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Get into the ring! How this works...

This is easy! Each week on Thursday I post my homily idea...my main focus for preaching this coming Sunday. What I am hoping for is a reaction from people in the pews. Does my "focus" connect with your daily life, faith, and experience? Or not? Either affirm the direction I am going in (by giving me an example from your life) or challenge me, ask for clarification! Questions are the best! Reaction rather than reflection is what I'm looking for here. Don't be afraid, get in the ring. Ole!



Friday, January 6, 2012

Epiphany Prep 1/8/12

-MMOG homily available by email
-Scriptures for Epiphany at USCCB.org>
-I will preside at 4:00pm and 9:30am Mass

Gotcha!

The fact of faith that the Epiphany presents is that the glory of God (read salvation) is not primarily something that we have to seek and find as much as it is someone who comes and finds you. Jesus Christ is not God who sits in heaven and waits for us...He is good shepherd who comes and seeks us in exile and lights us up turning our exile into home.

Do you see yourself in a place of exile and realize that God has come to make it a redeemed "home" for you? Gotcha!

5 comments:

JoyFuralle said...

I'm sure you know that saying, "If it sounds too good to be true ... it probably is."

These Truths of our faith defy that statement, yet so few Catholics know the reality of what is Real in our faith.

Preach it, Priest! Holy Spirit come!

anon 1 said...

Reading the Matador’s reflection reminds me of an extreme case of exile of which I once read. It was taken from a diary of a Jewish woman who had been held in a Nazi concentration camp. She wrote about how, despite the atrocities, she could see glimmers of God’s love come through in the Nazi guards. When I read that I was reminded of how God comes to us – is always present to us by God’s choosing – but we need to be open…listening and seeing. If a woman prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp can be aware of God’s love – surely I should be able to open my eyes to seeing the home God makes for me through the saving power of Jesus despite whatever my feelings of exile!

John said...

Your homily idea connects with me. Exile may be used to describe my life. A darkness that has been illuminated by numerous stars that have given light, meaning, and, most importantly, hope to a soul traveling in exile. But for the grace of God, I have been truly blessed by people & life experiences that have touched my heart. A heart that is touched even more during Advent. The call for humanity that has been an Advent homily focus. Out of exile, home is where the heart is. Emmanual - God within us.

lr said...

I really enjoyed the message of the homily today. I liked the image of the star of Bethlehem hovering over us, where Christ dwells! You are a powerful speaker. lr

lr said...

Upon reading the Sunday bulletin, I really appreciated the second paragraph: "Epiphany means 'manifestation' and I am always looking for the continuing manifestation of the love of God in my world..."

I found it enlightening to be reminded to "see" the good things around me; the way God shows me He cares about me. There are plenty of ways, I just have to have the eyes to see! It is a blessing to be able to see God's touch in our lives! I've often thought that God really doesn't have too much to do with me; He doesn't pay too much attention to me. I've never had visions or anything truly mystical happen to me. But if I look around and "see", He has had His finger on my life more than I can even imagine.