Homilies & Reflections

Speak Lord Your Servant is Listening-  2nd Sunday Ordinary Yr B – Deacon David Lesieur

Workers in the Vineyard – 25th Sunday Ordinary Yr A – Deacon Dave Lesieur

Get Behind Me Satan! – 21st Sunday Ordinary Yr A – Deacon Dave Lesieur

Storms of Life – 19th Sunday Ordinary Yr A – Deacon Dave Lesieur

There are many ‘storms of life’, times when we are scared and unsure, tossed about by the sea of our life by the things of this world. Remember that as Peter was never alone in the storm, neither are we.

Weeds in the Wheat – 16th Ordinary Time Year A – Deacon Dave Lesieur

In the discernment of good and evil we need to look beyond what the world thinks is good and bad – we need to look very deeply, and if we must err – let it be toward love and mercy… Ours is to discern – but not to judge the other… because we can easily misjudge someone and uproot a good wheat plant.  Judgment, the Lord reminds us today in the Gospel, is his job.

The Road to Emmaus – 3rd Sunday of Easter Year A            Deacon David Lesieur

Two downtrodden disciples walked toward darkness – their hopes were shattered… But then Jesus came into their presence, but note how they did not know it was him at first.  How many times does he come to us unnoticed and unacknowledged in our own lives? 

Happiness is Saying Yes Today – Justin Paskert

Cast Your Nets: This year of my seminary formation is my Pastoral year which is at Corpus Christi in Temple Terrace.  The Pastoral year is basically an internship where I can experience the growth I have had in the seminary.  It has been a wonderful year so far serving the people of God.  The Pastoral year is also a great opportunity to get a glimpse into a future life as a priest.  The question, “Could I see myself living like this for the rest of my life?” takes me back to when I first made the decision to enter the seminary. 

A Stewardship Reflection – Deacon Dave Lesieur

“The person who is trustworthy in very small matters
is also trustworthy in great ones;
and the person who is dishonest in very small matters
is also dishonest in great ones.”  (LK 16:10)

Adoration Reflection by Justin Paskert Given September 30, 2010 Based on Luke 17: 5-10

For the past few weeks we have been following the Gospel of Luke and each of the gospel passages are connected.  There has been a building to this last passage because next week we will have a transition as Jesus continues his journey to Jerusalem.  So I would like to take a moment to review where we have come from so that we are able to appreciate the full impact of this passage.

Adoration Reflection by Justin Paskert on the 28th Sunday of year C

“Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”  These words from Jesus sound familiar because we have heard them before after other miracles, but this time is a little different.

Adoration Reflection-29th Sunday OT year C – Justin Paskert

Jesus tells us to pay close attention to the words of the unjust judge, so let us go back and look closely at what the judge said, “While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.” (LK 18:4-5) 

Reflection on Persistence in Prayer by Deacon Dave Lesieur

Today’s readings give us two rather graphic descriptions of persistence in prayer.  First we see Moses praying with arms outstretched as Joshua battles Amalek.  Moses shows his humanness by needing Aaron and Hur to help him support his arms.  The primary lessons in this reading are two: the need to persevere in prayer, but more importantly, that it was not Moses who worked a victory for the Israelites, it was God.  Moses was quite human and fallible, which is a lesson for all of us, especially those of us in positions of authority (and that includes clergy).  When we get a little to full of ourselves we have to remember just who is in charge.

Modern Sadducees 

A Reflection by Deacon Dave Lesieur on the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C

God’s eternal promise of resurrection and man’s finite capability to comprehend the divine plan: 2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14, 2 Thes 2:16-3:5, Lk 20:27-38

Listen to the heroic young man from our first reading in 2nd Maccabees…
“It is my choice to die at the hands of men
with the hope God gives of being raised up by him”
And in our second reading from 2 Thessalonians, St. Paul stresses perseverance in the hope of deliverance

Finally in Luke’s gospel we read of the challenge to Jesus by the Sadducees…who did not believe in the resurrection – They had no hope of eternity… (So they were in fact ‘sad, you see!’). And they tried to trick Jesus – who bested them at their own game.

Solemnity of Christ the King 2010 

A Reflection by Deacon Dave Lesieur (2 Sm 5:1-3, Col 1:12-20, Lk 23:35-43)

“Above him there was an inscription that read…
Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum – Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews…
Today we celebrate the ‘Solemnity of Christ the King’ which is a recent celebration in the Church. It was established as a feast by Pope Pius XI in 1925 and later raised to a ‘solemnity’ by Pope Paul VI in 1969.

Feast of the Holy Family/Joseph/Deaconate         A Reflection By Deacon David Lesieur (December 26, 2010)

The last few weeks’ readings and especially today’s have focused on the Holy Family.
We have seen all leading up to the birth of our Lord and today we have the story of the
family’s flight from Herod’s slaughter of the innocents to Egypt. All of these are familiar
stories we have heard each Advent and Christmas season…
But this year, what struck me most was the person of St. Joseph who, at the prompting
of God’s messengers – the angels, quietly said ‘yes’ and summoned up, from the God
space in his heart, the capacity to, with God’s grace, do some truly remarkable things.