Good Shepherd Sunday -- April 21, 2013
4th Sunday of Easter -- the week of terror
HOW MANY OF YOU FELT ANGRY THIS WEEK?
HOW MANY OF YOU FELT AFRAID?
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN SAD, IN GRIEF?
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE FELT RELIEF WHEN
YOU FOUND THAT A LOVED ONE WAS OKAY?
For a PDF of the complete reflection, click HERE. To listen, click here. or use the controls here:
Temptation in the Desert -- February 17, 2013
Earlier this week the Pope called up his press secretary. We only know the
monsignor’s side of the phone call. After listened for a few minutes he said
into the phone, “You’re giving up what for Lent.”
For a PDF of the complete reflection, click HERE.
Widow's Mite Homily -- November 11, 2012
***********************************************************"Chicken and pig wake up one morning and see a new
sign the farmer has painted on the side of the barn.
It says, Ham and Egg breakfast, $5.00. The chicken
says, "That's great, the farmer figured out a new way
to make some money.”
The pig said, “Sure, you think it's great. For you it's a
contribution. For me it's a sacrifice."
For a PDF of the complete reflection, click HERE.
Gratitude Reflection -- November 4, 2012
Elianna Nuzum
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" I first visited the Paulist Center 5 years ago. It was love at first sight. I was not Catholic at the time. Since moving to Boston two years prior, I’d tried churches of many denominations, and non-denominations, without finding a place where I could simply encounter God. I finally found that in the dimly-lit, quiet Holy Spirit chapel, where I could hear my thoughts, then silence my thoughts, and finally hear God. "
For a PDF of the complete reflection, click HERE.
Gratitude Reflection -- November 4, 2012
Joanne Ross
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" When I was in elementary school, I had two neighborhood friends, Karen and Gail. I liked Karen and Gail a lot, so it made me sad to realize that, because they were not Catholic, they would not be able to go to heaven with me. I’m happy to say that I’ve come to believe that I may, indeed, meet up with Karen and Gail if I get to heaven. I’m not sure it’s typical for a 6-year old to question her faith, but that’s when I started. And ever since, I have been conflicted. I’m grateful for the strength, guidance, and peace my faith gives me, but disturbed about some specific teachings. The Paulist Center has helped me resolve that dilemma... "
For a PDF of the complete reflection, click HERE.
Gratitude Reflection -- November 4, 2012
Tim Butler
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"
"I have two questions for us tonight. Here is the first : Why is the Paulist Center still here? From our beginning in the late 1960’s, we have far outlived the average age of intentional communities. The Stewardship Committee would like to capture the recipe to our secret sauce so that we can brew up a new batch."
"
For a PDF of the complete reflection, click HERE.
28th Sunday - Stewardship Sunday -- October 14, 2012
"I have a friend, a very well read friend, who has very few books.
He only keeps reference books.
He always gives books away after he reads them.
When I asked him about this he said ..."
For a PDF of the complete homily, click HERE.
22nd Sunday - Labor Day -- September 2012
with the poem To Be of Use by Marge Percy
***********************************************************You know about this new work phenomenon
people who work in cubicles are wearing noise-cancelling headphones
at work. They say it helps them to concentrate in a noisy environment,
it also signals to people “leave me alone.”
If you really want people to leave you alone at work I have a better way
Just wear a T shirt that says, “Ask Me About My Religion.”
For a PDF of the complete homily, click HERE.
19th Sunday B -- August 2012
"When you were a kid, did you ever say something like, I'm not hungry for broccoli, I'm hungry for cookies. As an adult, do you ever find yourself wandering around the kitchen, opening cabinets, staring into the refrigerator? You ate an hour ago but you want something...:.
.."For a PDF of the complete homily, click HERE.
Corpus Christi 2012
"I suspect if I came down from the altar and splashed you with
some thick bull’s blood I’d get your attention. (probably also get
some cleaning bills.)
You’d know something was up.
.."For a PDF of the complete homily, click HERE.
6th Sunday of Easter 2012 Homily – Mother's Day
"Jesus says,
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.
If this were a romance novel
No greater love than this, I will always wait for you.
If this were a cop movie,
No greater love than this, to take a bullet for a friend.
If this were a Hallmark Mother’s Day card it would be:
There is no greater love than a Mother’s
And you’re a mother above all others.... "For a PDF of the complete homily, click HERE.
