Bishop Bambera’s Homilies 2025

HOMILY
Respect Life Sundays – October 5, 2025
27^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Life: Our sign of hope!” … Today, on this 27^th Sunday of the Church year, as we have done for over five decades, the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Sunday at the beginning of the month of October – a time set aside to promote a culture of life throughout our land. This year’s theme is linked to the great Jubilee Year of Hope and calls us to affirm the belief that every human life is a precious gift from God, especially the most vulnerable. This special season encourages us to consider the responsibility given to each of us as disciples of Jesus to promote and defend life, recognizing it as a sign of God’s promise and love.

Sadly, despite the hope that was generated with the overturning of Roe v. Wade three years ago, the challenge to protect human life has not diminished. Because our world is so often hostile to the truth of the Gospel of Life that we embrace, proclaiming the sanctity of human life can be challenging at best, can’t it? In many arenas, defense of unborn lives, the lives of those who are disabled or dying, or the lives of any vulnerable human population is met with resistance. Proclaiming the Church’s teaching on topics like abortion, assisted suicide, and the death penalty can provoke challenging and emotional responses from those who disagree. And often, we may find ourselves afraid to speak up about these issues in our families, among our coworkers, or with students in our school community. We may fear disagreement, judgement, confrontation, or misunderstanding. But as our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, encourages us, “How important it is that each and every baptized person feel himself or herself called by God to be a sign of hope in the world today.”

In response to the division that we experience throughout our land, it is incumbent upon us, as a people of faith – as disciples of Jesus – to be light in the midst of darkness – a leaven to transform our misguided world. As such, it is our responsibility to witness to our beliefs by caring for life – from life in the womb to the lives of all who are in need, particularly for many women and their children who struggle past the time of birth.

As Catholics, we too often allow voices contrary to gospel values to control the narrative about the good work that our Church – through all of you – continues to accomplish. We so rarely hear in the public forum of our Church’s long history of service to those who are most vulnerable. Few are even aware of the fact that the Catholic Church remains the largest private provider of social services in the United States to this day.

Amid the tension that this moment in our history continues to generate, we need to acknowledge with humility that the Church has not only advocated for life in the womb but has worked tirelessly to support life in all its forms from conception to natural death. In addition to serving the countless numbers of suffering lives that make their way into our midst, the Church in the United States and right here in our own diocese has developed scores of ministries dedicated to helping mothers facing challenging pregnancies and those who may struggle to care for their children after they are born. Through pregnancy care centers and parish-based ministries such as Walking with Moms in Need to Shepherds Maternity House in East Stroudsburg that provides a safe home and assistance for pregnant woman and mothers and their newborn babies to ministries that offer hope, healing and spiritual renewal to women and couples who suffer after participating in abortion, our Church continues to offer a way forward to those who seek to live the gospel of life.

In today’s gospel from Saint Luke, Jesus quite providentially speaks to the heart of this Respect Life Sunday by offering a series of pronouncements. Two are spoken of in the passage proclaimed today. Two others are found in the verses immediately preceding today’s gospel. … Jesus warns against causing scandal. … He demands forgiveness. … And Jesus proclaims that if we have faith the size of mustard seed, incredible things can happen.

Jesus also teaches a lesson from the relationship between a master and a slave. When we do what Jesus commands us to do, we don’t become heroes for a cause, nor should we expect adulation or praise. In doing what Jesus commands, we simply do what the Gospel asserts and demands of its adherents.

These words of Jesus regarding scandal, forgiveness, faith and so much more don’t point to heroic living but reflect the minimum for a life open to the Kingdom of God. They challenge all of us – those of us who embrace the teachings of the Gospel as well as those who struggle with the tenets of our faith that call us to respect life – to avoid the self-justifying posture of the Pharisees and embrace Jesus’ call for mercy, forgiveness and love.

Simply put, brothers and sisters, if we desire to live our lives as Christians with authenticity, we have no choice. We cannot merely speak of our respect for human life or self-righteously criticize those whose beliefs may be different from our own. We must enliven our words with action. We must both choose and serve life – life in the womb, life that is found on the margins of our world and even life that struggles to respect and reverence others.

The challenge to defend human life cannot be side stepped to create a false peace or sense of harmony. We must be fearless in our defense of the unborn – but also mothers in need, the elderly, the sick, the poor, those with disabilities, prisoners, immigrants and all whose lives are in jeopardy.

While the work before us can be daunting, particularly in a land that at times seems so bereft of an ethic in support of human life, the great Jubilee Year that we continue to celebrate and the words of the Prophet Habakkuk in our first reading give us hope – a hope rooted in God’s vision for humanity. “The vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come!” … God’s vision, brothers and sisters, will indeed come to pass when we claim the vision as our own!

Shortly after his election, Pope Leo shared these words to diplomats from countries around the world. “It is the responsibility of world leaders to work to build harmonious and peaceful civil societies.” Then he went on to share a message that speaks to every one of us. “No one is exempted from striving to ensure respect for the dignity of every person, especially the most frail and vulnerable, from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike.”

