18 September 2026 - Prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 24th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you bring us the joy of your presence. 

Christ Jesus - you have compassion for your people. 

Lord Jesus - you help us cultivate the seeds of faith. 

Priest: We are called to take our place at the feast in God’s kingdom. With confidence in his love for us, let us open our hearts to God in our prayers today: 

1. That bishops, pastors, and other Church leaders may lead their people in faith and serve them with love the flock. We pray to the Lord. 

2. That all the peoples of the world work toward an end of war, terrorism, and violence. We pray to the Lord. 

3. For the hungry, the homeless, the prisoner, and those suffering from addictions and mental health issues. For wholeness and strength. We pray to the Lord. 

4. For healing for the sick and the afflicted. We pray to the Lord. 

5. That the Lord continue to accompany our children, youth, and college students through their studies and activities this semester. We pray to the Lord. 

6. That God may touch our hearts throughout our experiences in everyday life. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For the faithful departed in Christ, that those who have gone before us in the faith may take their places at the feast in God’s kingdom. We pray to the Lord. 

8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: Almighty and eternal God, maker of all things in heaven and earth. Mercifully accept the prayers we make through Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. Amen. 

18 September 2026 - Friday of the 24th week of Ordinary Time - St Joseph of Cupertino - Luke 8:1-3

Joseph of Cupertino is interesting just by his patronage as a saint - patron of astronauts, aviation, air travelers, pilots, students in general, students with learning disabilities, and test takers. What an interesting range. He was born in 1603 in to a poor family. He was born in a shed because his father had to put their house for sale due to the financial difficulties they were having. Joseph’s father died when Joseph was young. His widowed mother was very abusive to him. As a child, Joseph was angry and very absent-minded. He grew in his faith, but failed as a shoemaker’s apprentice and was refused entrance by several monasteries. The Capuchin Franciscan order accepted him on a trial basis as a lay brother, but he was very inept in any responsibility they gave him, so he was thrown out. His uncle, a Franciscan friar, accepted him as a servant, where he was given the duty of cleaning out the monastery’s stables. He was diligent at the duties given to him and very devoted to his prayers. He also had a very humble kind disposition. Although he did not excel as a student, he was ordained as a Franciscan priest in 1628. After his ordination, he experienced ecstasies and vision and was able to perform miracles. In his ecstasy state, he could not be awakened. He was known for his great kindness to animals. During Mass or prayer, he was observed levitating more than 70 times, which is why he is that patron saint of aviation, pilots, astronauts, and air travelers. He moved to the Franciscan monastery in Assisi and attracted attention from many well-known political figures and religious leaders due to his reputation for levitating and performing miracles. This caused many distractions in the monastery, so he was forbidden to pray or celebrate mass in public. He lived the rest of his life in isolation. He died at the age of 60 in 1663. 

In the 7th chapter of Luke’s Gospel, which comes right before today's Gospel, we hear about different people who come to Jesus for help:  a centurion who has a sick slave, a widow who mourns her deceased son, the disciples of John the Baptist who want to get to know Jesus, and a sinful woman who anoints Jesus feet with costly ointment as a symbol of her repentance and sorrow for her sinful past . Each of these individuals comes to Jesus out a desperate, harsh reality, out of pain, sorrow, and suffering. In today’s Gospel from the 8th chapter of Luke, we hear about some women who follow Jesus, women who came to Jesus for healing and renewal and who chose to become his disciples. Out of the healing and strength that they find in their identity as disciples, they generously give to Jesus and to others. These women came to Jesus in the midst of their reality. Let us also come to Jesus in the midst of own reality, with any brokenness or struggle that we have. 

17 September 2026 - St Hildegard of Bingen - homily for Thursday of the 24th week in Ordinary Time - Luke 7:36-50

"Glance at the sun.  See the moon and the stars.  Gaze at the beauty of earth’s greenings.  Now think.  What delight God gives to humanity with all these things.  All nature is at the disposal of humankind.  We are to work with it.  For without it, we cannot survive.”  These words were written by St Hildegarde of Bingen, who was born in the year 1098, more than 900 years ago. She was named as a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. She is only the fourth woman to be named as a Doctor of the Church. Hildegard was a mystic who had experiences of God in her life that go beyond our normal human realm. 

