16 June 2025 – Monday of the 11th week

2 Cor 6:1-10; Mt 5:38-42

Turn the other cheek

This passage from the Gospel reminds me of a scene from the life of Mahatma Gandhi. It is an event that took place towards the end of Gandhi's life. India had just gained independence, but it had already split into two countries: India itself, a Hindu country, and Pakistan, a Muslim country; and a civil war was raging in the major cities between Muslims and Hindus. Gandhi then began a fast, determined not to eat anything until peace was restored between the two factions. It was then that a Hindu man came to find Gandhi. He was desperate, convinced that he was damned forever because he had killed a Muslim child. He had killed him in revenge because Muslims had killed his own child. Gandhi then told him what he must do to avoid damnation. ‘Go,’ he said, ‘find a child the same age as the one you lost, adopt him and raise him as your own child. But above all, take care to choose a Muslim child and raise him as a good Muslim.’

24 June 2025 -Solennity of Saint John the Baptist

Is 49, 1-6; Acts 13, 22-26; Luke 1, 57---80

Homily

          Traditional iconography often shows us a stern, shaggy John the Baptist with a rather off-putting appearance.  Such a presentation can obviously be inspired by a few passages in the Gospels reminding us of his preaching and his calls to conversion and penance.  And yet, the theme that recurs again and again in the accounts of his birth is that of joy.

June 15, 2025 - Trinity Sunday

Prov 8, 22-31 ; Rom 5, 1-5 ; John 16,12-15

 

                      H O M I L Y

           The Scripture describes creation as the work of a playful God. In the book of Proverbs we heard the Wisdom of God say: "When he made firm the skies above, when he fixed the foundations of the earth... I was beside him... and I was his delight day by day, playing before him all the while, playing on the surface of his earth; and I found delight in human persons”.

8 juin 2025 : Mémoire de Marie Mère de l’Église.

Gen. 3, 9-15.20 ou Ac 1, 12-14 ; Jean 19, 25-34

Homélie

          Au cours du Concile Vatican II, certains Pères conciliaires auraient voulu la proclamation d’un document consacré spécifiquement à la Vierge Marie, lui attribuant sans doute de nouveaux titres en plus de tous ceux que la Tradition et aussi la piété populaire lui ont conférés. Le Concile opta plutôt pour parler de Marie au chapitre 8 de la Constitution dogmatique Lumen gentium, sur l’Église, situant Marie au cœur du Mystère du Christ et de l’Église,

7 juin 2025, samedi de la 7^ème semaine de Pâques

Ac 28, 16-20.30-31 ; Jean 21, 20-25

Homélie

Avec la solennité de la Pentecôte, que nous célébrerons demain, se terminera le Temps liturgique de Pâques. Dans les Eucharisties fériales des sept dernières semaines, la première lecture, généralement tirée du Livres des Actes des Apôtres, nous a fait connaître le témoignage des premiers martyrs de la Foi et la vie de la première communauté chrétienne de Jérusalem, puis la prédication aux Nations au-delà du monde juif, et particulièrement le ministère de Paul. La lecture de l’Évangile nous a raconté les apparitions de Jésus à ses disciples durant cette période ; et, depuis le début de cette dernière semaine, nous a fait lire les chapitres de l’Évangile de Jean nous rapportant les paroles de Jésus à ses disciples durant le dernier repas qu’il prit avec eux et sa longue prière à son Père durant ce même repas. Il était donc tout normal qu’en ce dernier jour du Temps Pascal avant la Pentecôte, nous lisions les derniers versets des Actes des Apôtres et les derniers versets de l’Évangile de Jean.

7 June 2025, Saturday of the 7th week of Easter

Acts 28, 16-20.30-31; John 21, 20-25

Homily

With the solemnity of Pentecost, which we celebrate tomorrow, the liturgical season of Easter comes to an end. In the Eucharistic celebrations of the last seven weeks, the first reading, generally taken from the Book of Acts, has introduced us to the witness of the first martyrs of the Faith and the life of the first Christian community in Jerusalem, followed by the preaching to the Nations beyond the Jewish world, and particularly the ministry of Paul. The reading of the Gospel has told us about the appearances of Jesus to his disciples during this /period; and, since the beginning of the last week, we have been reading the chapters of the Gospel of John relating the words of Jesus to his disciples during the last meal he had with them and his long prayer to his Father during this same meal. So it was only natural that, on this last day of Paschal Time before Pentecost, we should read the last verses of the Acts of the Apostles and the last verses of John's Gospel.

From Monday, our liturgical calendar will return to "Ordinary Time". There is much to be said about the beauty of Ordinary Time. For now, let's just remember that with the conclusion of the Easter season, a new page is being turned. A new liturgical season is beginning, which must manifest itself as a new season in our spiritual life.

In our human lives, it is important to live in the present, which is our point of contact with God's eternal present. The temptation is often great to live in nostalgia for the past (the "good old days") or in dreams of a wonderful time to come. It's important to learn to turn the page at the right moment - to know when to close a chapter in the book of our lives, to turn the page and start a new chapter with all our energy. This is another way of describing the constant call to conversion.

It's important to realise that in all of this there is a call for each of us to be reborn, to be converted to a fuller, more unified life. Let us pray to the Holy Spirit, whose light we will especially implore in tomorrow's liturgy, to show us the "conversions" to which we are called, collectively and individually.

Let us turn the page, and may the text of the new page be of great beauty!

Armand Veilleux