Therein, we discover our responsibility as disciples of Jesus as well as our true and lasting hope!

HOMILY
10^th Annual Men’s Conference Mass – October 4, 2025
27^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In setting the stage for this 10^th Annual “Be a Catholic Man Conference” here in the Diocese of Scranton, the website that you created offers these words, at once compelling yet challenging. Rooted in Pope Pius XI’s institution of the Feast of Christ the King one hundred years ago in response to growing secularism and atheism in our world, you acknowledged that attempts to “thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law” out of public life would have disastrous consequences for us as Christians and for our world. Recall what you affirmed, “Today, as our Catholic faith becomes increasingly marginalized by society, we publicly acclaim that Jesus Christ is King of our hearts, our homes, our work, and our public actions. Viva Cristo Rey!”

Brothers, we come together today at a time and in an era within our world and land that is fraught with division and upheaval. Yet, we gather in hope because of the same Christ who has called us as his disciples to walk with him, to proclaim his gospel through the words we profess and the lives we lead, and to work with him in the mission of building the Kingdom of God in this time and place.

Providentially, as we participate in this conference and celebrate this closing Mass, we do so on the very weekend when the Catholic church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Sunday, as it has done for over five decades. I doubt that there is another day in the Church calendar that speaks more profoundly to what you have been about this day. For sadly, at the heart of your assertion that our faith is being increasingly marginalized – which it is – is a diminishment and, I dare say, an ever increasing disavowal of our responsibility to respect and reverence life as made in the very image and likeness of God. All the concerns that prompted you to acclaim your allegiance to Christ our King in these turbulent times emerge from a growing disrespect for human life – the very lives for which Jesus gave his own on the cross of our salvation.

Sadly, despite the hope that was generated with the overturning of Roe v. Wade three years ago, the challenge to protect human life has not diminished. Because our world is so often hostile to the truth of the Gospel of Life that we affirm this day, proclaiming the sanctity of human life can be challenging, can’t it? In many arenas, defense of unborn lives, the lives of those who are disabled or dying, or the lives of any vulnerable human population is met with resistance. Proclaiming the Church’s teaching on topics like abortion, assisted suicide, and the death penalty can provoke challenging and emotional responses from those who disagree. And often, we may find ourselves reluctant to speak up about these issues in our families, among our coworkers, or with students in our school community. We may fear disagreement, judgement, confrontation, or misunderstanding. But as our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, encourages us, “How important it is that each and every baptized person feel himself or herself called by God to be a sign of hope in the world today.”

In response to the division that we experience throughout our land, it is incumbent upon us, as men of faith, to not merely point fingers of derision at those who fail to embrace the teaching of the gospel regarding the value of human life. To the contrary, as disciples of Jesus, we are called to be light in the midst of darkness – a leaven to transform our misguided world. As such, it is our responsibility to witness to our beliefs by caring for life – from life in the womb to every life, particularly those that are most vulnerable and susceptible to the ravages of the increasingly secularized society in which we live.

As Catholics, we too often allow voices contrary to gospel values to control the narrative about the good work that our Church – through all of you – continues to accomplish. We rarely hear in the public forum of our Church’s long history of service to those who are most vulnerable. Few are even aware of the fact that the Catholic Church remains the largest private provider of social services in the United States to this day.

In today’s gospel from Saint Luke, Jesus quite providentially speaks to the reason we gather this day by offering a series of pronouncements. Two are spoken of in the passage proclaimed today. Two others are found in the verses immediately preceding today’s gospel. … Jesus warns against causing scandal. … He demands forgiveness. … Jesus proclaims that if we have faith the size of mustard seed, incredible things can happen. … And Jesus teaches a lesson from the relationship between a master and a slave. When we do what Jesus commands us to do, we don’t become heroes for a cause, nor should we expect adulation or praise. In doing what Jesus commands, we simply do what the Gospel asserts and demands of its adherents.

These words of Jesus regarding scandal, forgiveness, faith and so much more don’t point to heroic living but reflect the minimum for a life open to the Kingdom of God. They challenge all of us who seek to embrace the teachings of the Gospel – to avoid the self-justifying posture of the Pharisees and embrace Jesus’ call for mercy, forgiveness and love.

Simply put, brothers, if we desire to live our lives as Christians with authenticity, we have no choice. We cannot merely speak of our respect for human life or self-righteously criticize those whose beliefs may be different from our own. We must enliven our words with action. We must both choose and serve life – life in the womb, life that is found on the margins of our world and even life that struggles to respect and reverence others.

The challenge to defend the lives for whom Jesus died cannot be side stepped to create a false peace or sense of harmony. We must be fearless in our defense of the unborn – but also mothers in need, the elderly, the sick, the poor, those with disabilities – and yes – even prisoners, immigrants and all whose lives are in jeopardy. And if you are uncertain about the extent to which respect for life needs to go, recall Jesus’ willingness on the cross to forgive the repentant thief who hung next to him!

