Originally delivered on January 23, 1994

Readings: Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20

This week we hear the story of Jonah as an illustration of God’s way of communicating with us and His love and mercy.  Fr. Healy encourages us all to learn from the story of Jonah and be compassionate and understanding of our sisters and brothers, especially those that think and act differently than we do.  We should not judge others believing that we have the real truth.  God did not call us to be each other’s judge.  We are called to be a prophetic people living out the love of God to our sisters and brothers, regardless of their beliefs even about controversial issues, such as abortion, birth control, homosexuality, and the ordination of women priests. Finally, we are reminded that Jesus was never judgmental, but poured out His love for all.

Download | Duration: 00:20:47

Originally delivered on January 17, 1988

Readings: Samuel 3: 3-10, 19; Corinthians 6:13-15, 17-20; John 1:35-42

We are each challenged to be witnesses of Christ and have our words and deeds be in harmony with God’s calling of us to be His prophets.  But we also must use of gift of discernment to recognize the authentic word of God spoken by our sisters and brothers and distinguish it from the pretense of some who actually speak in their own name. Originally delivered on the eve of the celebration of the national holiday honoring Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., we are reminded that some try to question the credentials of those that preach the message of Jesus.  But we are reminded that the measure for true prophecy is whether the preacher echoes the Gospel of love for all people, without exception.

Download | Duration: 00:20:09

Originally delivered on January 3, 1988

Readings: Isaiah 60: 1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12

As we close our liturgical celebration of the Christmas season today, we are reminded to take what we have learned, and like the magi, spread the message to all people.  How have we been welcoming to all with God’s love?  How, at times, do we keep his message all to ourselves?  We are encouraged to reach out to other people with whom we have not yet shared God’s message.  As we heard in Matthew's Gospel, we should “go home by a different route” spreading the news of God’s love.  The message is for all – rich and poor, healthy and sick, US born and foreign.  Do we ever keep God’s message just to ourselves so that it can benefit our own interests?  When this homily was originally delivered in 1988, inequality among people was a crisis on the US political scene.  The Kerner Commission brought some answers, but the simple answer – the inability to not share what was given to us all, was an answer seen by many as the cause behind the unrest.  Do we ever “lock out” people we want part of our lives, people with whom we need to share our good news?  How many of us feel marginalized?  As Fr. Healy so eloquently points out, it is good news that Jesus came, but it is just as important that we recognize it as good news to be shared.  The real good news from Jesus comes down to love, compassion and identifying with the oppressed.  We must be open to embrace all God’s people.

Download | Duration: 00:24:18

Originally delivered on December 2, 1990

Readings: Isaiah 63: 16-17. 19; 64:2-7; Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:33-37

At the beginning of Advent, we are, in effect saying thank you Jesus and come again among us. He comes and renews us in each Eucharist and when two or three are gathered in His name.  Advent is a time to acknowledge God’s presence in our lives which gives us strength to carry on.  But it is also a time to remember that we be on guard and ready for HIs coming again.  At the time of the original delivery, the US was weighing the possibility of the Gulf War.  We are asked to consider how our political enemies are also people of God. 

Download | Duration: 00:24:13

Originally delivered on November 21, 1993

Readings: Ezekial 34:11-12, 15-17; Corinthians 15:20-26, 28; Matthew 25: 31-46

In this week’s Gospel, we hear the challenge to all people, but especially Christians, that we are called to care for our sisters and brothers. We are reminded that there is but one law — to love.  To love with all that we have without exception.  Although it’s simply stated, it’s very difficult for us to live, but that is both our calling and our challenge.  But Fr. Healy goes on to encourage us to look deeper into why some of our sisters and brothers are hungry, hurting, or marginalized. 

Download | Duration: 00:29:48

Originally delivered on November 14, 1993

Readings: Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 25:14-30 or 25: 14-15, 19-20

we’re reminded in today’s Gospel that God gives each of us a Divine gift to each of us that is unique to each of us.  But our task is to take the risk of faith to make more of it. If God is, in fact, love and mercy, we must believe, in the depth of our being, that we are already in God’s love and mercy and see ourselves in that context.  We are encouraged to ask ourselves not why we got certain gifts and not others, but what we are doing with the gifts that we have been given.  If we trust in God and invest in our talents, we will increase our gifts exponentially as a reflection of God Himself.  

Download | Duration: 00:19:45

Originally delivered on November 7, 1993

Readings: Wisdom 6:12-16; Thessalonians 4:13-17 or 4:13-14; Matthew 25: 1-13

In today’s Gospel, Jesus again uses the metaphor of the wedding reception. Perhaps it’s symbolic of letting go of one’s individualism to become something greater through a newness of life.  As Jesus explores this universal symbolism, he tells us that everyone is invited to the marriage with God, but some refuse in one way or another.  But for those that engage in a relationship with Christ, we are called to be of service to our sisters and brothers. On this day, we also hear from Fr. Antoine Adrien about what was happening in Haiti in 1993, their fight for freedom and justice, and his plea for our continued support as sisters and brothers in God.

Download | Duration: 00:27:55

Originally delivered on December 28, 1987

Readings: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3:12-21; Luke 2:22-40 or 2:22, 39-40

As we live in the spirit of Christmas just three days ago, today we are reminded how to foster that spirit in our families, both our physical families, and the universal family of God throughout world.  We are called to charity and love for all. This charity can begin at home, but cannot stop at the threshold.  If it does, it is false charity.  It must extend to the second dimension of family, the family of God.  As we are reminded by Saint Paul in the second reading, put on love to all people.  No Christlike family can exist if the love stops at the threshold.   This universal family is spread across race, language, culture and country. Our call is to share the virtues of kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and forgiveness with all.  It is our responsibility if were are to be part of the family of God. 

Download | Duration: 00:16:53

Originally delivered on December 25, 1987

Readings: Isaiah 62:1-5; Acts 13:16-17, 22-25; Matthew 1:1-125

The good news for humans is celebrated today in the birth of Jesus as a fragile baby.   We had all been waiting long, and it was becoming an obsessive topic of conversation:  "When will He come?"  Today we celebrate the birth, not coming as a king or great ruler, but as a child, his destiny clothed in our humanity.  For all people, the promise has been kept.  He has entered into our world as a human. We are reminded that "you can't have it both ways" — the promise of a free people making decisions for themselves and God as a leader providing everything. But in Jesus, we are shown the way.  Along with the freedom we are afforded, we pay the price that Jesus paid. We walk in search of God with all the pain and suffering that we must sometime endure to reach Him.  But it's pain and suffering Jesus endured with us, and through it, we are granted salvation. Today we celebrate the arrival of Jesus on earth.  May our future be filled with us learning more about His message to us to achieve our salvation with God.

Download | Duration: 00:14:15