1st Sunday of Advent, Cycle A, 28 Nov 2010

Click here to download and listen to this homily (11 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Rose of Lima parish in Wrangell AK. Happy Catholic New Year! It is time to get ready for the coming of the Lord at Christmas and at the End of Time. We are to prepare the way of the Lord in our lives and in our land.  Here a few Catholic New Year's resolutions I will be doing this Advent of joyful waiting. 1) Read the Gospel of Matthew before Christmas, 2) Spend a few more minutes in Prayer for Others and our World each day, 3) Become a Peace Maker by beating my sword into a pruning hook and fasting from any violent thoughts or actions.  Will you join me?

Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44

Thanksgiving Day, 25 Nov 2010

Click here to download and listen to this homily (11 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Rose of Lima parish in Wrangell AK.  Only one of the ten people who Jesus healed from leprosy returned to give thanks.  That is about average even today with only 10-15% of people are living a life of gratefulness. I was challenged ten years ago by my spiritual director while at Mount Angel Seminary to make a list of the ten things I was grateful for every evening of a week.  I have kept this spiritual practice up because of how joyful it allows me to be, very conscious of my abundant blessings. Now there is good scientific evidence, from an ongoing study at UC Davis that this daily gratefulness list works.  Visit www.gratefulness.org for more details and take the site tour today. We do ourselves harm when we fail to give thanks and cultivate a grateful heart on a daily basis not just once a year.

Homework: Make a list of ten people/things/events/etc... that you are grateful for. Repeat often.

Sirach 50:22-24; Psalm 113; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Luke 17:11-19

Christ the King, Cycle C, 21 Nov 2010

Click here to download and listen to this homily (15 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg AK.  In today's gospel Jesus hangs from the cross showing that he is a very different type of king.  Not one of power over others, but power for others--one of humble service to save us from sin and death. Often we dismiss Jesus as our king in our feeble struggle for independence.  At other times we recognize Jesus as our king because there is something in it for us.  Jesus becomes our handy man, fixing stuff. Hopefully like the repentant criminal we will recognize that Jesus alone is our source of love and mercy and we will call out to him in humility "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." That Jesus might make take us to himself and makes us whole.

Readings: 2 Samuel 5:1-3; Psalm 122; Colossians 1:12-20; Luke 23:35-43

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C, 14 Nov 2010

Click here to download and listen to this homily (16 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Rose of Lima parish in Wrangell AK.  Jesus warns us not to place our trust in today's Temples, Parties, Institutions, ETC..., no matter how beautiful they will fail.  Only Jesus will never fail.

Readings: Malachi 3:19-20a; Psalm 98; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12; Luke 21:5-19

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C, 7 Nov 2010

Click here to download and listen to this homily (22 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg, AK.  Jesus is asked about life after death.  Just like the infant in the womb can not image life outside of the womb nor can we imaging life in heaven.  Yet just as we can peek into the womb with 3D ultra-sound; we can peek into heaven via the Holy Mass and the Scriptures, giving us a blurry preview.

Readings: 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14; Psalm 17; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:5; Luke 20:27-38

All Saints Day, 1 Nov 2010

Click here to download and listen to this homily (10 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg, AK.  We celebrate with all the saints our universal call as Christians to be holy. The Saints are those who long to see the face of God when they look into the mirror instead of their own.

Readings: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; Psalm 24; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12a.

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C, 31 October 2010

Click here to download and listen to this homily (18 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg, AK.  Jesus calls Zacchaeus down out of the tree and into eternal life.  Often we are there in the crowd and grumpy that Jesus is reaching out to sinners.  Standing near Jesus and knowing all about him will not be enough. We need to "put on the mind of Christ" as Paul teaches. Then we would be merciful to others just as Jesus is merciful to us. We need to take Jesus home with us when we leave the church today.

Readings: Wisdom 11:22-12:2; Psalm 145; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2; Luke 19:1-10