While the work before us can be daunting, particularly in a land that at times seems so bereft of an ethic that supports human life and the values of the gospel for which Jesus gave his own life, the words of the Prophet Habakkuk in our first reading this afternoon give us hope – a hope rooted in God’s vision for humanity. “The vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come!” … God’s vision, brothers, will indeed come to pass when we claim the vision as our own!

Recall once again, brothers, words that you affirmed in announcing this 10^th Annual “Be a Catholic Man Conference.” “Today, as our Catholic faith becomes increasingly marginalized by society, we publicly acclaim that Jesus Christ is King of our hearts, our homes, our work, and our public actions. Viva Cristo Rey!”

Despite the challenges posed by a world that has become far too secularized and opposed to the values of our Catholic faith, Christ our King will reign and the vision of his Gospel of life and salvation will continue to be a source of hope for our world when you and I discover and accept our responsibility as Christian men to live, to love, to forgive and to serve as Christ.

Therein, brothers, we discover our true and lasting hope!

Homily for the Jubilee Year of Hope
Diocesan Pilgrimage to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Brothers and sisters, what a blessed day this has been as we’ve journeyed here, to Mary’s house, in celebration of the great Jubilee Year of Hope. I’m grateful to be with all of you on this pilgrimage. Doy una bienvenida especial a nuestros hermanos y hermanas hispanos que nos acompañan hoy.

Thank you to my brother priests and deacons, religious sisters and all the faithful who have traveled at great sacrifice from around our eleven counties to give witness to our faith and our hope in Jesus Christ. Monsignor Rossi, on behalf of the hundreds of faithful from the Diocese of Scranton who have gathered here in our nation’s capital on pilgrimage, thank you for your hospitality. It is a joy for us to be here today. I know that this day has particular meaning for you as you join with brothers and sisters from the local church that you call “home.”

Earlier this year in a gathering commemorating the Jubilee Year, Pope Leo offered insight into the second reading proclaimed this afternoon from Saint Paul’s letter to the Church of Rome. “Amid life’s trials, our hope is inspired by the firm and reassuring certainty of God’s love, poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. That hope does not disappoint. … The living God is in fact the God of hope, and Christ, by his death and resurrection, has himself become our hope. We must never forget that we were saved in this hope and need to remain firmly rooted therein.”

Saint Paul was a realist. He knew well that life was filled with joys and sorrows, that love is tested amid trials and that hope can be shaken in the face of suffering. Yet, what is so distinctive about Saint Paul’s teaching is that the hope which he proclaims rests not upon mere human achievement. We can’t save ourselves, regardless of our resolve! No, our hope rests solely upon God’s saving action realized in his son, Jesus Christ.

Lo que distingue de manera especial la enseñanza de San Pablo es que la esperanza que él proclama no se basa simplemente en logros humanos. ¡No podemos salvarnos a nosotros mismos, por mucha determinación que tengamos! No, nuestra esperanza se basa únicamente en la acción salvadora de Dios realizada en su Hijo, Jesucristo.

It is that very power of Christ, as Pope Francis wrote in announcing the Jubilee Year, that enables us as disciples of Jesus, despite our weaknesses, to “be for our world a leaven of authentic hope, a harbinger of new heavens and a new earth, where men and women will dwell in justice and harmony, in joyful expectation of the fulfillment of the Lord’s promises.”

That, brothers and sisters, is why we have gathered today at this great Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. That is why you have expended a great deal of time, effort and energy to be here this day to pray and to celebrate our faith in Jesus Christ and the hope that we are given through his life, suffering, death and resurrection!

Por eso, hermanos y hermanas, nos hemos reunido hoy. Por eso ustedes han dedicado tanto tiempo, esfuerzo y energía para estar aquí en este día, para orar y celebrar nuestra fe en Jesucristo y la esperanza que se nos da a través de su vida, sufrimiento, muerte y resurrección.

Today’s gospel passage, which is especially offered for our reflection by the Church during the Jubilee Year, compliments so beautifully the pilgrimage that we have engaged this day. Saint Matthew invites us to reflect upon the power and authority of our God in Jesus Christ – upon his hope-filled promise to be with us “all days until the end of the age” – and the call given to each of us to proclaim the gospel message of hope and love as disciples of the Lord.

Let’s look at this gospel passage through the lens of Mary as we gather in her house today. Mary’s words in the scriptures, although few, give us powerful insight into her life and speak to ours as well. Most especially, her words carry us to the threshold of hope where God is given room to work his greatness in and through our simple and often fragile lives.

Mary was born into a world fraught with suffering and pain – a world of hardship, struggle and grief – a world in many ways no different than our own. Yet, her willingness to believe that the promises of the Lord would be fulfilled is a posture that she assumes for her entire life. Her willingness to say “yes” to God’s plan to bring salvation to his people is rooted in a faith so strong that it establishes the parameters for authentic discipleship down through the ages, even to our own.

