We heard the Gospel today of the laborers, who all got paid the same amount, even though some worked all day and some only worked an hour.
It’s so easy to say “that’s not fair”.
I think, many of us believe that we can earn God’s favor. We work hard and think that God will be obliged to give us His love, because we earned it.
“Not so.” says this Gospel.
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Wrath…. And Anger…. Are HATEFUL things.
Yet, the Sinner hugs them tight.
These are the first words we heard from the book of Sirach from our readings today. And that somewhat sets the whole tone for the rest.
So, how many of you here have selective hearing? Or at least know someone who does? I know a lot of people who think their spouses have this impairment. I ask because today’s readings are about hearing… and listening… and thereby being saved.
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How many of you have been duped?
Well, I’m sure we all have been, although it’s a term we don’t use much anymore. It means being coerced or even tricked into something.
When I tried to think of a story of DUPING….
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Please Note:
Due to staff vacations, there will be no postings of Father's homilies for the whole month of August.
We will resume this service the first weekend of September
more to come
Mark
There was a man who hit the lottery. He matched all six numbers, and his ticket was suddenly worth 6.9 million dollars. WHOO HHOOH!!! The drawing was on a Saturday night, and of course the lottery offices were closed for the weekend...
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Well, this week, Jesus is talking about that Farmer again. And today He’s introducing another possible problem. WEEDS! I tell you, that trip to the Roulette wheel is looking better all of the time.
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We may not all be farmers here, but living in Mt. Angel, we can’t help but become familiar with the ways of agriculture, even if it’s just getting stuck behind a combine on 213. So, we understand the Parable of the Sower well.
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July 8/9, 2023
On my road trip last summer, I kept seeing billboards for a hotel chain, called, “My Place”. Maybe you’ve heard of them. Well, I never had, and I just had to laugh. I thought, “Yeah, when the In-laws want to come visit, you can say, “Oh… that’s great… you can stay at “My Place”. It’s only five miles down the road, and will only cost you $133 a night.” (I googled it. That’s right. $133 a night….. What ever happened to Motel $6 a night)
Our Gospel is a continuation of Jesus’ message to His disciples, and us, about continuing to share God’s message with the world. He assures us of God’s awareness and His love while reminding us to have no fear.
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Did you ever want to be a Superhero? Batman, Wonder Woman, and Captain America. I wanted to have those Superpowers; to fly like Superman, to Run like the Flash, Swim like Aqua Man, or even turn invisible.
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So, … Did you hear the one about the Baptist minister and the Jewish rabbi who went out to lunch?
When the waiter came, the Rabbi ordered a garden salad and a tuna sandwich, while the minister asked for a double sausage bacon burger with a slice of ham on top and a side of fries.
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Have you ever been in a large crowd, like in the stands for a major league Football Game, or even seen one on Television? You almost inevitably see someone in the midst of it hold up a big sign, “John 3:16. I remember the first time I saw that, I was like, “What is that?
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In many ways (this morning) yesterday, St. Mary’s Church was a lot like the Upper Room of the Disciples. Bishop Peter was here for the Confirmation of nearly 50 of our young Catholics. Now, instead of tongues of fire, they were anointed with oil, which is just as well.
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It was just a few weeks ago that the world witnessed that rare modern occurrence of a King being crowned. Charles III sat upon his throne before the high altar in Westminster Abbey and received the crown from The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. This seems to serve as a sign that his power indeed comes from God. Part of the ceremony...
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I grew up on a Mid-Western Farm, and when I was just a kid of 10 or 11, I fought with an old Oliver 77 tractor that my older brother was driving. Of course, Oliver got the best of me, and I ended up with a somewhat mangled ankle.
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Do you know the way to Portland? Everybody knows how to get to Portland. You take I-5 …. Or Barlow Road….. or 213 through Molalla. There’s more than one way, but we all know A way to get to Portland.
Of course, with a smartphone...
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When Mathias Butsch arranged for the Monks of Engelberg to settle here in Fillmore in 1882, the Monks acquired the two buttes just outside of town, of course. Some 800 acres of fir forests, oak groves, and meadows peppered with apple, plum, and pear trees. When I first entered the monastery 20 years ago...
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Well, we’ve been celebrating Easter for two weeks now. I’ve nearly put back on all of the weight I lost by fasting through Lent.
But, in the Gospel from Luke, we return back to Easter; to that very day, the first day of the week.
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“He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” What a strange action Jesus does in the midst of his disciples in today's reading on this Divine Mercy Sunday. He breathed on them. Yes, but how? Didn’t Jesus die?
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“Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.”
I start this morning with the scene from the Crucifixion…
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It seems that Palm Sunday comes at a perfect time here in Oregon…. At least from a weather standpoint. A day can start out sunny and oh, so promising…. And then the clouds move in, and by the afternoon, you’re heading for cover from hail and thunderstorms.
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