Scripture

Homilies, Articles, Teachings regarding Holy Scripture

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TEMPTING THE TEMPTER

The Temptations of Jesus in the Desert
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Homily – First Sunday of Lent

Fr. Bill preaches on the Temptation of Jesus and how engaging fully in the practices, observances, penances and sacrifices during Lent actually invite temptation as part of the Spiritual Exercises of the season.

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FAITH, FAMILY & FREEDOM

Homily for HOLY FAMILY SUNDAY
Luke 2:22-40

The stability of any Society depends on the stability of the Family. Fr. Bill preaches on how the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus symbolizes God’s entry and sanctification of the basic element of a free and stable society, the basic component of the Church, and ultimately, a basic symbol of God’s gift of Freedom.

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THE RETURN OF DAVID THE KING – JRR Tolkien and the Annunciation

“All that is gold does not glitter….”

Homily – 4th Sunday of Advent – B
Luke 1:26-38

J.R.R. Tolkien’s poem featured in “The Fellowship of the Ring” speaks strongly to the history of Israel, leading up the birth of Jesus and culminating in the Annunciation of Gabriel to the Virgin Mary. Fr. Bill preaches on the history of the Dynasty of King David and what the Angel Gabriel says about it when he announces the impending birth of Jesus.

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The “Other Messiah” – John the Baptist

Homily – 3rd Sunday of Advent

Many believed John the Baptist was the Messiah, until he pointed out Jesus as the one who was to come after him.

Fr. Bill preaches on the mysterious person of John the Baptist, who he may have been, what the Gospels tell of him, and how the Church came to understand his important role in relation to Jesus.

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“Call No One Father” – Here we go again!

Homily – 31st Sunday of the Year – A
Matthew 23:1-12

Father Bill addresses the command of Jesus to “call no one on earth YOUR Father”, as well as the places in the Gospel when Jesus calls out the Pharisees and Sadducees and appears to bemoan the “heavy burdens” associated with the Law of God.

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WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST – The Conflict Between Israel & Hamas

With the recent outbreak of war between Israel and Palestine, Fr. Bill offers a Biblical and Historical context in which the current event is being played out.

How can we understand the war in light of the Biblical as well as “secular” History of that region, in light of Jesus’ farewell promise of Peace, well as in light of the Promise God made that All Nations would find Blessing in the descendants of Abraham who make up the kingdom, and subsequent Nation of Israel?

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A CHRISTIAN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT

PARABLE OF THE 2 SONS & THE 4 CHILDREN

Homily – 26th Sunday of the Year – A
Matthew 21:28-32

What is the disposition we have regarding living and worshipping as Christians? Fr. Bill preaches on Christ’s Parable of the Two Sons and the Jewish Passover Parable of the Four Children and speaks of how Christians in general and Catholics in Particular can examine and adjust the dispositions from which we all approach our calling to live and worship as followers of Christ.

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DARTH VADER is CATHOLIC!!

Famous Converts to Catholicism
Homily – 25th Sunday of the Year
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Matthew 20:1-16a
The Workers in the Vineyard

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard tells how different “workers” joined up at different times of the “day”. Fr. Bill preaches how some are born Catholic, while many become Catholic as Converts at different times of their lives, from childhood to the death bed. Who are some of the more famous people who we may or may not know, have converted to Catholicism. Some of them might surprise you.

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FRATERNAL CORRECTION – Are We Called to “Judge”

Homily
23rd Sunday of the Year – A
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Ezekiel 33:7-9
Matthew 18:15-20

No one wants to be labeled as “Judgmental”. However, Jesus may want his followers to be just that. Fr. Bill preaches about what Jesus presents in the Doctrine of Fraternal Correction, and what he expects of his Disciples in their task of “Admonishing the Sinner” (Spiritual Work of Mercy #3)

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WHAT WOULD JESUS SAY? – How to Think as God Does

Homily
22nd Sunday of the Year – A
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Jeremiah 20:7-9
Romans 12:1-2
Matthew 16:21-27

Jesus admonishes St. Peter saying, “you are not thinking as God does, but as human beings do”. Fr. Bill preaches on ways we fall into thinking about our faith in God by Human Standards and ways in which we can think more like God, using God’s standards.