Writing about Mary in his book Jesus: A Pilgrimage, Jesuit Father James Martin offers his readers profound insight into the nature of Mary’s faith and trust in God. He states that during her initial encounter with the angel Gabriel, “Mary was told that her son would be the Son of God, not that he would be tortured, put to death on a cross, and then rise from the dead.” As a result, “Mary says ‘yes’ to a future that she does not know.” Imagine that! “She is an example of letting God do God’s work, without trying to figure it out.” … And isn’t that a lesson for us all? Don’t we often spend far too much time trying to figure out life instead of trusting that God will work it out?

Perhaps now we begin to understand why God looked to Nazareth, a poor, hostile, outback area of Palestine, to find a family in which his son could be born. Perhaps it also begins to make sense why one of its poorest daughters, Mary, was set apart by God as the most appropriate of vehicles in and through which his son would take on human flesh and form. … While the world has long set misguided parameters for greatness, God sees greatness in hearts that are humble enough to trust in his power, to acknowledge their need for his mercy and to be generous enough to extend that mercy to others.

Dios ve la grandeza en los corazones lo suficientemente humildes como para confiar en su poder, como lo hizo María, reconocer su necesidad de misericordia y ser lo suficientemente generosos como para extender esa misericordia a los demás.

Brothers and sisters, God continually works in my life and yours – if we but open our hearts to his presence and trust. He continues to use unlikely individuals like Mary and me and you to accomplish his purpose in our world – to give hope – and to proclaim his message of life, salvation, mercy and peace. And just as he did with Mary, God looks into our hearts and calls us to holiness – to be saints – his enduring presence in a world that far too often fails to reflect his will and his way.

Así como lo hizo con María, Dios mira dentro de nuestros corazones y nos llama a la santidad —nos llama a ser santos— su presencia perdurable en un mundo que con demasiada frecuencia no refleja su voluntad ni su camino.

Look around you. Look at the faces that you see – not just the familiar faces of family members and friends but faces wounded by pain and grief, longing to be healed – faces that are grateful for God’s abiding presence in their lives.

This gathering is so powerful and hopeful, isn’t it? First, it reminds us that we are loved – that God hasn’t given up on any of us and never will. He continually calls us, as we are, to himself. … This gathering also reminds us that God accomplishes his greatest works in the small, quiet, ordinary moments of life – in the simplest and least likely of individuals who open their lives to him in trust and with hope. That was true for Mary and it is true for every one of us – from the teenager struggling to balance school and work – to parents who seek to instill Christian values in the lives of their children – to the recovering addict who thinks that she can never be forgiven – to the elderly soul who struggles with the consequences of age and poor health – to the immigrant who simply wants a better life for his family. God uses us as we are when we open our hearts to him and trust.

So, we move forward, my friends. … We move forward in a world that for all its misgivings is still subject to the power of God who rules the times and seasons of our lives with his love and grace. … We move forward, embracing Jesus’ call to discipleship, despite our limitations, and trusting in his resolve to work in and through our lives. … And we move forward with hope, knowing that God is with us all our days, even until the end of the age.

Gracias por su fe, su presencia y su testimonio. Que Dios los bendiga siempre. May we sear into our hearts these words of our Holy Father, Pope Leo. “Let us now be drawn to this great hope! And through our witness, may hope spread to all those who anxiously seek it.” Amen!

HOMILY
Diocesan Teachers Institute – September 29, 2025
Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels
Daniel 7:9-10, 12-14; John 1:47-51

There are few elements of our Catholic faith tradition that are at once both revered and simultaneously trivialized in their significance as angels. We entrust the patronage of our churches to them. Many of us pray to them on a daily basis. At the same time, the best of us have pinned pin little representations of them on the shoulders of our clothing or lapels and we depict them as bored and mischievous Cupids around Valentine’s Day.

As such, today’s feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, the Archangels, however, is a welcomed moment that we are given by the Church to focus on the blessing of these spiritual beings. The existence of angels is a truth of our faith and the witness of Scripture regarding their presence in our lives is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition.

For all the different ways in which we depict them, angels are simply servants of God. Our late Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI reflected beautifully on today’s feast. “All three names of the archangels,” Benedict began, ‘end with the word El, which in Hebrew means ‘God.’ God is inscribed in their very names, in their nature. Their true nature is existing in God’s sight and for him. Secondly, they are God’s messengers. They bring God to men, they open heaven and thus open earth … touching men on God’s behalf.”

The Holy Father went on, “All this becomes even clearer if we look at the figures of the three archangels whose feast the Church celebrates. First there is Michael, who defends the cause of God against the presumption of evil. … Gabriel is the messenger of God’s incarnation. He knocks at Mary’s door, and, through him, God himself asks Mary for her ‘yes’ to the proposal to become the Mother of the Redeemer. … And Raphael is presented to us, above all in the Old Testament Book of Tobit, as the angel to whom is entrusted the task of healing” – healing us in body, soul and spirit.