It is overwhelming to try to describe the life of Hildegard of Bingen. At the age of 8, she was made an anchoress by her family, as they saw this as offering up her life as a sacrifice and offering to God. As an anchoress, she lived as a hermit, shut off from the rest of the world, living in a tiny cell attached to a church, where she was able to see mass from a small slit in the wall of the call. Another anchoress, the noblewoman Jutta of Sponheim, was her caretaker and mentor. Jutta taught her Latin. She spent her days in prayer and study.  When Jutta died, she left her cell and became the abbess of a Benedictine monastery. Hildegard was an author, a theologian, a mystic, a scientist, a poet, an herbalist, and a theater director, among other things. What a remarkable woman. God calls us to use our different gifts in different ways. God calls us to a specific reality in the midst of our challenges and hardships and struggles. Sometimes that reality is particularly harsh. But in that reality, we can find beauty and love. Hildegard of Bingen does not fit into a neat tidy little box. She responded to her reality with creativity and imagination. She is a great example for all of us, no matter who we are. Here is another prayer of hers that calls out to God in the midst of our journey: 

Holy Spirit, the life that gives life - 

You are the cause of all movement, 

You are the breath of all creatures, 

You are the salve that purifies our soul, 

You are the ointment that heals our wounds, 

You are the fire that warms our hearts, 

You are the light that guides our feet. 

Let all the world praise you. 

We see the sinful women reach out to Jesus in the Gospel in the midst of her reality, in the midst of her humility and sinfulness. She repents from her sins and from her past. She comes to Jesus in love and service, anointing his feet with oil. Like Hildegard of Bingen, she responded to God’s presence with love and passion and mercy, asking for God’s mercy and forgiveness in return. Both the women and the Gospel and Hildegard of Bingen give us a great example to follow in the reality of our lives, in the midst of the gifts and struggles and challenges that we are going through. Like the message in the Gospel today, may our faith save us. And may we proceed on our journey in peace. 

11 September 2026 - homily for Friday of the 23rd week in Ordinary Time - 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22b-27

St Hyacinth and St Protus were brothers who lived in the 3rd century who were killed for their faith.  Tradition holds that these two brothers were the companions of St. Eugenia. Eugenia was from a wealthy family who left her family to pursue a life devoted to God. Her father was a high ranking official in Alexandria, Egypt. She escaped into the desert to live with the hermits there. Hyacinth and Protus accompanied her and the three of them were baptized together. The two men lived as monks out in the desert, devoting themselves to studying sacred scripture and praying. They accompanied Eugenia to Rome to evangelize the population there. They were arrested in the Valerian persecutions of Christians under the emperor Valerian, which took place between the years 257 and 260. They were beheaded when they refused to deny their faith. The tomb of Hyacinth was discovered in 1845. Inside the tomb were charred bones and traces of fine linen. A tomb nearby bore an inscription that indicated that it held the martyr Protus, but it was empty. 

We have been hearing from the first letter of St Paul in our readings at daily mass for the last couple of weeks. He says that his preaching Christ’s Gospel message is not a way for him to boast, but rather a duty and responsibility placed on him by God. He tries to preach the Gospel to all. Paul humbles himself in order to be able to preach the Gospel message and bring salvation to the Gentiles. In our evangelization efforts, God calls us to put aside our personal wants and desire to bring Christ to others. This is all good advice to us as we bring the Gospel message to others in our own reality. 

Today we commemorate the 9/11 attacks on the 25th anniversary.  It is hard to believe so many years have passed. The memory of that event is still very much alive for us and affects us each day. Our prayers continue to go out to our country, for the men and women who died on that day, and for their families and loved ones. Let this not allow that attack to make us jaded or bitter. That is what the goal of that attack was about, to harm our country. 

6 de septiembre de 2026 - oraciones de los fieles del XXIII domingo del Tiempo Ordinario ciclo A

Sacerdote: Con la confianza de saber que Jesús está presente cuando nos reunimos en su nombre, presentemos nuestras súplicas a Dios Padre. 

1. Por la Iglesia: Para que seamos una comunidad abierta que acoja a todos, promueva el diálogo y sepa caminar unida en el amor y la verdad. Roguemos al Señor.

2. Por los gobernantes y líderes de las naciones. Para que busquen siempre el bien común, la paz y la justicia social por encima de intereses particulares. Roguemos al Señor. 

3. Por los que sufren divisiones o enemistades. Para que encuentren la gracia del perdón, la reconciliación y la paz. Roguemos al Señor.

4. Por nuestra comunidad parroquial.  Para que sepamos corregir con amor y humildad. Roguemos al Señor.

5. Por los enfermos y los afligidos en nuestra comunidad. Por sanción en cuerpo y espíritu. Roguemos al Señor. 

6. Por los niños y los jovenes. Bendiciones por sus estudios y sus actividades en este año escolar. Roguemos al Señor. 

7. Por todas las oraciones que tenemos en la profundidad de nuestros corazones. Roguemos al Señor. 

Sacerdote: Dios todopoderoso y eterno, escucha las plegarias que tu pueblo te dirige con fe. Por Jesucristo nuestro Señor. Amén. 

