Holy Family 28 December 2008

Click here to download and listen to this homily (19 minutes) given by Fr. Thomas Weise at the 11 am Mass.  Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.  Their lives certainly were not easy or simple, yet through it all they stayed close to God in trusting even when they didn't understand, and deeply loving each other.  Let us do the same in our family.

Readings: Genesis 15:1-6; 21:1-3; Psalm 105; Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19; Luke 2:22-40

Christmas 2008

Click here to download and listen to this homily (14 minutes) given by Fr. Thomas Weise at the Christmas Day Mass.  What is the true meaning of Christmas?  Where do we find God?  Is there any place we would not find God?  Because of the Word of God becoming flesh and pitching his tent with us all has changed.  Now we have a God who really understands what it is like to be human.  The true meaning of Christmas can be found in loving others as Jesus loves us.

Merry Christmas from all of us at here at the Cathedral.

Readings: Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18

Click here to download and listen to this Homily (14 minutes) given by Deacon Charles Rohrbacher at the Midnight Christmas Mass.  The world already had a savior in Caesar Augustus, did the world need a savior in Jesus?  Absolutely!  Jesus is Truly Good News!

Readings: Isaiah 9:1-6; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:10-11

4th Sunday of Advent B 21 December 2008

Click here to download and listen to this homily (16 minutes) given by Fr. Thomas Weise at the 11 am Mass.  When sending out Christmas card the best we can do is send then to the last know address and hope for the best.  We often think of Churches as the best place to send God a note, and this is true.  It is true not because of the building, but because of the people gathered in them.  We can find God in one another, especially when we gather to worship.  God's last known address is you! Each Sunday as Catholic Christians we receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus in the Eucharist. We are filled with the very Glory of God, just as Mary was pregnant with the Word of God. Let us carry Jesus out into the world as the living Tabernacles that we are. How do we do this, tell some one you love them today!

Readings: 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Psalm 89; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38

3rd Sunday Advent B 14 December 2008

Click here to download and listen to this homily (16 minutes) given by Fr. Thomas Weise at the 5:30 pm Mass.  Just as a character witness gives testimony in a court trial so do we give testimony to Jesus by the way we live our lives.  How is our witness to Jesus?  Does every one around us know of the Love of God for everyone by how we care for our neighbor?  Grumpy Christians are a counter witness to the Glory of God found burning brightly in each one of us.  Bishop Michael Kenny was an attractive witness to the Gospel.  May we do the same with God's help.

Readings: Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11; Luke 1:46-54; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28

Immaculate Conception 8 December 2008

Click here to down load and listen to this homily (9 minutes) given by Fr. Thomas Weise at the 12:10 pm Mass.  Mary is preserved from sin from the first moment of her life.  She says yes to God's request to be the Mother of God, not knowing just that that will mean for her or her husband Joseph or her son Jesus.  She becomes a living Tabernacle of the Holy of Holies, Jesus.  Is not that also our vocation?  Do we not come forward at communion to receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord Jesus becoming living Tabernacles?  This Advent let us be ready to say yes to God and carry Jesus out to all we meet!

Click here to down load and listen to this homily (14 minutes) given by Deacon Charles Rohrbacher at the 7 pm Mass.  There can be some conversion when we read the Gospel of Jesus' conception for the feast of Mary's Immaculate Conception.  We are called to be as willing as Mary to invite God's creative life giving power into our lives.  Mary in her obedience becomes the new Eve.  The Ikon of Mary's conception shows the chaste passionate embrace of Joachim and Anna.  This Ikon is often given to newly married couples to place over their marriage bed to inspire them to welcome God's creative action in their lives.

Readings: Genesis 3:9-15, 20; Psalm 98; Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12; Luke 1:26-38.

2nd Sunday Advent B 7 December 2008

Click here to down load and listen to this homily (13 minutes) was given by Fr. Thomas Weise at the 5:30 pm Mass.  A voice cries out ready the way of the Lord.  What have we done this Advent to ready the guest room of our heart?  How full of junk is it?  What have we done or what will we do to take down the mountains of arrogance and prejudice?  What have we done or what will we do to build up the valleys of low self esteem? Both arrogance and low self worth will make it more difficult for the Lord to come to us and we to go to the Lord.

We commemorate the 40th anniversary of the death of Thomas Merton this Wednesday 10 Dec 2008.  He visited Alaska and spent a few days in Juneau in September of 1968.  For more info on Thomas Merton visit our parish Library and/or visit www.mertoninstitue.org 

Readings: Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11; Psalm 85; 2 Peter 3:8-14; Mark 1:1-8

1st Sunday of Advent B 30 November 2008

Click here to down load and listen to this homily (18 minutes) given by Fr. Thomas Weise at the 8:30 am Mass.  In this homily I share the process of Lectio Divina that I use when reading the scriptures and preparing homilies.  Simply stated Lectio Divina can be summarized down to four moments each starting with R: Reading, Reflecting, Responding, and Resting.  What does it mean to be clay in God the potter's hands?  What does it mean the our parish community lack no spiritual gift?  What does it mean to be watchful and alert to the Lord's coming?

Homework:  Take some time to practice Lectio Divina with the word of God this Advent.

Readings: Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7; Psalm 80; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:33-37.