Essentially, today’s feast reminds us so well that there is more to this world than we can see and touch. Through the miracle and wonder of God and the incarnation of Jesus, God’s presence abounds in our lives. We know that very well.

Yet, sisters and brothers, for as significant as angels are in communicating God’s life and love to us, we are not only recipients of God’s merciful presence. No, like Mary who responded to the archangel Gabriel, with God’s help we are called to become instruments of grace in the lives of those whom God has given to our care.

As such, the example of the archangels reminds us that our primary focus – as educators – as administrators – as clergy – as Christians – must be centered less upon our own needs and plans and far more upon the lives that God entrusts to us in the work that we’ve been given to do. For you, as Catholic educators, that care extends to fostering the well-being of the entire student who walks across the threshold of one of our schools.

Listen to the Mission Statement for our diocesan school system that clearly reminds us of that preeminent responsibility: We, the Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Scranton, are committed to educating students and their families in the Catholic faith. We provide a Catholic education that is spiritually sound and academically excellent. We strive to prepare our students to be faith-filled leaders and life-long leaders dedicated to serving the church and society.

Yes, our primary focus is the children who come to us seeking to learn. But they come with families who are also recipients of what we share. And what we share is not simply an educational experience that is academically excellent, but one that is rooted in the teachings of our faith. Indeed, it’s the faith dimension of what we teach – rooted in servant leadership that we both are called to model and instill in the lives given to our care – that sets us apart and gives us our unique Catholic identity. Without it, our mission, however noble, is lacking.

Some years before she died in 1997, Saint Theresa of Calcutta – Mother Theresa – the great modern-day apostle to the poor – shared these reflections. “There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty — it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There’s a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.”

So, so many of the children and families who come into our lives are poor. Some are materially poor. Far more are spiritually and emotionally poor. Yes, they come seeking an education. But many also come looking for meaning and purpose in their lives. Parents come with hopes for their children. And children come trusting you to love and respect them and to give them a way forward in life.

As you reflect upon the vision and mission of our Catholic school system, I hope you can begin to see something of yourselves and the unique role that you have and continue to play in the lives of our students, their families, our parishes and our communities.

Just a few weeks ago, during the tragic school shooting that occurred at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis at a Mass celebrating the opening of the new school year, the depth of your commitment to serve and care for the lives of the students entrusted to you was on display for the whole world to see. While, thank God, that tragedy didn’t occur at one of our schools, teachers just like you, put themselves in harms way to save lives. They did what you would have done!

Sisters and brothers, like the angels who engage us along our journey of life, imparting to us healing, meaning and hope through God’s mercy and grace, continue to be signs of hope, grace and love to our children and families who weave their way into our lives and hearts.

We are so grateful for and blessed by your dedication in serving the lives God has given to your care. May God’s light continue to shine brightly through you, especially for the sake of every young person whose life encounters yours.

God bless you and thank you!

HOMILY
Charismatic Conference
18^thSunday in Ordinary Time – August 3, 2025

Just a few weeks ago, I returned from Quebec City in Canada after having been privileged to participate in the Vatican’s International Catholic / Pentecostal Dialogue. Five years ago, I was appointed the Catholic co-chair of the dialogue that consists of sixteen participants from around the world.

The goal of the dialogue is to foster mutual respect and understanding between the Catholic Church and Pentecostal leaders and churches in light of the prayer of Jesus that all may be one. You need to know just how important the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is to this Dialogue and the profound respect that our Pentecostal brothers and sisters have for the Renewal.

At the end of our time together, the co-chairs typically offer a reflection on the topic at hand. I want to share with you a story that I conveyed in my reflections. For me, the story focuses on what it means to authentically live what we pray and believe. … I’ve shared this story before, not in this setting, but during other liturgies that I’ve celebrated. If you’ve heard it already, forgive me!

One evening last winter, during some extremely cold days, I led a Holy Hour in one of our parishes in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Coming home from that time of prayer, I had an experience that touched my heart profoundly.

I live in the parish house right next to our cathedral church here in downtown Scranton. I drove into the alley behind the cathedral, passed by the church and then the parish house and eventually pulled into the garage. I turned off the car, closed the garage door and walked out of the side door of the garage, searching for my key to get into the house as quickly as possible because of the cold. But just as I was ready to open the door, I heard a voice coming from behind a locked gate between the garage and the house.

The voice came from a man whom I’d never seen before in the downtown and who looked quite obviously to be homeless. … “Father – it’s cold. Can you help me out?” … “What can I do for you, sir,” I asked. … “I’m hungry,” he said. … I asked him if he had been to Saint Francis Kitchen, a kitchen that we operate which is just a few blocks from the cathedral and serves meals twice a day. … “No,” he said, “It was closed by the time I got there.” … “And I need a place to stay. It’s cold and I won’t survive out here.” … I asked if he had gone to our shelter, which is also just a few blocks from the cathedral. … “Yes, but it’s filled. Can you help me?”

