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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

DO YOU not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. [Rom 6:3-5]

Artist: Victor Luciano Rebuffo

(1903-1983)

Buenos Aires, Argentina

"TREE OF LIFE"

MARVELOUS STORY

1. IN OUR hearts and on our lips these past few days has been Sandra B.’s story. It's been shared by her family and friends. Our presence in the House of God is itself the pre-eminent sign and symbol of communion with one another, the sharing of the whole human family in the marvelous story of the love that Jesus Christ has for each of us.

2. BEFORE SANDRA was born, God called her by name. Her journey of faith began at baptism when she was consecrated to Christ by water and spirit in the name of the Christian community. Now, at her funeral, the Catholic community gathers together to remember Sandra by name before she is laid to rest.

NEW LEAF

3. THE BIBLE speaks of the “Tree of Life” in the Books of Genesis and Revelation.- [cf. Gen 2:9, 3:24; Rev 22:2]- The Tree of Life images the Mystical Body of Christ. The tree is an important metaphor in Christian literature. At Golgotha, the “tree of the cross” is transformed into the most powerful redemptive symbol the world has ever known. The supremacy of life over death was settled once and for all on the “tree of the cross”. “What a work of charity!” we exclaim, “death itself died when life was slain on the tree.”

4. NOW AND then we hear someone say "I'm going to turn over a new leaf." A whole faith community can "turn over a new leaf" too. St. Philip parish is like the "Tree of Life" mentioned in Genesis, the first book of our Bible. Trees grow new leaves in the spring. They shed them in fall when their work is done. Well, each of us is a leaf on the very special tree that we know as St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church. Some of us are more firmly fixed to the branch than others. Some linger on through many seasons.

ADORN YOUR LIVES

5. GOD'S SPIRIT is the wind that eventually carries us in different directions, to different outcomes, to different destinies. Just like God sends real leaves back to the ground to enrich the soil, God scatters us in all directions--north, south, east and west—to bless the world. God sends his Holy Spirit to help us do this.

6. GOD WANTS you to help make the world a better place, in your homes, at school, at work and at play. God wants you to adorn your lives with good thoughts, good words and good deeds. In the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks about branches and the vine. He says, "If abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples." [Jn 15:7-8]

BAPTISMAL COMMITMENT

7. THE TREE and the leaf symbolize both beauty and industry, two things that are sometimes in contradiction. As winter approaches, when beauty and hard work are accomplished, the tree and foliage take leave of one another. The earth, in whose realm the seeds germinate and take root, is newly enriched.

8. THE VISIONARY John, described the “Tree of Life” in the heavenly Jerusalem. He wrote that its “leaves are for the healing of the nations”. [Rev 22:2] As we prepare to go our separate ways, it is important to reflect on your baptismal commitment to carry the Good News of Jesus Christ to all the world. Are you an industrious disciple in the Lord’s vineyard? Do you enrich the earth with the fruits of Holy Eucharist? Do you adorn the Bride of Christ as a shining ornament?

GOOD EXAMPLE

9. LIKE LEAVES caught by autumn wind, Sandra’s many day-care children and our parish family must let go. Over time, we sail out into the world in all directions to celebrate life and love, children and old people, the priceless things of life. Sandra B.’s example is a good one to follow. It’s not hard. Like her, we should be faithful followers of Jesus Christ, doing his work and revealing his beauty in the world.

10. PRAY THAT God will bless you, He will protect you and bring you happiness. In the meantime, throughout this holy season of “Christ-Mass”, let’s ask God to carry all of us on the wind of the Holy Spirit, so that wherever we land--at home, the park, on vacation, at our grandparents' home or wherever God wants us to go—everyone will know that we’re all good people.

MYSTICAL SYMBOL

11. LET US medidate upon the mystery of the “Tree of Life”, a mystical symbol of beauty, fruitfulness, unity and refuge. As leaves blossom on a barren tree in early spring, the dead will "rise on the last day" [Jn 6:40, 6:54] when Christ returns in glory--

A GREAT multitude which no man (can) number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. [Rev 7:9]

12. CHRIST VANQUISHED death so that it would not have power over any believer who calls on his name. Christ, who “emptied himself” in humility, “and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross...therefore God has highly exalted him”. [Phi 2:7,8,9] Christ will, on the day of the resurrection of the dead, will raise our bodies in glory and restore each of us to the saints in the society of heaven. Let us strive to be in that fellowship of believers.

JOYFUL CELEBRATION

13. I PRAY that, through the years, that Sandra’s name and memory will be kept warm in the fire of our hearts, for her nobility enriched our own dignity. Her courage lessened our fears. Her cheer and goodwill console us now on the day of sadness. Sandra’s living and dying witness that the quality of life, for the human person, is not measured by frenetic activity and anxious consumption, but rather by “tender charity”, “steadfast faith”, “patient hope”, “quiet brave endurance” [“Eternal Love” in compact disc “Hymn”, American Boy Choir, Angel Records 1995] and joyful celebration.

14. THE LOVE of our Savior and the wisdom of the Gospel repairs our wounded hearts, so that while our profuse love and grief are poured out in this day of inexpressible loss, our capacity to love and heal will not be exhausted for tomorrow. What is Sandra B.’s enduring legacy? What is our everlasting inheritance? What would Sandra want you to know? to understand? and remember?

SIGN OF IMMORTALITY

15. I BELIEVE that she would want you to be confident and unafraid. She would wish to reassure you that God, who raised Jesus Christ from the dead, will raise you from the dead on the last day. She would say, Care for your soul. It is the sign of your immortality. Respect it and nourish it with truth. Strengthen it with good deeds. This being so, focus on the things that matter. The important things of life have meaning both on earth and in heaven. The highest gifts are unseen, the ones that last. “So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” [cf. 1Cor 12:31; 1Cor 13:13]