~~~SisterSea~~~

9 November 2014 Shared Homily Starter First Reading: Isaiah 2:4 Second Reading: Romans 8:19-25 Gospel: Matthew 5:3-11 Today, the whole of creation is certainly groaning. We know the earth and all its species, including us, are experiencing ecological devastation. Remembrance Day is in two days. It's the day we remember those who died in war. It's the day we are supposed to remember that we should no longer wage war. The first reading like today's Gospel speaks of God's design for us in that regard. In ancient Israel, when the ruling classes forced peasants to fight their wars, unlike the military class, they were not provided with armor or weapons. Rather they had to reforge their farm tools such as pruning-hooks, hoes, rakes, and ploughs into weapons. Today's first reading refers to when we learn to live as God intended, peasants will have no need ...

On October 15, 2014, my book, Transforming Addiction , was published.   Addiction is a problem of concern in many communities around the globe.  Assorted strategies have been studied or implemented to address the problem with varied amounts of success. This study investigates spirituality, a largely unexplored factor in recovery from addictions, and its role in the learning processes that transformed the participants from addicts to abstainers.  In addition to examining sociological factors, this study explores the questions of how powerlessness and surrender translate into sobriety as well as the motivation to help others in the recovery process.  Through exploring the participants’ stories, this study deepens understanding of the role of spirituality in recovery from addictions and presents spirituality as the catalyst that led the participants to undertake compassionate service with people still in active addiction. This exploration should provide new in...

Shared Homily Starter First Reading: Exodus 22.21-27 Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1.5c-10 Gospel: Matthew 22.34-40 Today's Gospel sums up the Exodus chapters on the Law, which include today's reading. In the First Reading, the author of Exodus presents just a few ways we show love for our neighbour. If I were to contemporize the first two, it would go something like this. You shall not exploit, oppress or make life difficult for immigrants and refugees. Remember you or your ancestors were also once strangers to this land. You shall not refuse the necessities of life to anyone. Everyone should have security when it comes to their sustenance and health, especially single mothers, children, the disabled and the elderly. Unfortunately the truth is, we, the ordinary folks of the world, are witnesses of oppression on a global scale. This mega-oppression operates as a pervasive erosion that...

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Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time First Reading Isaiah 25.6-10a Second Reading Philippians 4.12-14, 19-20 Gospel Reading Matthew 22.1-14   Sometimes in our dedication to being good Christians, we forget that Jesus was a Jew. We forget that much of what Jesus says in the New Testament is an expansion of themes found in the Hebrew Scriptures, especially the Prophets. We also forget that Paul's writing comes from a man grounded in the Torah and the Prophets. One of the central themes found in the Hebrew Scriptures is justice. Jesus' parable in today's Gospel can be viewed as a prequel of sorts to today's passage from Isaiah, in which the Prophet tells us of the feast God will prepare. But our God is not content just to feed our stomachs and relieve our thirst, God is going to soothe the hurts we have received. God “will wipe away the tears from all faces” and take away the disgrace...

On August 31 st , 2014, the Our Lady of Guadalupe Tonantzin Community joined with congregations across North America in lifting up and honouring the sacred link between work and faith. This is an opportunity to educate ourselves about the issues that impact workers, especially those in low-wage jobs, and reflect on the true meaning of Labour Day. Readings for Celebrating the Sacredness of Work Deuteronomy 24: 14-15 You shall not withhold the wages of poor and needy labourers, whether other Israelites or aliens who reside in your land in one of your towns. You shall pay them their wages daily before sunset, because they are poor and their livelihood depends on them; otherwise they might cry to Yahweh against you, and you would incur guilt. James 5.1-6 Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, ...

Shared Homily Starter   First Reading: Isaiah 56: 1,6-7 Second Reading: Romans 11.13-32 Gospel Reading: Matthew 15.21-28 The theme of all today's readings is that God's plan for humanity is inclusive, “my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples”. I'm going to focus on the second reading and the Gospel. The second reading from Roman's amplifies the inclusive plan of God, especially the 13 verses omitted from the lectionary. It's focus is on the Gentile followers of Christ and the Jewish communities, who follow Christ and those who don't. These readings are of significance today for the whole Christianity Community. If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; and if the root is holy, then the branches also are holy.    But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoo...

Shared Homily Starter Please keep the Dominican Sisters in Iraq and Jordan and women religious in conflict areas around the globe in your prayers. I'm sure St. Clare is also holding them close to her heart. The Leadership Conference of Women Religious or LCWR is starting their annual assembly tomorrow (August 12, 2014) and I think the feast of St. Clare is an appropriate occasion to honour women religious. And so, today's homily explores the Gospel themes, “If the salt loses its saltiness... It is no longer good for anything” and, “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.” In other words, we are meant to flavour faith and practice, that is, to keep it meaningful and relevant. We are not to hide the divine light that God has placed within us. But In order to be salt and to be light to others, we need knowledge and understanding-- and the willingness to grow in both. Now, a little story. Long, long ago, a great holy man became the leader of ...