I must admit that by that point, I was very cold, I wanted to get into the warmth of my house – and I wondered if I was being set up. Was this poor soul simply looking for a few bucks to buy cigarettes or drugs or something to drink? Everybody on the streets in the city knows where our kitchen and shelter are located and their hours of operation. What should I do? I would have been of little support to him if I simply enabled an addiction.

Mercifully, as I was struggling with what appeared to me to be a set-up, some better angels spoke to my heart. What if he was telling me the truth? How could I turn someone away who was in such need?

While not feeling particularly proud of myself, I dug into my pocket, pulled out some cash and gave him enough to buy something to eat and to stay in a local hotel. I don’t know if I truly helped the man, if I complicated his life or if I had been taken over by a slick operator.

So, I left it all up to God to sort out. I felt a little bit guilty for wondering about his honesty. But then I took some quiet consolation in trusting that, as best I could, I tried to be authentic in my prayers and as a witness to what I believe as a Christian. … Remember those words of Jesus? “When I was hungry, you gave me food. But when Lord? As often as you did it to the least of my brothers or sisters, you did it to me.”

My encounter with that unknown soul at the door to my house on a bitterly cold winter night did something that I won’t soon forget. Yes, it disrupted my peace – a peace that I had experienced from a time of prayer during the Holy Hour that I led in a parish church just a short time before. But that disruption was a gift! It forced me to confront some ultimate questions in my life as a Christian. … What are my priorities in life? … What’s most important to me as a person – as a bishop – or more significantly, as a Christian? … Where do I look to find what I believe will provide me with true fulfillment, meaning and peace in my life?

In today’s gospel, Jesus was approached to settle an argument over an inheritance. Not surprisingly, Jesus responds to the request not by taking sides but by addressing the greed that has brought both sides to near blows. He tells the parable of the rich man who loses perspective on what is most important in life. Things – possessions – created an illusion for him and began to control his life, causing him to be oblivious to the needs and concerns of others.

The foolish, rich man’s priorities were all messed up. He failed to realize that life is often precarious, that we are all merely pilgrims on a journey in this world, that there are very few things in this world that endure and go with us from this world to the next, and that tomorrow may never come. … The rich man wasn’t criticized by Jesus because he was rich. He was criticized, sadly, because he had lost his way.

And unfortunately, we’re often just as shortsighted. We can become so self-centered and self-sufficient that we shut ourselves off from the simple aspects of life in which we find the love and presence of God. … We refuse to be interrupted in our goal of securing the things we want and that we believe will satisfy us. … And as a result of misguided priorities and pursuits, so many of us wind up being burdened with the most devastating poverty: an empty life filled with material things, yet devoid of the things of God that remain with us always in this world and that we carry with us into the next: gratitude, forgiveness, compassion, peace and love.

For us as Christians and authentic disciples of Jesus, the focus of our lives is never meant to be about amassing fortunes or achieving great celebrity. Our purpose is to accept God’s unconditional love in our lives and, in turn, to love and serve one another as God has loved us and served us in Jesus – totally and completely, without condition or limit.

Somebody once offered this reflection. I have never forgotten it. … One day, everything you own – from the ring on your finger – to the glasses on your face – to the shoes on your feet – to the belt around your waist – will one day belong to somebody else. … That also goes for the money in our bank accounts, the furniture in our homes and the cars that we drive. … Everything will belong to somebody else.

So why do we place our hope in the things of this world? … The world will tell you that the only thing that is important is what you get out of life – not what you can give. … That’s why so often there is a reluctance to serve and a fear of sacrifice among many. … That’s why so many in our world go hungry while others prosper. … That’s why some regard a child in the womb as an obstacle to a career. … That’s why some see an aged parent as an inconvenience. … That’s why some will tell you that religion is simply a crutch for the weak and the misguided. … That’s why I was conflicted and uncertain when I encountered a beggar at my door on a cold winter night.

My sisters and brothers, no matter how much you or I see ourselves as the center and sole concern of the universe, none of us will find a life of meaning, purpose and lasting peace if we refuse to look beyond ourselves, our own needs and our own priorities. We weren’t created that way. We’re born into a family, and we’re baptized into a community of believers. By our very nature, we are called into relationship, just like God is a relationship – a relationship of love between Father, Son and Holy Spirit – a relationship of love that wraps around creation, loves us throughout life and calls us to reflect that same love in our relationships with one another.

So, when the world says that religion is a crutch for the weak, ask yourself what seems more like a crutch in life to you. … A shiny new car that loses its value as soon as you drive it away from the car dealership? … A stock portfolio that’s never big enough and that can disappear with one bad day on Wall Street? … A trip to a far-off land that comes and goes in an instant? … A sparkling ring that can be stolen from you in a heartbeat? … Or a relationship with the living God who created the heavens and the earth – who promises us life and peace – who pledges to walk with us, even in life’s darkest moments – who assures us that he is with us always, so “Be not afraid?”

