The Ambo: Homilies for the Faithful

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time     When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home.   Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them.  They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.  Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.”  Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and wa...

4th Sunday of Advent: The Annunciation December 19, 2011 26 In the sixth m onth, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” 35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spir...

Bishop Sheridan established October 23rd, 2011, the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time and the day following John Paul’s feast day, as the day for the liturgical celebration in this diocese.   We also continue in our thoughts on Stewardship, and look at commitment and love in this context. Certainly, there is no greater example of a human being who lived out these virtues of commitment and love in front of the world than in the Blessed John Paul II. He visited 116 countries, promoting church teaching on personal behavior and public morality and condemning what he said was a decline of spiritual values brought about by the rising materialism of the twentieth century. The most traveled pope in history was also the first non-Italian to lead the church in more than four and a-half centuries. Born in Poland, he secretly trained for the priesthood under Nazi occupation, lived under Communism, and was recognized by secular historians, along with Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, as...