6 de septiembre de 2026 - homilía para el domingo de la 23.ª semana del Tiempo Ordinario, ciclo A - Ezequiel 33:7-9 - Mateo 18:15-20

Hoy tenemos unas lecturas de la Biblia muy reveladoras. En primer lugar, del profeta Ezequiel, Dios designa al profeta como centinela de Israel. Es el deber y la responsabilidad de Ezequiel escuchar el mensaje de Dios y transmitirlo al pueblo. Ezequiel debe ayudar al pueblo a arrepentirse de sus pecados. Este mensaje aborda la responsabilidad del profeta hacia la comunidad, nuestra responsabilidad ante Dios y ante nuestro prójimo, y nuestra llamada a corregirnos y guiarnos mutuamente con compasión y con amor. Dios quiere que los miembros de la comunidad se rindan cuentas unos a otros.

Este mensaje se refleja en el Evangelio de hoy, donde Jesús instruye a la comunidad sobre cómo tratar a un hermano que ha cometido un error. Jesús nos dice que evitemos los chismes o las quejas ante otros sobre esa persona. Y esa suele ser nuestra primera inclinación. Pero, en lugar de quejarnos con otros, debemos dirigirnos directamente a esa persona. Si esta persona no responde, entonces debemos llevar con nosotros a uno o dos hermanos para que sirvan de testigos y ayuden a resolver esta situación. Se hace partícipe a la comunidad en general, pero no much; lo justo para llevar al infractor al arrepentimiento. Solo cuando esto no funciona, se presenta la situación ante toda la comunidad. Decir la verdad es importante, pero también lo es preocuparse por la persona en cuestión. Asimismo, es importante velar por toda la comunidad de la Iglesia.

La resolución de conflictos es importante en la familia, en la escuela, y en la comunidad.  A veces podemos ver nuestra propia perspectiva, pero no la de nuestro prójimo. A veces nos dejamos dominar por la ira, la frustración o el dolor, lo que nos impide ver la otra parte. A veces tenemos una versión de la realidad, pero solo es nuestra perspectiva, no es la verdad. 

Hace unas semanas en el 9 de agosto, conmemoramos Santa Edith Stein, una monja católica de origen judío que fue arrestada en Europa durante la segunda guerra mundial. Ell murió como prisionera en el campo de concentración de Auschwitz, en Polonia. En los inicios del régimen nazi en Alemania, cuando la situación peligroso allí comenzó con la persecuciones de los judíos, ella escribió una carta al Papa Pio XI en el año 1933 para denunciar la persecución de los judíos en Alemania y en Europa, advirtiéndole que quienes guardan silencio son también responsables. Ella recibió noticia que el Papa recibió esta carta, pero el Papa no respondió. 

No podemos permanecer en silencio y complacientes. No podemos permitir que las cosas sucedan si sabemos que hay una injusticia. Tenemos una responsabilidad hacia nosotros mismos, hacia la comunidad, y hacia Dios. Eso es porque Padre Tim y yo, con muchísimo trabajo y muchísimas responsabilidades, también estamos comprometidos con el ministerio a los prisioneros. 

Tenemos una responsabilidad mutua en la sociedad: ayudarnos y apoyarnos los unos a los otros. Es importante para ayudar en el proceso del perdón; a reconciliarnos con nuestro hermano cuando surge un conflicto y a corregirlo cuando necesita corrección.

Pienso en Ezequiel y en su misión de actuar como centinela del pueblo de Israel. Un centinela era aquella persona cuya tarea consistía en apostarse en una torre y vigilar para advertir sobre cualquier peligro inminente. Esta imagen del centinela en la torre ilustra cómo Ezequiel recibía la palabra de Dios y luego advertía al pueblo sobre sus pecados. Así, se esperaba que el pueblo se arrepintiera y se salvara de la ira divina. Dios describió a su pueblo como rebelde, por lo que no era una tarea sencilla. Aunque la labor de Ezequiel no sería fácil, resultaba necesaria para que el pueblo de Dios prosperara.

Esta tarea de centinela no es fácil para nosotros tampoco en el mundo moderno. Al igual que en la época de Ezequiel, hay muchas personas rebeldes que se niegan a escuchar el mensaje de Dios. Muchas veces, nuestro prójimo no quiere escuchar un mensaje sobre sus errores. Sin embargo, el Espíritu Santo está con nosotros. Podemos orar y pedirle a Dios las palabras adecuadas para estas situaciones difíciles. 

Bulletin reflection for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - 6 September 2026

September 5, we celebrate St Teresa of Calcutta. Mother Teresa was a legend in her lifetime here on earth. Mother Teresa has quotes that a very simple on the surface, but are very profound and deep in their meaning. She once said: "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” As our readings today tell us of the responsibilities we have to one another, may we follow the advice of Mother Teresa on our journey of faith, putting the love of our faith into each small act that we do. We wish all of you a wonderful Labor Day weekend.  Blessings - Father Lincoln.