My sisters and brothers, every one of us this day is reminded of the radical decision that we Christians face each moment of our lives. The decision we face is our response to the call to discipleship – a response that demands that we live our lives with singular focus. The focus we are called to embrace is not upon the things of this world – nor a focus upon the treasures that we so often seek to acquire. The focus that we are called to embrace as authentic disciples is the Gospel of Jesus, his life and his love. … The cost of discipleship comes at a considerable price. … But it is the only way in which we will find our peace.

HOMILY
17^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 26, 2025
Saint Ann’s Novena Closing Mass

What a joy to be together this night! Praise God for the gift and blessings of this Novena! … I know that you join me in offering words of gratitude to Father Jim O’Shea, Provincial of the Passionist community, to Father Richard Burke and the members of Saint Ann’s Monastery, to Father Jim Paisley, pastor of Saint Ann’s Parish, as well as to the parishioners, friends and supporters of Saint Ann’s for making this incredible time of prayer and worship available to us all. On your behalf, I especially want to extend our thanks to Father Martinez and Father Kiddy for preaching this 101^st novena to Saint Ann. You have touched our community deeply and we thank you.

We don’t often have the opportunity to hear a gospel like the one that was just proclaimed as we bring this solemn Novena to Saint Ann to a close. While we’re celebrating the Memorial Mass for Saints Ann and Joachim as we do every year on July 26^th, the readings this evening come from those of Sunday, of the 17^thWeek in Ordinary Time. These scripture passages are quite providential as we bring these nine days of prayer to a close, aren’t they?

Listen again to Jesus’ words: “Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; knock and the door shall be opened to you.” They sound like the blueprint that we’ve been following throughout this novena. I suspect that there has been a good amount of asking – seeking – and knocking our parts, imploring Saint Ann and a host of heaven’s saints to intercede on our behalf with God.

Let me share with you a conversation that I had with a parishioner, years before I was appointed Bishop of Scranton. I’ve never forgotten it. The parishioner was a devoted, albeit feisty member of the parish who, despite her candor – and probably because of it – was one of my favorites. She was extremely faithful and omni-present at parish events, always eager to help those who were struggling and always capable of making you laugh, being blessed with an incredible Irish whit!

One day as she was reflecting upon a prayer that she had offered for some time that had recently been answered, she said to me with all seriousness, “Father, when I die, I think I’m going to go to hell!” I was knocked over by her words and asked, “Why on earth would you, of all people, ever say such a thing?” Her response, “God has been so good to me throughout my life and has answered so many prayers, I can’t imagine that he can put up with me for all of eternity. At some point, he’s going to have to give up on me!”

Now, I chalked a bit of this conversation up to the blarney that she often tossed about. But I also believe that through what she said, we can all discover something about ourselves … and God.

Simply put, that parishioner’s assessment of God begs a question. How do we understand – how do we see God in relationship to us – his people? More than we might want to admit, many of us often approach that relationship and prayer as if we’re in control and it’s our responsibility to get God’s attention and more significantly, to warrant God’s love and mercy. … How many of us have said something like this to God during this novena or at some point in your prayers: “I have a problem here Lord, which you may or may not know about.” … “I recognize that you must be a little busy these days, Lord. Just saying that I could use a little attention!” … Or worse yet, sometimes we feel we have to wriggle things out of God, and we yield to the “let’s make a deal mentality.” … “I know I don’t deserve a response from you Lord, but if you do this for me, I promise to do that!” … We’ve all been down these roads at some point or another, haven’t we?

If we’re honest enough to admit such struggles with prayer – which I hope we are – it would be well to go back to the question I raised a moment ago, “What is my image of God?” “How do I perceive God in relationship to me?” … Our answers to those questions have a lot to do with how and why we pray. … So too do these words that come from the sacred scriptures: God is love! … So, let’s look at how Jesus teaches us to prayer.

In this evening’s gospel, Jesus teaches us that the first thing that we need to do in our prayer is to begin by saying, “Our Father in heaven, holy be your name.” … In other words, right out of the gate, we acknowledge that any relationship with God automatically places us in relationship with one another. And so, we pray our Father, not my Father or your Father. We are bound to one another – to every soul who is humble enough to approach the Lord – at least from God’s perspective. And in that reality, the first movement on our part in prayer is to praise God for his holiness, mercy and love for all people.

We continue, “Your kingdom come.” Not my kingdom or my will or my way – but yours. For you, O God, have put this entire creation in place and have given us life. Your will should be good enough for us!

We then pray, “Give us each day our daily bread.” … Give us what we need this day – not ten years down the road or when we retire. Give us today what we need today to be your faithful followers.

And finally, we conclude by asking God to forgive us our sins, mindful of the fact that if we are bold enough to ask for forgiveness, we must be generous enough to forgive those who have hurt us.

