18 September 2026 – Friday of the 24th week

1 Cor 15, 12-20; Luke 8:1-3

                                                                                          Homily

These three short verses, which seem somewhat innocuous, shed a great deal of light on Jesus' ministry and the lifestyle he adopted with his disciples. This lifestyle had little in common with the rabbinical schools of the time, where disciples could gather around a teacher to receive training, but in a specific place and without participating in the teacher's mission. It was also different from that of the prophets of the Old Testament, who may have had one or two disciples (such as Elisha, Elijah's disciple), but not a group travelling with them.

13 September 2026 – 24th Sunday ‘A’

Sirach 27:30–28:7; Romans 14:7–9; Matthew 18:21–35

                                                                         Homily

This business of ‘seven times’ and ‘seventy times seven’ is a very old story. It dates back to the time of Cain and Abel. After Abel’s murder, according to the account in Genesis, God banished Cain from Paradise. Cain then said to God: ‘If you drive me out today from this land, I shall be hidden from your face; I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.’ And the Lord replied: ‘Well then! If anyone kills Cain, he shall be avenged sevenfold.’ And, a few generations later, Lamech, Cain’s grandson, took two wives, Ada and Zilla, and said to them, rather defiantly: ‘Ada and Zilla, listen to my voice! Wives of Lamech, lend an ear to my words! Yes, I have killed a man for a wound, a child for a bruise. Yes, Cain will be avenged sevenfold, but Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”

13 septembre 2026 – 24^ème dimanche « A »

Si 27,30-28,7 ; Rm 14, 7-9 ; Mt 18, 21-35

                                                                                   Homélie

           Cette affaire des 7 fois et des 70x7 fois est une bien vieille histoire. Elle remonte à l’époque de Caïn et Abel.  Après le meurtre d’Abel, selon le récit de la Genèse, Dieu chassa Caïn du Paradis.  Ce dernier dit alors à Dieu : « Si tu me chasses aujourd’hui de l’étendue de ce sol, je serai caché à ta face, je serai errant et vagabond sur la terre, et quiconque me trouvera me tuera." Et le Seigneur répondit : "Eh bien! Si l’on tue Caïn, il sera vengé sept fois."  Et, quelques générations plus tard, Lamek, le petit-fils de Caïn, prit deux femmes, Ada et Cilla, et leur dit, avec assez de bravade : "Ada et Cilla, écoutez ma voix! Femmes de Lamek, tendez l’oreille à mon dire! Oui, j’ai tué un homme pour une blessure, un enfant pour une meurtrissure. Oui, Caïn sera vengé sept fois, mais Lamek soixante-dix-sept fois."

14 septembre 2026 – Fête de la Croix glorieuse

Nb 21, 4-9 ; Ph 2, 6-11 ; Jn 3, 13-17

                                                                           H O M É L I E

           Nos missels tendent à donner à la fête d’aujourd’hui le nom de « Fête de la croix glorieuse ».  C’est sans doute là une très belle expression ; mais le nom traditionnel de cette fête, qui est une traduction littérale du nom grec, est celui de « Fête de l’Exaltation de la Sainte Croix ».  Le mot « exaltation » est admirablement ambigu.  Il peut désigner le mouvement consistant à élever la croix sur laquelle se trouve un condamné (dans l’acte même de la crucifixion), ou bien le mouvement consistant à élever la croix bien haut, en signe de triomphe, et pour lui rendre gloire.

14 September 2026 - Feast of the Glorious Cross

Num 21:4-9; Phil 2:6-11; Jn 3:13-17

                                                                         Homily

Our missals tend to call today's feast the ‘Feast of the Glorious Cross’. This is undoubtedly a very beautiful expression, but the traditional name for this feast, which is a literal translation of the Greek name, is ‘ Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross ’. The word ‘exaltation’ is admirably ambiguous. It can refer to the movement of raising the cross on which a condemned man is standing (in the very act of crucifixion), or it can refer to the movement of raising the cross high, as a sign of triumph, to give glory to God.

September 6, 2026 – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year “A”

Ezekiel 33:7–9; Romans 13:8–10; Matthew 18:15–20

                                                               Homily

In the Life of Saint Pachomius (one of the founders of monastic life in Egypt in the 4th century), there is a very interesting passage about “visions” and “miracles.” When some brothers asked him about his visions, Pachomius replied: “Do you want me to tell you about a great vision? — There is no greater vision than that of seeing the invisible God in a visible man—that is, of seeing God in your brother!” And as for miracles and healings, this is what he told them: “If a man is so blind that he does not see the light of God, and if a brother leads him to faith, is that not a healing? If a man is so mute that he cannot speak the truth, or if he is one-handed because of his laziness in fulfilling God’s commandments; in other words, if a sinner is led to repentance with the help of a brother, is that not a great miracle?”