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Homilies Advent Advent Week 1 Year A Week 1 Year B Week 1 Year C Week 2 Year A Week 2 Year B Week 2 Year C Week 3 Year A Week 3 Year B Week 3 Year C Week 4 Year A Week 4 Year B Week 4 Year C Christmas Baptism of Lord Year A Baptism of Lord Year B Baptism of Lord Year C Epiphany Year A Epiphany Year B Epiphany Year C Holy Family Year A Holy Family Year B Holy Family Year C Mary Mother of God Year A Mary Mother of God Year B Mary Mother of God Year C Mass at Midnight Year A Mass at Midnight Year B Mass at Midnight Year C Lent Ash Wednesday Lent Week 1 Year A Week 1 Year B Week 1 Year C Week 2 Year A Week 2 Year B Week 2 Year C Week 3 Year A Week 3 Year B Week 3 Year C Week 4 Year A Week 4 Year B Week 4 Year C Week 5 Year A Week 5 Year B Week 5 Year C Holy Week Passion Sunday Year A Passion Sunday Year B Passion Sunday Year C Holy Thursday Good Friday 1 Good Friday 2 Easter Vigil Easter Sunday Easter Sunday Year A Easter Sunday Year B Easter Sunday Year C Easter Season Week 2 Year A Week 2 Year B Week 2 Year C Week 3 Year A Week 3 Year B Week 3 Year C Week 4 Year A Week 4 Year B Week 4 Year C Week 5 Year A Week 5 Year B Week 5 Year C Week 6 Year A Week 6 Year B Week 6 Year C Week 7 Year A Week 7 Year B Week 7 Year C Ascension Ascension Year A Ascension Year B Ascension Year C Pentecost Pentecost Year A Pentecost Year B Pentecost Year C ORDINARY TIME Ordinary Time Wks 2-7 Week 2 Year A Week 2 Year B Week 2 Year C Week 3 Year A Week 3 Year B Week 3 Year C Week 4 Year A Week 4 Year B Week 4 Year C Week 5 Year A Week 5 Year B Week 5 Year C Week 6 Year A Week 6 Year B Week 6 Year C Week 7 Year A Week 7 Year B Week 7 Year C Ordinary Time Wks 8-13 Week 8 Year A Week 8 Year B Week 8 Year C Week 9 Year A Week 9 Year B Week 9 Year C Week 10 Year A Week 10 Year B Week 10 Year C Week 11 Year A Week 11 Year B Week 11 Year C Week 12 Year A Week 12 Year B Week 12 Year C Week 13 Year A Week 13 Year B Week 13 Year C Ordinary Time Wks 14-19 Week 14 Year A Week 14 Year B Week 14 Year C Week 15 Year A Week 15 Year B Week 15 Year C Week 16 Year A Week 16 Year B Week 16 Year C Week 17 Year A Week 17 Year B Week 17 Year C Week 18 Year A Week 18 Year B Week 18 Year C Week 19 Year A Week 19 Year B Week 19 Year C Ordinary Time Wks 20-25 Week 20 Year A Week 20 Year B Week 20 Year C Week 21 Year A Week 21 Year B Week 21 Year C Week 22 Year A Week 22 Year B Week 22 Year C Week 23 Year A Week 23 Year B Week 23 Year C Week 24 Year A Week 24 Year B Week 24 Year C Week 25 Year A Week 25 Year B Week 25 Year C Ordinary Time Wks 26-31 Week 26 Year A Week 26 Year B Week 26 Year C Week 27 Year A Week 27 Year B Week 27 Year C Week 28 Year A Week 28 Year B Week 28 Year C Week 29 Year A Week 29 Year B Week 29 Year C Week 30 Year A Week 30 Year B Week 30 Year C Week 31 Year A Week 31 Year B Week 31 Year C Ordinary Time Wks 32-34 Week 32 Year A Week 32 Year B Week 32 Year C Week 33 Year A Week 33 Year B Week 33 Year C Week 34 Year A Week 34 Year B Week 34 Year C Major Feast Days All Souls 1 All Souls 2 Corpus Christi Year A Corpus Christi Year B Corpus Christ Year C Christ the King Year A Christ the King Year B Christ the King Year C Peter and Paul Apostles Trinity Sunday Year A Trinity Sunday Year B Trinity Sunday Year C In Memoriam Lasting Freedom Memorial of Victory Our Human Desire Sacred Humanity "Tree of Life" "Up to Jerusalem" Occasional Ascent to Truth Back to the Boat First Mass First Move Heaven and Sea Letting Go Taking Aim at Secularism True Miracle You Want Healing? Homiletic Bibliography Pt I (A-G) Pt II (H-N) Pt III (O-Z) Commentary Catholic Life Faith & the Cult of Pleasantness Fatherhood and Family Holy Marriage, Holy Family Jesus Calls Me Friend Outdoor Plumbing Works of Mercy Defending the Catholic Church Confession Bathing Often Living Letter Eucharist Ascent to Truth Bread of the Mighty If You Answer His Call Miracle of Faith Mountain Climbing Now, on the Hillsides Privileged Sacrament Season of Bread Seven Pillars Slowly, Deliberately This Day, Each Day Divine Authority Alpha and Omega God's Heart of Love Great Commission Higher Authority In His Service Mystery and Image Taking Aim at Secularism Human Pride Communion