothing could be further from the truth. God does not punish. God saves. The only reason God allows suffering is that good can come from it. Our pain can, if we allow it, bring us closer to God. Comfort comes from knowing that Jesus Christ, innocent and without sin, has gone down the road of

suffering before us all the way to the end. We are reminded that in the midst of his suffering, he cared about others, the women of Jerusalem, the thieves hanging with him, and of course, his mother. … more »

The Fifth Sunday in Lent

18 March 2018 at Saint Peter and Saint William Churches in Naples, FL

Jeremiah 31, 31-34 + Psalm 51 + Hebrews 5, 7-9 + John 12, 20-33

It is not just the Greeks who want to see Jesus. This whole world wants to see Jesus, but like many at the time, when Jesus doesn’t look, act, or talk the way they want, they keep on looking. Last week I read a little story about a blind man who had set up a table to sell some things in a busy and crowded airport. Someone rushing by bumped into the table and everything fell to the floor as the one rushing to a plane kept on going. … more »

The Fourth Sunday in Lent

11 March 2018 at Saint Peter and Saint William Churches in Naples, FL

2 Chronicles 36, 14-16, 19-23 + Psalm 137 + Ephesians 2, 4-10 + John 3, 14-21

There is so much in John’s Gospel about light and darkness. Think of all the things that happen at night: the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, the trial of Jesus, and the sun darkened at his death. Then there is Mary gong to the tomb before it is light no believing what has happened. One of the great signs in John’s Gospel is the healing of man born blind – someone who has lived in the darkness. Into what is almost a cosmic struggle between night and day, light and darkness comes this figure of Nicodemus. … more »

The Third Sunday in Lent

4 March 2018 at Saint Peter and Saint William Churches in Naples, FL

Exodus 20, 1-17 + Psalm 19 + 1 Corinthians 1, 22-25 + John 2, 13-25

We are accustomed to think of this scene as the last act of conflict that moves Jesus into his passion. That is because Matthew, Mark, and Luke place this incident at the conclusion of the ministry and journey of Jesus to Jerusalem. For them, this is the set-up for the violent reaction of the authorities. But today, we hear John’s version of this incident, and it is only the second chapter of John’s Gospel. Something different is going on. This is about authority and identity. For the other Gospel writers, that is settled by a Baptism and voices. … more »

The Second Sunday in Lent

25 February 2018 At Saint Peter and Saint William Churches in Naples, FL

Genesis 22, 1-2,9, 10-13, 15-19 + Psalm 116 + Romans 8, 31034 + Mark 9, 2-10

In the first reading today, we must not be distracted by Isaac and his traumatic experience. That story is about Abraham. It is somewhat the same with the Gospel today. That story is about those apostles, it is not about Jesus. That voice speaks to the Apostles. Jesus already heard that voice at his Baptism.

Everything Abraham had was given to him by God. Everything, including that son who came late and marvelously into the life of Abraham and Sarah. What God asks is that Abraham return to God absolutely everything God has given him. … more »

The First Sunday in Lent

18 February 2018 At Saint Peter and Saint William Churches in Naples, FL

Genesis 9, 8-15 + Psalm 25 + 1 Peter 3, 18-22 + Mark 1, 12-15

It’s time to give some thought to the matter of Temptations says the Church on Lent’s first Sunday. Most people believe that “temptation” is the enticing of a person to do wrong. When most people think of “temptation” they think of evil, but that can’t be right, because something good can lead us astray just as much as something bad. The strength of temptation is always in direct proportion to the attractiveness of the goal. In other words, when the goal is really desired, temptations are just as great. … more »