1st Sunday of Lent B: The Story of Noah and Lent

By Father Martin Ganeri, O.P. In the ancient Catacombs in Rome the early Christians painted many scenes from the Bible and one of the most frequently represented is that of Noah and the Ark. The Catacombs were places of burial and places of sanctuary for the early Christians in the dark days before the toleration … [Read more…]

Ash Wednesday Homily

Purple is an odd color.   Purple is a mixture of red with blue.   Red – like red clay – is an earthy color. Blue – like the sky – is a heavenly color. So purple is the perfect color for both Advent and Lent: – Advent: because heaven and earth are united when … [Read more…]

6th Sunday B: The Church’s Healing Touch

Crossing social barriers can be dangerous. We see this today in the Gospel when Jesus meets a leper. Leviticus laid down strict rules for dealing with contagious diseases like leprosy. The leper must be isolated from society and his loved ones until there was a cure. Jesus acknowledged that it was necessary to have official … [Read more…]

5th Sunday B: Poor old Job!

By Father Leo Edgar, O.P. You can’t help feeling sorry for the man. Despite all his protestations and prayers, God seems to be ignoring his requests! Why, I wonder, does the Church introduce us to Job’s suffering so early in this year’s Liturgical Calendar, and so close to the beginning of Lent in ten days … [Read more…]

4th Sunday B: The Authority of Jesus

In the Gospel, Mark gives us an account of Jesus teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. What was important for Mark here was not so much what Jesus actually taught, but that He taught with authority. There are, of course, different kinds of authority. Teaching with authority could simply mean speaking well or speaking with self-confidence, like … [Read more…]

2nd Sunday B: A Worthwhile Encounter

By Father Colin Carr, O. P. One of the greatest gifts we can give to another person is our ears. If people could listen to each other the world would be a safer and healthier place. But it’s dangerous to listen: you will be invited to share pains as well as joys; you will be … [Read more…]

Feast of the Holy Family; Fair and Unfair

Children and teenagers, among others, have a very keen sense of justice. Or, perhaps more precisely, they have a very keen sense of injustice; they can be quick to lament “it’s not fair” should they perceive a wrong. “Life’s not fair” is the typical reply. Family life is not fair. Was it fair that Christ, … [Read more…]