in Christ I Don't Need the Church More than Eden Sake of Blessing Worthy of Humanity Mother of God Chiaroscuro Conceiving and Naming House of Faith Mystery and Image Night of Killing Frost The Point Thy Will Be Done Persecution Always, in all Ways Epic Tragedy Philosophy Holy Marriage, Holy Family Taking Aim at Secularism Priesthood and Papacy Faithful Shepherd Light to Keep Us True Music at Midnight Sake of Blessing Tender Shoots Vessel of Mercy Respect for Life At the Rock of Meribah Cause of Life Epic Tragedy For the Sake of Life From the Beginning Higher Authority Holy Marriage, Holy Family Innocent and Helpless Massive Fact More than Eden Piece of Cake Proof of Justice Prophetic Peace Raise the Banner Sum and Summary "Thou Little Tiny Child" True Family Wheat and Grape Worthy of Humanity Gospel of Luke - Study Luke Chapters 1 - 2 Luke Chapters 3 - 4 Luke Chapters 5 - 6 Luke Chapters 7 - 8 Luke Chapters 9 - 10 Luke Chapters 11 - 12 Luke Chapters 13 - 14 Luke Chapters 15 - 16 Luke Chapters 17 - 18 Luke Chapters 19 - 20 Luke Chapters 21 - 22 Luke Chapters 23 - 24 Questions & Answers Catholic Belief Fortitude: Gift or Virtue? Great Commandment Hierarchy of Truth Same-sex Partnerships Catholic Practice Holding Hands at Mass Wearing Shorts at Mass Hierarchy Church Hierarchy Hierarchy of Truth Scandal and Trust Why a Pope and Bishops? Liturgy Holding Hands at Mass Hymn Resource for Mass Lay Ministry - Liturgy Substituting Song for Sign of Peace Wearing Shorts at Mass Relationship Devotion and Trust Marriage and Celibacy Tell Him the Truth Thorn in Your Side Respect Life Does Ignorance Justify Abortion? Human Personhood On the Subject of Cloning Sacraments Baptism - Child of Civil Union Does the Eucharist Reveal Jesus? Male Priesthood of Christ Sign and Symbol INRI - Crucifix World Affairs Immigration Worries Mercy, Justice and World Affairs Unite on United Nations? Walking with the Word - Lessons Walking with the Word - Lessons A-M Blessed Are You Deep Water "Father, Forgive Them" Garden, Stable & City of God - Part 1 Garden, Stable & City of God - Part 2 God Knows God Loves You Because God's Heart of Love Humanity of Man "Lamentation" "Let Us Go Down" - Part 1 "Let Us Go Down" - Part 2 "Let Us Go Down" - Part 3 "My Power in You" Walking with the Word - Lessons N-Z New Growth on an Old Vine New Wrinkle on an Old Story "One Degree of Glory to Another" Proof of Peace Reason & Acting Reasonably Solomon's Ring Standard of Dress for Mass Sword of Sorrow "Take Off Your Shoes" Take Up Your Cross - Part 1 Take Up Your Cross - Part 2 "Thou Little Tiny Child" True Food - Part 1 True Food - Part 2 Watch, Hat and Scissors Word of Justice, Word of Mercy Reflections Big and Small Christmas Present Clean White Corporal Christian Prayer Debt I Owe Delivered from Fear Do You Love Me More? Elegant Recovery Entrust the Sick to God Faith and Choosing Faithful Follower Friendship with Christ Good Physician He Gave Me Wings Heaven's Ecology I Don't Need the Church Labor of Love Last Defense Living Biography of the Church Love Is Hungry Making Bread Moved with Pity O Child of God Our Lady of Divine Grace Remnant Personhood Saying Yes to God Self-reflection Sentences Armor of God Counting Your Blessings Passage on Peter's Boat Virginity Sock Puppet Striking the Rock Sun, Mast and Horizon Thoughts on Merton We Lament Window of Receptivity Would He Die for One? Devotions Divine Mercy Chaplet Embracing Mercy Indulgence Novena Litany of the Sacred Heart Lord's Prayer Our Lady of Divine Grace Rosary Fatima Rosary Vigil Rosary Saint Therese Centenary Chaplet Seven Last Words of Christ Various Authors Augustine of Hippo Benjamin Franklin Clement of Alexandria Ignatius of Antioch John Henry Cardinal Newman J.R.R. Tolkien Michel Quoist Pope Benedict XVI Pope Pius XII Various Prayers Blessing for a Pregnancy Circle of Faith Choice Vines For Fathers For My Son For Spiritual Fatherhood Gathered Like Wheat Grateful Praise Healing Medicine Hidden Wisdom Hour Has Arrived My Little Girl No One Else but God O Lord Your Love O Shepherd Prayer for the Military Sake of Blessing Sweet Grapes Teachable Heart Thousand Years To All but You O Lord To Father Son and Spirit Wheat and Grape

