Today, we reach the climax of the Easter Triduum as we focus on our Blessed Lord’s Suffering and Death on the cross. The cross is at the center of our Christian life; it is at the center of our Triduum. As I was preparing for my Good Friday homily, several scriptures stood out to me. First, from the prophet Isaiah, who says, “See, my servant shall prosper, he shall be raised high and greatly exalted” (Is. 52:13). In Jesus, lifted high on the Cross, we see the fulfillment of this prophecy. The…
Holy Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper, Year C
Fr. Jimhomily
6 minute read
This evening, we celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. The Scriptures remind us of the history of salvation, which is fulfilled in Christ, who establishes the New Covenant in his own blood. Jesus, the Incarnate Word of God, speaks and it happens. Just as in the beginning, God says, “Let there be light, and there was light” (Gn. 1:3), so too, when Jesus says, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 13:24) he at one and the same time institutes the Eucharist and…
As we continue to reflect on the significance of our Blessed Lord’s passion, at the beginning of Holy Week, we are first reminded of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The Gospel we heard at the beginning of Mass recounts the way in which the people received Jesus. The first image is of Jesus riding a colt. This particular colt was one kept for just this purpose. It was a colt that had never been yoked, which had been reserved for the king. Second, the people spreading their cloaks on the…
“The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had;” (Sir. 27:6a) “The just one shall flourish like the palm tree;” (Ps. 92:13a) “For every tree is known by its own fruit;” (Lk. 6:44a) “Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord,
knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58). Jesus talks of good fruit and bad. What kind of fruit do we produce?
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas), Year C
Fr. Jimhomily
5 minute read
Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which has also been known as Candlemas as well as the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Luke tells us: “When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord….” According to the Law, when a woman gave birth, she was unclean for seven days, and then an additional thirty-three days in which she could not touch anything holy or…
Last week, we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord. As soon as John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God, Jesus begins to gain followers, the first of which are Andrew and John. We may also intuit that James, the brother of John, was present as the other gospels relate. By the third day, Jesus has already called two brothers, Simon & Andrew, James & John, as well as two of their friends, Philip & Nathanel. Andrew is the first to call Jesus the Messiah, while Philip tells…
Hailing just a few miles away from the famous Trenton Makes the World Takes bridge, Fr. Jim is a native Trentonian and priest of the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey. After completing his seminary formation at St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, MD, Fr. Jim was ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ on June 2, 2018.
