Embracing Ambivalence
It has been reported to me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul”, or “I belong to Apollos”, or “I belong to Cephas” (1 Cor 1, 12). It...
Author: Deacon Douglas McManaman
Perfectionism vs Perfection
A Homily for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time It is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as...
The Evolution of the Temple
Homily for the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome In the first reading, Ezekiel has a vision of the temple of Jerusalem, where water was flowing from below the threshold toward the east, from the right...
Why Our “Unjust Judge” is Good News
The gospel reading for the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time is the Parable of the Widow and the Unrighteous Judge (Lk 18:1–8). The figure for God the Father in this parable is, interestingly enough, an unjust judge, that is, one...
Discerning Personhood: A Reflection on the Leper Who Returns
In Sunday’s gospel reading, we see that only one of the ten who were cured of leprosy returned to thank Jesus. This is not to suggest that the other nine were without any gratitude—it is hard to imagine that anyone...
Hypocrisy and the Dangers of Disillusionment
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth.” (Mt 23:27-28). The word...
Cloud of Witnesses
There is a line in the 2nd reading from Hebrews that struck me, and it is the following: “Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that...
Faith: Life’s Greatest Gift
What is particularly interesting about faith is that most of what we do every day is based on faith, not so much supernatural faith, which is a theological virtue, but natural faith in the sense of accepting as true something...
Saving the World Without Realizing It
Homily for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time “If there are ten righteous people, I will not destroy it.” Abraham intercedes for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He is told that yes, if there are ten righteous people to...
The Eyes of the Samaritan
In the book of Leviticus, we read that priests were forbidden to touch a corpse; to do so rendered a person ritually unclean (Lev 21:1–3). The priest and the Levite in this parable, who may have regarded the victim as...
The Nobility of Matter
Homily for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord Recently I drove up to the cemetery to say a rosary and visit my mother’s grave site, as well as a number of other parishioners who are buried there. I...
Descending to the Lowest Place
Reflection on Holy Thursday What is so important about Holy Thursday night is the explicit connection between the institution of the Eucharist and a life of service, that is, the link between the sacrament and works of mercy, works of...
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