Homilies

“He was transfigured before them, his clothes became dazzling white such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.”  It was breathtaking, other worldly. How can we imagine what ‘dazzlingly white’ really is? Recently we have experienced in Sioux Falls early morning fog. As it lifts the sun breaks through I look out the window of the Bishops House and see the trees and all their branches rapped in snow and ice shrouded in a brilliant white that was beautiful, awesome, breathtaking, dazzling. As I walked across the street to come to the Cathedral new snow had fallen and as I left the artificial light of the house into natural light, dazzling white enveloped me, awesome and breathtaking. These images surely pale to the sight the three Apostles were privileged…

Let us join in prayer for those victims, families and others touched by the horrendous school shooting in Florida this past week. May Our Lady as sorrowful mother console and walk with them. We are in the season of Lent when we are called to reflect on our lives and our behaviors, in preparation for walking with Jesus in His passion and in anticipation of His resurrection. Lent is a time for healthy and honest self-examination. It is an invitation for conversion. Saint John Paul II wrote that real conversion is not a negative but the freeing discovery of God’s mercy. So while the journey of conversion requires confronting ourselves, our practices and our behaviors which we might prefer to avoid, genuine conversion lifts us closer to the Father in…

Cleanliness is next to godliness is the old saying. “If you wish, you can make me clean,” the leper who was an outcast from society beseeched Jesus. He was growing closer to God in that plea. Scholars tell us that the word “leprosy” in the 1st reading from Leviticus included not only the disease known today as Hansen’s disease, but a number of skin diseases and ailments that would exclude persons afflicted from the worshipping community surely in part for fear of contagion but also because they were not ritually clean. Cleanliness has a large role to play in our day as well. There are all kinds of products on the market to assure that we and our possessions are clean not only from disease but from embarrassment. As a…

A preliminary note; The annual Catholic Family Sharing Appeal which supports diocesan ministries including the Mass seen on television and available on social media is beginning. I encourage you to review the brochure that families will soon receive in the mail or visit the diocesan website and then prayerfully consider how you might help our diocesan family through these ministries. I am appreciative of your generosity in the past and in this year’s appeal. Prayer of course is essential and priceless. Please pray for our diocese and for me. “Is not man’s life on earth drudgery? . . . I am filled with restlessness.” So declares Job in our first reading. It might describe some of us in February, the shortest and seemingly the longest month of the year. We…

“He taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes,” so was the reaction to Jesus once his public ministry began. The people were astonished. That is an interesting term the evangelist Mark chose. In googling the word ‘astonished’ the matches came back as: surprised, amazed, astounded, dumbfounded, flabbergasted, overwhelmed, dazed, shocked. He clearly spoke in his own name with clarity of conviction, with an authority that overwhelmed. The word translated as “authority” is “dynamis” from which is a derivative of dynamite. He spoke with power. He also acted with power. He continues to do so today if we truly listen to him through His Church. He was different from the scribes who scholars tell us would speak by couching their words with “the Law says”, “in the…

“Repent and believe in the Gospel. The Kingdom of God is at hand.” These are the first words Jesus speaks in the Gospel of Mark. They capture the essence of what he is about and what he asks of us: Repent, believe in the Gospel, in Him and then follow him. Some may interpret these words as a fearsome warning; though judgment is certain what these words convey is not threatening, but rather a hope-filled though challenging invitation. Repent means more than simply being sorry for what we have done in the past. It means to be willing to change our minds, our actions and our lives. It is a call to conversion. There is a legend about a woman who dreamed of entering heaven. She was told she would…

“What are you looking for?” Jesus asked. It is a question we might ponder. The future disciples did not answer directly, probably because they did not know exactly. Yet they were searching for something more than the culture of the day offered and decided to check this Jesus out. My guess is that if we are honest with ourselves, we too are searching for something more than the culture of our day. They responded with a question of their own: “Rabbi, where are you staying.” He invited them “come, and you will see”. We do not know the details of what happened next but it led Andrew to want to share this experience with his brother Simon who became Peter. Inspired Sacred Scripture is not offered as an historic travelogue…

The first Sunday after Christmas is raised up for the Feast of the Holy Family when we contemplate Jesus, Mary and Joseph as one. It is appropriate since the Christmas season is a time for families, personal, extended and spiritual. It also recognizes that stable families are essential for a stable society, which sadly is not the reality of our times. Pope Saint John Paul II wrote: “It is in the family that the mutual giving of self on the part of the man and woman united in marriage creates an environment of life in which children develop their potentialities, become aware of their dignity and prepare to face their unique and individual destiny.” From personal experience we know that family life while beautiful in many ways also has its…

The 4th of the candles on the Advent wreath has been lighted, but only briefly for the 4th Sunday in Advent is also Christmas eve day this year. As a result we miss out on the fullness of the 4th week Advent to prepare the way of the Lord in time, at the end of time, and in our hearts. Yet the glory of the coming of Christ at Christmas is not diminished, his continuing presence is ever true and ever hopeful. Our readings set the scene for what is to come, or rather who is to come. St. Paul in the 2nd reading speaks of the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages: the salvation of all nations and peoples in Christ born in Bethlehem.  The 1st…