The Feast of All Saints invites us to reflect on the great multitude of holy men and women who have gone before us – known and unknown – recognized by the Church or recognized only by God. Today, we honor them as we celebrate their faithfulness to Christ and consider the call to sanctity in…
We have just heard one of my favorite stories found in the Gospels. I love this story of Bartimaeus. He’s a blind beggar, sitting by the roadside. When he hears that Jesus is passing by, he shouts, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” It’s a desperate cry from someone who knows that he…
In our Gospel for today, we hear a rather bold request from James and John. These two apostles approach Jesus with a desire that reveals something very human: ambition. “Teacher,” they say, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you” (Mark 10:35). I imagine Jesus is probably thinking this is going…
Last week in my homily, I spoke about the great gift and the beauty of the priesthood. Today, we focus on another vocation in the Church, the vocation of marriage. In our readings, we’re given this beautiful vision of marriage, a vision that speaks not just to the relationship between a husband and wife, but…
The theme of our readings for today somewhat connects to the theme that we heard in our readings at Mass this past Sunday. Remember, in the Gospel yesterday, the disciples were arguing amongst themselves about who was the greatest in their number. We know that Jesus came back and says: "If anyone wishes to be…
What does it mean to be truly great? I think that is the main question that our readings for this weekend call us to reflect on. When we look at the ways of the world, society and culture tells us that greatness comes from power, status, or self-promotion. Yet, Scripture and our faith gives us…
In the Gospel that we have just heard, we encounter a pivotal moment in the life and ministry of Jesus and His disciples. Jesus asks a question, but it’s not just a question that is solely meant for His disciples; it’s also meant for you and me: “Who do you say that I am?” This…
Today, we celebrate the feast of St. John Chrysostom, a Doctor of the Church and a Bishop, who authored many homilies, letters, treatises, essays, and commentaries on the Scriptures and various other aspects of our faith. He is known for his great skills as an orator; in fact, Chrysostom means "gold mouthed." In one of…
Every time I read this particular Gospel, I find myself laughing because what we're seeing is the Scribes and the Pharisees basically throwing a tantrum about something Jesus has done. Are they not going to learn?! Whenever Jesus does something good, these men revert back to being children who aren't getting their way. They don't…
There once was a young apprentice who worked for a master jeweler known for creating the most exquisite and valuable pieces. One day, the master presented the apprentice with two rough stones: one large and shiny, the other small and dull. He asked the apprentice to choose which one he thought was more valuable. The…
Fr. Tom Pringle 