My homily for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 5.30pm Sunday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton.

The readings proclaimed were Sirach 3:17-20, 28-29; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24; Luke 14: 1, 7-14.

"Our readings today are not just a moral lesson on the virtue of humility, but also a challenge to remember that when the Kingdom is brought to fulfilment there will be a great reversal of the status quo. Where will we find ourselves? With the rich and haughty as they are cast down from their thrones? Or with those whom Jesus spent time with?"

This will be my last homily for a month while I am on Annual Leave. The next homily will appear for Sunday 6 October.

My homily for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 5.30pm Saturday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton.

The readings proclaimed were Isaiah 66:18-21; Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13; Luke 13:22-30.

"The invitation to be part of God's kingdom is given at a time of God's choosing, and we are called to respond to the invitation in a timely manner lest be found outside the door."

My homily for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 9.30am Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton, and featuring the musical skills of Dr Anne Millard, the Cathedral's Director of Music.

The readings proclaimed were Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10; Hebrews 12:1-4; Luke 12:49-53.

"The dissonance in today's Gospel reminds us that Jesus did not come to proclaim a nice comfortable message, but rather to proclaim the Kingdom of God. Preaching the Kingdom is not without difficulty or discord, but to be authentic in our discipleship requires us to proclaim the Kingdom and work for its advent as best we can even in the face of discord and turmoil."

My homily for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 5.30pm Saturday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton.

The readings proclaimed were Wisdom 18:6-9; Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19; Luke 12:32-48.

"Our Gospel reminds as to always be ready to be held accountable for the way we have lived our Christian lives, how we have responded to the teachings of Jesus. The timetable will not be of our choosing but of God's."

This weekend I was away from my usual place of worship, helping out in one of the country parishes in the absence of the pastor. This is my homily, therefore, for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 10am Mass in St James' CHurch, Muswellbrook.

The readings proclaimed were Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23; Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11; Luke 12:13-21.

"The true worth of the human being in the eyes of God is not about material possessions in this world, but in the way in which we are in right relationship with God and with our brothers and sisters. This, and only this, is the treasure that is stored for us in heaven."

My homily for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 5.30pm Saturday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton.

The Scriptures proclaimed were Genesis 18:20-32; Colossians 2:12-14; Luke 11:1-13.

"The Lord's Prayer is a wonderful yet dangerous prayer that reminds us that before all else God and God's agenda comes first. When we pray using the Lord's Prayer we open ourselves to playing our part in God's plan for humanity."

My homily for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 5pm Sunday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton.

The Scripture readings proclaimed were Genesis 18:1-10; Colossians 1:24-28; Luke 10:38-42.

"The temptation towards activity, and any anxiety that flows from it, can cause us to miss out on the Presence of the Divine, and the Promise of Christ that comes from it. While activity is necessary, it should never stop us from revelling in God's Presence and Promise in the here and now."

My homily for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 5.30pm Saturday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton.

The readings proclaimed were Deuteronomy 30:10-14; Colossians 1:15-20; Luke 10:25-37.

"Who is our neighbour? There is nothing that should preclude us from engaging with other human beings and see nothing - not skin colour, not political persuasion, not ethnicity, not citizenship status - that precludes us from responding to them as God would have us respond, i.e. with unconditional love for the other."

My homily for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 9.30am Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton.

The readings were 1 Kings 19:16, 19-21; Galatians 5:1, 13-18; Luke 9:51-62.

"Having determined to head to Jerusalem, even knowing what awaited him there, Jesus is single-minded in seeking to fulfil the task entrusted to him. As we seek to be missionary disciples of Jesus, we too are called to be single-minded in our discipleship, seeing all that we do in terms of our mission of proclaiming the coming of the Reign of God."

My homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), Year C, as preached during the 5.30pm Saturday evening in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. During the Mass we celebrate the First Communion for some young members of our parish community.

The readings were Genesis 14:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 9:11-17.

"We when receive the Body and Blood of Christ we are opening ourselves to God empowering us to become more and more what we have received, i.e. the Body of Christ in the world. It is a dangerous thing we do when we receive the Body and Blood of Christ because God's purpose will have a hold on us and we will be transformed by God as God sees fit."