“Show & Tell or What is local church?” © by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Homily thoughts on the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 31, 2016 Way back in the day I taught 2nd Grade. My career as 2nd Grade Teacher lasted one semester. It was, no question, one of the great experiences of my…
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A Prayer Gracious God, you create us and love us; you make us to live in a community. We thank you for Martin Luther King, Jr. and all your children who have been filled with the vision of justice and who have worked to bring that vision into reality. Guide us to live by your…
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“Things you know about love, and wish they were mentioned at weddings” © by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Homily thoughts on the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 17, 2016 Today’s Readings are straight out of a Wedding Planner’s Handbook. With a slight change swapping the 2nd reading scheduled for two weeks from now into…
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“Simple Justice – Simple Compassion” © by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Homily thoughts on the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, January 10, 2016 “Catching sight of Jesus approaching, John exclaimed, “Look, there’s God’s sacrificial lamb, who takes away the world’s sin!” Gospel of John, 1:29 This feast is one of transition and overlay. Liturgically…
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“Beginning Manifestations: Everyday Epiphanies” © by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Homily Thoughts on Feast of Epiphany, January 3, 2016 So here’s my confusion with the Gospel of John, admittedly referred to as the Gospel of Light. You would think that the Apostle John to whom Jesus entrusted his own Mother while dying on the cross,…
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“Wisdon – the Tie that Binds” © by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Homily Thoughts on Feast of the Holy Family, 2015 The entry way to our house is especially cluttered these days. Along with the usual flotsam and jetsam additional items have been included. There now, have been added two satellite receiver boxes (or whatever…
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“Knowing in the Dark – Reaching & (W)Resting” © by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Homily Thoughts on 4th Sunday of Advent, 2015 Monday is Winter Solstice which means, for us in this space of the western hemisphere, Monday is the shortest day of the year and Monday night is the longest night of the year.…
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‘Tis the Season, but What’s the Question? © by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com So I find myself on the First Sunday of Advent in a church, let’s call it the cathedral church of an upper Midwest city, because it’s Thanksgiving weekend and it’s the annual gathering of one side of our families. To be familial…
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“’Summer’s a comin’ – the power of an idea” © by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Homily Thoughts on 33nd Sunday of Ordinary Time As the liturgical cycle concludes, as it always does, with a consideration of “Final Things” today’s Gospel speaks of end-time. It occurs to me that the message of end-of-time and second coming…
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“The Gift & The Riddle” © by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Back in the day, at this end-time of both the calendar year and the liturgical cycle, Parish Missions took place in many local Catholic churches. Those of a certain age will remember the preachers coming to their parish to spend a week of evening…
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