Baptism: The Bridge

The Baptism of the Lord
January 9, 2022 – Year C
Readings: Is 42:1-4, 6-7 / Ps 29 / Acts 10:34-38 / Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
by Deacon Barry Welch, Guest Homilist

Today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord.  It’s a big day.  Sometimes that feast seems to get lost, as we’re coming out of the huge feast of Christmas, but it really is a very, very big day.  Secular (or non-religious) historians say that this is one of two events that happened with certainty with respect to Jesus.  One of those events is the crucifixion of Jesus; historians are pretty certain that that took place.  The other is the Baptism of the Lord.   Secular historians use this event as the basis for their study of the life of Jesus.  So it’s a pretty significant event.  Hallelujah! (more…)

Scripture: A Love Story

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 24, 2021 — Year B
Readings: Jon 3:1-5, 10 / Ps 25 / 1 Cor 7:29-31 / Mk 1:14-20
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

“Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”

Those are the words of Jesus in our gospel today. In the spirit of that command, I have a confession: When I was a teenager sitting in worship service, I spent way more time flipping through the pew Bible than I did actually listening to the sermon. And so, I guess, since I’m standing up here preaching now, that’s my penance. (more…)

Shine Like Stars

Richmond Diocese Bicentennial Mass
January 19, 2020—Year A
Readings: Is 60:1-6 / Ps 25 / Acts 2:42-47 / Mt 18:15-20
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

For those of you who are keeping score at home, you may be saying to yourself: “Wait a minute. Today is the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Why are you wearing white? Shouldn’t you be wearing green, and something’s weird with these readings that we did today.” And maybe, if you’re really, really keeping score at home, you would have noticed that the Collect at the beginning was…different.

Well, you’d be right, because today, the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, we’ve just finished the season of Christmas, and we’re beginning the first part of Ordinary Time. Today, though, we are celebrating the beginning of the bicentennial year of our diocese. Two hundred years ago this year, our diocese of Richmond was formed. Prior to that, we were part of the diocese of Baltimore. (more…)

Bread for the Journey

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 12, 2018 – Year B
Readings: 1 Kgs 19:4-8 / Ps 34 / Eph 4:30-5:2 / Jn 6:41-51
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Almost five years ago when I was ordained a Permanent Deacon, Father Sal gave me some advice for preaching. I was stressing out; speaking in front of people is not something that I ever wanted to do. He said “Just relax. You’ve been teaching for years. So just preach as if you were teaching a class.” That’s been good advice. It’s helped me direct my focus and concentrate on the points that I want to make, to just analyze it and think of it as a class. (more…)

Get Out of the Boat

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 13, 2017 – Year A
Readings: 1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a / Psalm 85 / Rom 9:1-5 / Mt 14:22-33
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

When I looked at the readings for today, I was excited because this Old Testament reading happens to be my favorite one. There are many good stories in the Old Testament, but this is my favorite.

It will help to understand how great this reading is if you know some of the backstory. (more…)

Cherish No Grudge

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 19, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Lv 19:1-2, 17-18 / Ps 103 / 1 Cor 3:16-23 / Mt 5:38-48
by Rev. Paul O’Donnell Duggan, Guest Celebrant 

One of my little peculiarities is that I enjoy walking through a graveyard and looking at epitaphs.  Every so often I say to people in New Jersey, “Oh, in today’s reading, there is a lovely epitaph.”    (more…)

Chasing Happiness?

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 29, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Zep 2:3, 3:12-13 / Psalm 146 / 1 Cor 1:26-31 / Mt 5:1-12a
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

We all know that everybody wants to be happy. The courses on the science of happiness are becoming more and more popular in colleges and universities when, not too long ago, they were not even part of the curriculum. The song entitled “Happy” by Pharrell Williams was number one on the billboard charts for many weeks. It was downloaded more than a million times, and was used in music videos and animations. All these are confirmations of the fact that happiness is indeed a basic human desire. (more…)

Called to Be Holy

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 15, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Is 49:3, 5-6 / Ps 40 / 1 Cor 1:1-3 / Jn 1:29-34
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor 

As part of our Catholic tradition we use a lot of signs, symbols and colors in our church.  For instance, when our priest’s and deacon’s vestments, altar cloths, and the rest of the art and environment in our sanctuary are mostly colored green, we are in the season that we call “Ordinary Time.”  In fact, it is anything but ordinary, because all of the liturgical seasons are extraordinary, supernatural, and spiritual.  This period is given to us by our Holy Mother Church so that we can reflect on the meaning of discipleship.    (more…)

Persevere and Secure Your Lives

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 13, 2016 – Year A
Readings: Mal 3:19-20a / Psalm 98 / 2 Thes 3:7-12 / Lk 21:5-19
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Today is the second to the last Sunday in our liturgical calendar. As we come close to the end of the liturgical year, our Holy Mother Church has given us scripture readings that will encourage us to prepare ourselves for the second coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, which will also mark the end of the world as we know it. How do we go about making this preparation? (more…)

The Resurrection of the Body

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 6, 2016 – Year C
Readings: 2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14 / Psalm 17 / 2 Thes 2:16-3:5 / Lk 20:27-38
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

In case you haven’t noticed, the year is coming to an end. While 2016 is indeed coming to an end, our church year ends before then. The liturgical year will end at the completion of the second period of Ordinary Time, and a new liturgical year will begin with the first Sunday of Advent. Additionally, the year is broken up into seasons and there is a 3 year cycle of readings – A, B and C. In 2016 we have been reading from cycle C which focuses on the Gospel of Luke. When we begin the next year we will read cycle A, which focuses on Matthew. (more…)