4th Sunday of Easter 2012 Homily – Catherine of Siena
"Where can I look to find an example of strong, compassionate AND PRUDENT spiritual leadership? I had to look no further than the saint whose feast we celebrate today, St. Catherine of Siena.
She is one of my personal favorites. Along with St. Francis of Assisi she is the patron saint of Italy. I have their pictures on my wall of heroes in my office, along with Desmond Tutu and Bruce Springsteen. ... "For a PDF of the complete homily, click HERE.
Easter Homily 2012 – Resurrection in El Salvador PC
It is not just that the ancient Jews suffered and were saved,
delivered to a new life.
It is not just that Jesus Christ has suffered, died and risen.
It is that we each go through the Paschal Mystery,
we each suffer some cross,
die some death,
rise to some new life.
For Complete homily, click HERE.
Judas. A poem by Frank Desiderio. A Good Friday reflection. Click http://www.libertycontrol.net/Uploads/paulist/JudasReflection.pdf
First Sun Lent B - PCC all masses. Feb 25/26, 2012.
By Frank Desiderio, CSP
(Please note: these are the notes from this homily. Father Frank did not refer to them while preaching, instead relying on memory, so there may be variations at different Masses)
It is no accident that Lent happens at this time of the year. I’m not just talking about Spring when daylight grows longer and plants break through the earth and buds blossom. The earth is renewing it’s self, going through its annual FRESH START...
... to read full homily, click HERE.
“I really don’t deserve this.”
Today our attention is drawn to gifts NOT from Macy’s but from the Magi. Gifts that were good and most appropriate.... to read the full homily, click HERE.
Some of you may have heard this story before, about the four-year
old girl who woke up frightened in the middle of the night. She was
convinced that dark of room concealed all kinds of bogeymen and
monsters. She ran to her parent’s bedroom and dived into their bed.
Her mother calmed her down and took her hand and led her back to
her own room where she put on the light and assured her that she
didn’t have to be afraid. There weren’t any spooky creatures. The only other one in the room was God who loved her....
To read more, click HERE…
The following poem, written by Fr. Frank, was read aloud at the 2011 Christmas concert.
Mary’s Mysticism
To hold in tension the angel’s glory
And the braying of the burro,
The star’s glow and Herod’s shadow,
To ponder in her heart her strange history
And move into her sword-pierced future
Is the mysticism of a woman
Facing the hot breath of the dragon,
The evil one, stalking her new born son.
Such courage is not the common picture
Of a girl, a fourteen year old virgin.
This isn’t the pluck of a heroine
Eluding some B-movie villain.
This is the soul-searing audacity
Of a God-hard spirituality.
Have you ever noticed, that people don’t walk through shopping malls at Easter humming “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today.”
Easter is a more important holiday than Christmas because if Jesus had not risen from the dead, there would be no reason to remember his birth. If there was no resurrection, there would be no Christianity: if there was no resurrection, we would have a system of ethical monotheism but no real hope. READ ENTIRE HOMILY HERE.
Lilly Tomlin in her one woman show, A Search for Intelligent Life in the Universe said, “How come when I talk to God it’s called prayer and when God talks to me it’s called schizophrenia?”
Today I want to talk about the discernment of spiritual gifts.
This reading from the Paul’s letter to the Corinthians is one of the reasons I’m a Paulist today.
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;
there are different forms of service but the same Lord;…
Labor Day Homily on 9/4/11, 23nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mergatroid and Matilda were married for a long time. One day Matilda walks into a funeral home and says, “something terrible has happened, my husband Mercatroid died last night.” The funeral director says, “Madam, I’m very sorry for your loss. Certainly we will help you in any way we can. Tell me, did he have any last requests.” She thinks for a second and says, “Yes he did. The last thing he said was, “Matilda, put down that gun.”
Certainly Christians don’t want to have their personal conflicts end in violence. Our readings speak to us about this today. It’s also Labor Day weekend, so a word about that at the end. READ the entire homily:
Director’s Reflection
It’s springtime and that means warm weather, flowers and baseball. Personally, I think God is a baseball fan. Certainly Red Sox fans believe in resurrection.
Afternoon Recreation
25th Sun A PCC Sept 17-18, 2011
The poet Wendell Berry once said, “Rats and roaches live by competition under the laws of supply and demand. It is the privilege of human beings to live under the laws of justice and mercy."
