Category: Homilies

My homily for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) as preached during the 5.30 pm Saturday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. This Sunday also marks Australia Day and the first Sunday of the Word of God. The readings proclaimed were Isaiah 32:15-18; Romans 12:9-13; Matthew 5:2-12. "How can we be both… Continue reading Homilies: 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

My homily for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) as preached during the 9.30 am Mass in the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings were Isaiah 49:3, 5-6; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3; John 1:29-34. "The introduction to Paul's first letter to the Church of God in Corinth, though exceedingly formal and formulaic, reminds us… Continue reading Homilies: 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

My homily for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord as preached during the 9.30 am Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings were Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-5; Matthew 2:1-12. "Like the Magi, many people know they are seeking something 'more' because of something within themselves, or because of their own 'wisdom',… Continue reading Homilies: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

My homily for the 4th Sunday of Advent (Year A) as preached during the 5.30 pm Saturday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings were Isaiah 7:10-14; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-24. "The arrival of Jesus is prophesied as Emmanuel - as 'God is with us'. The present tense of the name given by… Continue reading Homilies: 4th Sunday of Advent, Year A

My homily for the 3rd Sunday of Advent (Year A) as preached during the 5.30 pm Saturday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings were: Isaiah 35:1-6, 10; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11. "Jesus responds to the question of John's disciples by asking what they had seen and heard? The actions of Jesus in… Continue reading Homilies: 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year A

My homily for the 2nd Sunday of Advent (Year A) as preached during the 9.30 am Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12. "Isaiah's prophecy of the Messiah presents a challenge to those people of John the Baptist's day, whose idea of the Messiah had been… Continue reading Homilies: 2nd Sunday of Advent (Year A)

My homily for the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A) as preached during the 5 pm Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were: Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44. "Today we begin our journey through Advent - and indeed a whole new liturgical year. The Season of Advent calls us to look… Continue reading Homilies: 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A)

My homily for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Year C) as preached during the 9.30 am Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The scriptures readings proclaimed were 2 Samuel 5:1-3; Colossians 1:12-20; Luke 23:35-43. "The kingship of Jesus is rooted not in a political settlement but in a covenantal… Continue reading Homilies: Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Year C

My homily for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 5.30 pm Saturday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were Malachi 3:19-20; 2 Thessalonians 3"7-12; Luke 21:5-19. "If we focus on trying to interpret the 'signs and wonders' in the world and their connection to the… Continue reading Homilies: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

My homily for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 9.30 am Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:16 - 3:5; Luke 20:27-38. "We don't know what eternal life will look like, yet we know that God is graciously offered… Continue reading Homilies: 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

My homily for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 5 pm Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were Wisdom 11:22 - 12:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:11 - 2:2; Luke 19:1-10. "When he looks at Zacchaeus, Jesus does not see a tax collector or a public sinner or… Continue reading Homilies: 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

My homily for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 9.30am Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were 2 Kings 5:14-17; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Luke 17:11-19. "God is always willing to lavish grace and gifts on us, to restore us to the fullness of life that God… Continue reading Homilies: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

My homily for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 5.30pm Sunday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were Sirach 3:17-20, 28-29; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24; Luke 14: 1, 7-14. "Our readings today are not just a moral lesson on the virtue of humility, but also a… Continue reading Homilies: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

My homily for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 5.30pm Saturday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were Isaiah 66:18-21; Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13; Luke 13:22-30. "The invitation to be part of God's kingdom is given at a time of God's choosing, and we are called… Continue reading Homilies: 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

My homily for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 9.30am Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton, and featuring the musical skills of Dr Anne Millard, the Cathedral's Director of Music. The readings proclaimed were Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10; Hebrews 12:1-4; Luke 12:49-53. "The dissonance in today's Gospel reminds us that… Continue reading Homilies: 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

My homily for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 5.30pm Saturday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were Wisdom 18:6-9; Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19; Luke 12:32-48. "Our Gospel reminds as to always be ready to be held accountable for the way we have lived our Christian… Continue reading Homilies: 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

My homily for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 5.30pm Saturday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The Scriptures proclaimed were Genesis 18:20-32; Colossians 2:12-14; Luke 11:1-13. "The Lord's Prayer is a wonderful yet dangerous prayer that reminds us that before all else God and God's agenda comes… Continue reading Homilies: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

My homily for Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord (Year C) as preached during the 5pm Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings were: Acts 10:34. 37-43; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-9. "The Resurrection is the birth of our hope - for salvation, for life, for all that God created us to be.… Continue reading Homilies: Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord, Year C

My homily for Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord (Year C) as preached during the 9.30am Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings were Luke 19:28-40; Isaiah 50:4-7; Philippians 2:6-11; Luke 22:14 - 23:56. "We have the opportunity to look at the Crucifixion through the lens of the self-emptying love of Jesus… Continue reading Homilies: Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, Year C

My homily for the 4th Sunday of Lent (Year C) as preached during the 9.30am Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings were Joshua 5:9-12; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. "Before we can revel in the love and mercy that God is willing to lavish upon us, we need to repent, to recognise… Continue reading Homilies: 4th Sunday of Lent, Year C