Homilies for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 28 Jun 2009 | Tagged as: Homilies
Homilies for the Solemnity of Pentecost
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 01 Jun 2009 | Tagged as: Homilies
The Holy Spirit came down from the throne of God,
and entered into the hearts of the apostles, alleluia.
It’s hard to improve upon these words of St. Cyril of Alexandria. Guided by the Spirit himself, the holy bishop came to understand well Christ’s purposes in giving his Spirit to the Church.
After Christ had completed his mission on earth, it still remained necessary for us to become sharers in the divine nature of the Word. We had to giv eup our own life and be so transformed that we would begin to live an entirely new kind of life that would be pleasing to God. This was something we could do only by sharing in the Holy Spirit.
It was most fitting that the sending of the Spirit and his descent upon us should take place after the departure of Christ our Savior. As long as Christ was with them in the flesh, it must have seemed to believers tha thtey possessed every blessing in him; but when the time came for him to ascend to his heavenly Father, it was necessary for him to be united through his Spirit to those who worshiped him, and to dwell in our hearts through faith. Only by his own presence within us in this way could he give us confidence to cry out, Abba, Father, make it easy for us to grow in holiness and, through our possession of the all-powerful Spirit, fortify us invincibly against the wiles of the devil and the assaults of men.
[. . .]
Does this not show that the Spirit changes those in whim he comes to dwell and alters the whole pattern of their lives? With the Spirit within them it is quite natural for people who had been absorbed by the things of this world to become entirely other-worldly in outlook, and for cowards to become men of great courage. There can be no doubt that this is what happened to the disciples. The strength they received from the Spirit enabled them to held firmly to the love of Christ, facing the violence of their persecutors unafraid. Very true, then, was our Savior’s saying that it was to their advantage for him to return to heaven: his return was the time appointed for the descent of the Holy Spirit. (Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 10)
Homilies for the Seventh Sunday of Easter
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 24 May 2009 | Tagged as: Homilies
Easter Triduum Homiles
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 12 Apr 2009 | Tagged as: Homilies, Liturgical Feasts
Homilies for the Fifth Sunday of Lent
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 29 Mar 2009 | Tagged as: Homilies
Today’s 10 o’clock Mass was preached by Fr. Tim Gardner, OP, a member of the English Province and the chaplain of Maria Fidelis Convent School in London. It was a pleasure to have Fr. Gardner and a group of his students visit St. Vincent Ferrer this morning.
Homilies for the Second Sunday of Lent
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 12 Mar 2009 | Tagged as: Homilies
Due to human error—my own, I admit—this weekend’s homilies by Fr. Jones and Fr. Keitz were not recorded. In lieu of the missing audio, you can find their texts posted below.
As always, you can read the parish’s Sunday homilies here.
Fr. Jones’s Homily
March 8, 2009
In the creation story of the book of Genesis, we read that the first creative word of God was light: God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. [Genesis 1:3] That first creative word was spoken into darkness: The earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep. {Genesis 1:2] Light into darkness; form into matter without form; the void suddenly illuminated; the first thing out of nothing-light. It is as though this ancient religious text were prefiguring the latest scientific theory of the universe’s origin-the “Big Bang.”
But of course the interest of Genesis is not in a scientific theory; it is in the way that the world in its original form reflects its creator: light, pure energy, from which all other creatures come to be-man, the most developed of these creatures made in the creator’s image, possessing “light” within as consciousness, intelligence and freedom. God is light, St. John writes, and in him is no darkness at all. And in John’s gospel, Jesus says, I am the light, and he who follows me, who hears and understands my words, obeying my commandments, will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
In the Prologue to his gospel, John seems to be reprising the creation story when he introduces Jesus as no less than the divine creative Word: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Through him all things came into being…. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Then, this Word ["let there be light"] became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory… [John 1:1-3a, 4-5, 14]
Homilies for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 15 Feb 2009 | Tagged as: Homilies
Homilies for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 03 Feb 2009 | Tagged as: Homilies
Homilies for the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 26 Jan 2009 | Tagged as: Homilies, Liturgical Feasts
Let us celebrate the conversion of Saint Paul the apostle.
