Happy New Year to everyone! Now, you are probably thinking to yourself what the heck is Deacon Larry talking about. It isn’t the 1st of Jan, 2013! Yet it is the beginning of a new year, the beginning of a new church year.

Last week we celebrated the feast of “Christ the King”and the last Sunday of the outgoing church year. Today we celebrate the first Sunday in Advent and the beginning of a new cycle of prayers and scripture readings. This is the year of cycle C where we hear the gospel of Luke. So, “Happy New Year” to you all.

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1st Sunday of AdventRead More »

Daniel, the prophet, tells of a vision in which he saw one coming as the son of Man on the clouds of heaven who will have dominion over all the nations. We Christians have long recognized Jesus as the one whom Daniel was describing. Today we celebrate Jesus Christ as King of the ages, but what does that mean to you?

Oddly enough, we do not encounter Jesus in a very majestic setting in today’s gospel passage. He appears to be on trial, but actually Pilate is the one on trial, and so are we. In his last remark to Pilate, Jesus points out, “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

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Christ the KingRead More »

I am having second thoughts about doing any Christmas shopping this year. It is not that I will be too busy to shop or uncaring about my friends or at a loss as to what to get them. According to the Mayan calendar, the world will end on December 21, 2012, so there will be no Christmas. Perhaps on that day, we will indeed witness the coming of the Son of Man in the spectacular manner described by Jesus in the gospel.

Now if you think I am serious about that or if you are, listen again to the rest of what Jesus had to say at the end of the gospel. “But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

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33rd Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

A wealthy parishioner who had never given any money to support his parish was approached by the chairman of the stewardship commission for help with extensive roof repairs. “Sir,” he said, “Our records show that you are a millionaire but have never helped your parish. We really need a new roof. Can you help us out?”

The man said, “Obviously your records make no note of my dying 95 year old mother and her large medical expenses, or my blind unemployed brother, or my poor sister who was abandoned by her husband, leaving her with five kids to feed.” The stunned chairman replied, “I am so sorry, I had no idea.” The rich man replied, “So, if I don’t give any money to them, why should I give any money to the parish?”

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32nd Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »

Scripture: 1st Reading: Deuteronomy 6:2-6
2nd Reading: Hebrews 7: 23-28
Gospel: Mark 12: 28b-34

In today’s gospel reading Jesus is asked one of those questions where the questioner is looking for a short, simple statement, on a large complex subject. Even so, it seems that Jesus doesn’t need to stop and think before answering him.

Jesus refers back to the words of Moses which the scribe asking the question would have known very well and which we heard in the first reading, ” You must love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength.”

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31st Sunday of Ordinary TimeRead More »