REVEREND RICHARD E. BARKER

REVEREND RICHARD Barker, pastor of St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church, Huffman, Texas (Houston) was ordained September 12, 1992 at St. Anne Catholic Church in Houston by the Most Reverend Joseph Fiorenza, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston.

PREVIOUSLY, Fr. Barker served five parishes in the Houston metropolitan area as parochial vicar: St. Anne, St. Basil (now Most Holy Trinity, Angleton, TX), St. Cecilia, St. Vincent de Paul, and St. Hyacinth. A native of Texas, Fr. Barker received under-graduate and graduate degrees from the University of North Texas.

RETIRING FROM a career in bank administration, Fr. Barker entered religious life in 1986, earning a Masters of Divinity degree in 1991 from St. Michael’s University at the Toronto School of Theology in Ontario, Canada. He was ordained to the deaconate by The Most Reverend Matthew Clark, Bishop of Rochester, at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Rochester, New York.

IN ADDITION to his sacramental and pastoral duties, Father Barker teaches seventh grade Continuing Christian Education (CCE) at St. Philip. Father Barker founded Adventus Christi in 2002. Adventus Christi is a new evangelization apostolate of lay men and women providing pastoral leaders with scriptural, doctrinal, and catechetical resources for the Catholic faith. Adventus Christi utilizes dynamic speakers and communications media to foster personal spiritual growth, respect for Catholic teachings, and conscientious Catholic liturgies in union with the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church.

THE PURPOSE of Adventus Christi is to help others seek union with Christ in communion with the universal Church. If you would like Father Barker to speak at your Church or conference, you may contact him at fatherbarker@adventuschristi.org .

