St. Joseph Church Homily Archive

For near a year, I've been paying a little more attention to what I eat, avoiding sugars and that kind of thing. As someone happy to start the day with apple pie for breakfast, the biggest challenge for me has been passing by baked goods; they smell good, they look good and they've never let […]

There are many reasons why I'm not a great athlete, but while watching the Olympics I've realized that one of those reasons might come from my attitude towards competition. When I might view other competitors as obstacles, getting between myself and a gold medal, the impression I get from the Olympians is that they see […]

Life is often full of clutter, of unhelpful things we cling to maybe out of habit or oversight or fear. Of course, God wants us to enjoy what he's made. But when there's so much that it creates stress: that's a sign of clutter. In addition to being a practical issue, clutter is a spiritual […]

I hear it all the time: someone frustrated with distracted prayer or a student struggling to focus on studying for an exam. We all know what it's like to be harassed by thoughts that confuse and get in the way of careers, relationships and peace; I'm certainly no exception to the experience. Maybe the minds […]

One of the biggest challenges in life, at least for me, is finding great friends. It's a challenge even to define what a friendship is or to determine what criteria to use when assessing a friendship or relationship. Is a friend the one willing to wait for you at the airport or to help lift […]

When I go grocery shopping, I always bring a list and, mostly, I stick to it. I discovered long ago that without a list, I'd end up buying just whatever looked good. The result: a bigger food bill, forgotten necessities and waste. I discovered that, for me at least, a successful grocery shopping trip demanded […]

One thing I really despise is losing something. I know it's something everyone experiences, but while some seem able to shrug off losing something as a frustration and children just accept losing things as part of life, I lose sleep when I know I'm missing something. It's an experience that encourages me to be a […]

I was actually hoping Brother Joseph could have preached this weekend, but he's filling in elsewhere. I have to admit, I find the Ascension is one of the more difficult feasts to preach on. We all know the story of Jesus Ascending to heaven on a cloud; it's a challenge to add much to what's...

There are many mysteries in our faith; but there's one that's noticeable on a very practical level: we know the death and resurrection of Jesus has changed everything, that it's somehow made things better for those who follow the Good Shepherd, and yet outwardly, it seems very little has changed. Disciple or not, everyone faces...

Especially around Easter, we hear a lot about being redeemed; so it's something we've been reflecting on over the last few weeks. There's lots of ways the word, “redemption”, can be used, but the redemption our faith offers is, “the restoration of something that had been lost.” In today's second reading, God's ultimate plan is...

For a few weeks, we've been reflecting on what it means to be redeemed; it's a word we hear a lot in our faith, especially around Easter. The redemption offered in our faith is something very different from the act of redeeming a coupon or gift card for something we want. No, for us, redemption...

We get to start with some great news. Our bishop has appointed Deacon Peter Bissonette as Associate Pastor after his ordination to the priesthood later this month. Br. Joseph will continue to serve our community till at least the end of June, but we'll shortly be joined by the newest priest in our Diocese. By...

For a couple weeks now, we've ben reflecting on the Jubilee Year we're celebrating. Despite our best efforts, it's easy for things to drift away from God's plan over time; a Jubilee year is a moment to set things back in the right direction, towards God and the life he promises. We started by considering...

When thinking about Lent and where it originated, today's Gospel is often what comes to mind. We connect this season to the forty days Jesus journeyed through the wilderness; or maybe some think of the forty years God's people wandered through the wilderness as they prepared to enter the promised land. Neither of those journeys...

In today's second reading, St. Paul encourages Christians to put on imperishability and immortality[i] and Lent is a season about doing just that; when powers try to hold our attention here, we devote a season to remembering that we have all been made for something truly great: eternity with our maker. It's a reminder of hope,...

We all make plans for life, often great plans, but then the unexpected easily knocks those plans down. It's a challenge everyone experiences far too often, an experience we've been reflecting on for the last few weeks. Next week, we'll get to hear from Brother Joseph. Sometimes the unexpected is a delightful surprise with blessings...

For the last few weeks, we've been reflecting on how to survive the unexpected. By the way, from our website, you can always catch up or review past homilies; just click or tap on, ‘Homilies', to find recordings and often the full text of reflections offered in our church. Anyway, we all make plans for...

We all make plans, big and small, but then the unexpected happens; there's no avoiding it. The unexpected constantly threatens to knock down even the greatest and best of plans and leave us frustrated, angry or even, at times, overwhelmed. We just heard, in the Gospel, about how the unexpected impacted a wedding. The wine...

Many undoubtedly started the New Year with all kinds of great plans. Maybe some made plans for a vacation or two. I'm sure many have plans to deepen a relationship or overcome a habit. Some may plan to develop a hobby, diet or exercise or strengthen their prayer: all great plans. The problems with plans...

I hope your twenty-twenty-five is going well so far, that you've managed to make it to the gym, say the prayers, start the book or diet, begin the project, remain patient with your kids or keep whatever resolutions you've made. A New Year is an opportunity to set new goals, and those goals are usually...

On Christmas we reflected on the joy that is promised for everyone through the coming of Christ into the world. One week later, we reflect on the starting point of how that joy is to be brought about: through Mary. One requirement for true joy is peace. Peace is not simply the absence of war...

I don't believe it's an accident that our Church has placed the feast of the Holy Family right after Christmas. The Shepherds, who we reflected on at Christmas, found not just the baby Jesus in the stable, but a family and it's through that family that God was recognized and given glory. Many of our...

Even if you're one of those people who finishes all your Christmas gift shopping before December, I know this still remains one of the most hectic times of the year. The Christmas parties, the family dinners on top of all the usual things that need to get done: there's so many pressures, so much to,...

Last week, we listened to the words of John the Baptist, a cousin of Jesus, who encouraged his listeners to prepare for the coming Saviour. At the time, when a royal official planned to visit a city, the roads along the route would first be improved. A visit from a royal official was a blessing,...

Christmas is coming. I know some are ready. You've finished all the shopping and decorating, to-do lists and wrapping. But there's many who aren't so ready, those to whom Christmas still seems a long way off so there's no need to think a lot about it just yet. Regardless of which group you fall into,...

Our countdown to Christmas begins today. For the next four weeks, the culture around us won't let us forget about it. Even our prayer and worship here will be directed towards the upcoming Christmas celebration. Maybe you count yourself among those who can't get enough of this season: you've had your tree up for a...

An older brother, fed up with his annoying younger brother, chased the younger down a hall and into a closet. After the closet was closed, the older of the two braced his foot against the door so his brother could not get out. He then realized a problem: while he didn't want his younger brother...

In the creed we'll all profess shortly, we'll proclaim our belief in the second coming of our Lord; we know Jesus is coming again, we just don't know when. I know some wonder if we're living in the end times. We hear of wars, divides, hunger and struggles and wonder if this is, “…the time...

Among all the kings of Israel, one of the worst was Ahab. While he built temples and altars to idols, his wife, Jezebel, hunted and killed God's priests and prophets. Before going into hiding to save his life, the prophet Elijah promised there would be no rain until his return. The severe famine during the...

We've been reflecting on surrendering control and all the challenges that come along with that. We all like having control, it brings feelings of safety, security and strength. Feeling ‘in control' is a relief, but when life feels, ‘out of control', it's easy for fret and worry to fill the mind. So, surrendering control is...