He was transformed from being a persecutor of Christ into a vessel of his grace.
God our Father,
you taught the gospel to all the world
through the preaching of Paul your apostle.
May we who celebrate his conversion to the faith
follow him in bearing witness to your truth.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Homilies for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 20 Jan 2009 | Tagged as: Homilies
Homilies for the Feast of the Holy Family
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 28 Dec 2008 | Tagged as: Homilies
Homilies for Gaudete Sunday
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 17 Dec 2008 | Tagged as: Homilies
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice!
The Lord is near.
Homilies for the First Sunday of Advent (2008)
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 30 Nov 2008 | Tagged as: Homilies
As the Church enters a new liturgical year, we’re beginning a new service here on CSVF Blog.
Starting today, the parish’s weekend homilies will be posted online.
Bookmark the blog, share the link with friends, and tune in to all of the Sunday preaching here at St. Vincent Ferrer.
First up, the homilies delivered earlier today, the First Sunday of Advent.
World Youth Day 2008 – Photos and Texts
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 20 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: Miscellaneous
Earlier today, Pope Benedict XVI brought World Youth Day in Sydney to a close, offering Mass for 350,000 souls at the Royal Randwick Racecourse and announcing that the next WYD will be held in Madrid. Naturally, the Spaniards went wild.
The expected choice of Spain’s capital city is in keeping with the Vatican’s recent tradition of choosing the more secularized cities of the world in which to demonstrate the Gospel’s unrivaled power to attract and inspire young people.
As he did here in New York City, the Pope delivered a number of remarkable speeches and homilies while in Sydney. I’ve collected the links to them here for easy access. Take your time with them. They are important texts.
Interview on the flight to Australia – July 12
Welcoming Ceremony at Sydney’s Government House – July 17
Welcoming Ceremony at Sydney Harbor – July 17
Ecumenical Meeting at St. Mary’s Cathedral – July 18
Interfaith Meeting at St. Mary’s Cathedral – July 18
Meeting with Disadvantaged Youth at Sacred Heart Church – July 18
Mass with Bishops, Priests, and Religious at St. Mary’s Cathedral – July 19
Vigil with Youth at Randwick Racecourse – July 19
Mass at Randwick Racecourse – July 20
Angelus at Randwick Racecourse – July 20
After the page break, you’ll find a small collection of the sights of WYD 2008. And don’t forget to check out the Sisters of Life’s WYD blog, where they’ve posted their personal stories and pictures.
Br. Anthony’s Homilies
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 10 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: Homilies, Parish News
This week the parish says goodbye to Br. Anthony Giambrone, O.P., a deacon of the Province who has been with us since the beginning of June. On Friday, he will return to the House of Studies in Washington, where he is pursing advanced degrees in Sacred Scripture. Please remember Br. Anthony and his studies in your prayers.
During his few short weeks here at St. Vincent’s, Br. Anthony delivered a number of excellent homilies. Indeed, his weekday and weekend preaching fortified many souls. Below you’ll find the audio of his Sunday homilies. As you can hear, Br. Anthony is a skillful preacher who readily shares in the pulpit his deep love for the Word of God.
What Did Pope Benedict Say to America?
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 09 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: Parish Events
On June 18, the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer hosted a public forum entitled “What Did Pope Benedict Say to America?” Over 100 people gathered to hear three presenters reflect on the speeches and homilies delivered by the Holy Father during his recent visit to the United States.
First, Fr. John Farren, OP, the Advancement Director for the Province of St. Joseph, focused on Pope Benedict’s words to American Catholics. Then, Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, editor of First Things, covered his exchanges with American non-Catholics. Finally, Angelo Matera, editor of Godspy.com, highlighted the Pope’s counsel for American culture.
Click below for video of the forum.