GOD ANSWERED AN OLD PRAYER

LATER I discerned more clearly the exceptional nature of my experience. In a decisive way, God revealed to me that he had answered the prayer I uttered years earlier. He had accepted full responsibility for me because I offered myself to him….The long period of my anxiety, indecision and confusion about my future, was over. No longer was it necessary for me to cling to my job, afraid to face a major change in life. [par. 3]

Wordless Message (ORDINARY TIME: Week 16, Year C)

"CROSS YOUR HANDS OVER YOUR HEART"

EVERY DAY, I remained in the pew during the distribution of Holy Communion while parishioners went forward to receive. One weekday morning, a Catholic friend happened to be sitting behind me at Mass. Just before communion, she leaned over and whispered, “Come with me into the communion line. Just cross your hands over your heart and you’ll receive a blessing from the priest.” [par. 2]

Privileged Sacrament (ORDINARY TIME: Corpus Christi, Year B)

THIS WAS MY LAST CHANCE

IN 1959, when I was eleven, I did a wicked thing that hurt my dad very much. I lied about it then, and my father blamed my two brothers. Standing in the serving line, I knew this shabby BBQ joint was my last chance this year to tell dad what happened 35 years ago. If I did not tell my father now, another year of silence would condemn me. [par. 8]

Watch, Hat and Scissors (ORDINARY TIME: Week 7, Year B)

ALL THESE PROVOKED MEMORIES

WHEN MY father became ill, time stopped in the garage. Tools, materials and projects remained just where he left them. It did not take long for disorder to overwhelm the accumulation of decades. Disentangling the layers of accretion propelled me backwards in time—a hammer, a certain pair of pliers, a “T” square, the mesquite handles dad crafted for his antique tools—all these summoned memories of him and my own childhood. [par. 7]

Unfinished Business (ORDINARY TIME: Week 26, Year C)

LIFTING UP THE EMPTY PLATE

LIKE DICKENS' memorable character Oliver Twist, who stands up in the refectory of a squalid 19th century orphanage, I lifted up the empty plate of my impoverished inner life. Please God, I prayed, I want my life to have meaning. I was soon to discover that God graciously anointed me in my suffering. I understand now that the world would crush me were it not for Christ, "an eagle that stirs up its nest, that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its pinions". [Deu 32:11] [par. 6]

Rest in His Love (ORDINARY TIME: Week 14, Year A)

WAS IT REAL OR A DREAM?

I FROZE in horror. I tried to call out for help, but not a sound escaped my throat. Terrified before the large silhouette, I pushed myself over the side of my bed and fell to the floor. My father found me wedged under the dining room table at the far end of the house. The ceiling light clicked on. He called my name, took me by the hand and pulled me out. Comforting me, he proposed something altogether shocking: “We need to walk outside and check things out.” [par. 3]

Not Perfect, but True (EASTER SEASON: Week 3, Year B)

"DEAR FATHER, I WILL BE THERE"

DAN, WHO planned to serve my ordination Mass, offered me his personal reassurance as the day approached. "Dear Father Richard," he wrote, "I hope you don't get nervous. I will be there." Occasionally overtaken by a whirlwind of doubt, this straightforward message of support meant a great deal to me. The love shown by my family and parish helped me to understand priesthood as a doorway to becoming a more perfect human being....If this experience of grace is extraordinary, and I believe it to be with all my heart, I marvel at what the Lord has in store for me in the coming years. [par. 2]

"Light To Keep Us True" (ORDINARY TIME: Week 11, Year A)

PICTURE OF HEALTH

A NUMBER of years ago, in the month of September, I entered a small and complex cave. I felt its cool atmosphere to be heavy and solemn. Not entirely quiet, the little chamber echoed with curious noises—the sound of sighing and varied little chirps....The cave was a small room in the Intensive Care Unit of a nationally known cancer center. The sounds of sighing were formed by a mechanical respirator, the little chirping noises were beeps from a heart monitor and other equipment. My friend Jim, being maintained on life support machinery, actually died two days before I was able to see him. [par. 1]

"Lazarus, Come Out!" (LENT: Week 5, Year A)