Do you see anything unique about this prayer that Jesus taught us? Do you sense what lies at its heart? Prayer is not about manipulating or convincing God to respond to what we need or want. … Prayer – as Jesus experienced it and taught it – is all about trust – trusting that the God who has given us life and loved us through his Son, Jesus, all the way to the cross, is not about to let us go.

Brothers and sisters, we’re called to be faithful disciples – but we will never be righteous enough to warrant God’s mercy and love. That is pure gift. As such, it’s not up to us to keep our world patched together. It’s up to God – by God’s choice and according to God’s plan! … Recall these words from Saint John’s gospel, “For God” – God, not us – “so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”

These are difficult and challenging times, just as they were for Jesus’ disciples. … Our world is polarized and filled with voices of hate, often rooted in religious and cultural differences. … In our own brokenness, some of us unwittingly discriminate against others because of the color of their skin, the way they speak, their country of origin, their lifestyle, and what they don’t have. … The poorest among us suffer while the privileged pay little heed to their needs. … Immigrant and refugee families – the foundation for this great land – are struggling today and living in fear, right here in our city. … And far too many of us grieve losses and suffer due to the consequences of age, illness and sin.

In such unsettled times, brothers and sisters, this novena has given us the opportunity to turn to the only power that can sustain us and carry us forward with hope. God! That’s why we’ve gathered once again in this sacred space as faithful souls have done for 101 years. And we gather, not because we are righteous but because we are all in need of God’s mercy and love!

These days of prayer during this annual Novena to Saint Ann are a treasure beyond imaging for those of us who seek God in our lives. … Why? … Because God is here, giving us hope in times of struggle and challenge. What a gift!

As we bring this novena to a close, may we hold within our hearts words from our late Holy Father, Pope Francis. “Let us follow the path that the Lord desires. … Never allowing ourselves to be tarnished by pessimism or sin, let us seek and look upon the glory of God, which shines forth in us all, men and women who are fully alive through faith.”

So, brothers and sisters – ask, seek, knock until God does something. And he will – for those who trust in his love and mercy. He waits to hear us and to answer our prayers.

HOMILY
Mass of Remembrance – July 24, 2025
Isaiah 25:6a, 7-9; Romans 6:3-9; Luke 24:13-35

On the Feast of the Holy Family that we celebrated a few days after Christmas this past December, Pope Francis, in one of his last gifts to the Church, inaugurated the great Jubilee Year of Hope – a blessing to the People of God in so many ways – and a gift to all of us who gather for this Mass of Remembrance. Hope – something that we all seek as we attempt to navigate through the difficult and often painful world of grief and loss.

In announcing the Jubilee Year, Francis offered these poignant words that speak quite powerfully to our hearts this night. “By his presence in the life of the Church, the Holy Spirit illumines all believers with the light of hope. … Christian hope does not deceive or disappoint because it is grounded in the certainty that nothing and no one may ever separate us from God’s love: ‘Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or the sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord’(Rom 8:35.37-39).”

The Holy Father went on, “Here we see the reason why this hope perseveres in the midst of trials: founded on faith and nurtured by charity, it enables us to press forward in life. As Saint Augustine observes: ‘Whatever our state of life, we cannot live without these three dispositions of the soul, namely, to believe, to hope and to love’”.

That says a lot about why we gather here tonight, doesn’t it? We all cling to whatever we can that might give us hope. We hold on to cherished memories, a photo, some thing or another – and anything that might bring us peace and deepen our sense of hope as we confront the reality of grief and loss.

Yet, for as much as we hold on to memories, they don’t heal our broken hearts, do they? Every one of us would rather have our loved ones with us, in the flesh, breathing and singing in this Cathedral. Why? Because any death, whether it comes after a long, wonderful life or unexpectedly in the life of an infant just a few days old; whether it comes peacefully in one’s sleep, or violently in an accident or by one’s own hands, is painful. And any death can cause profound grief. Even Jesus grieved over the death of his friend Lazarus. Why wouldn’t we?

In the midst of the pain that so often emerges in our lives from the loss of a loved one, however, I beg you not to discount the treasure that comes our way through faith – the treasure that is ours when we pause, as we do this night, to welcome God into our lives and hearts.

As we pray for our loved ones this evening, we do so in the context of the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Reflect with me for just a moment on the wonderful gospel story proclaimed this evening from Saint Luke: the appearance of Jesus on the road to Emmaus. From the very beginning days of the Church, Saint Luke’s gospel is very clear about the way Jesus continues to be present to his followers – the Church. Jesus is present in the guise of a stranger on the road in the midst of human dialogue. … He speaks through the sacred scriptures. … And Jesus is recognized in the simple act of breaking bread – just as he was with his disciples on the night before he died.

Brothers and sisters, what we encounter here this evening is exactly what those two disciples experienced on the road to Emmaus on the very day of the resurrection. We are at no disadvantage! The very same Jesus is here – in our midst – in this great cathedral. While we can’t see and touch him any more than his disciples did once he had vanished from their sight – he continues to speak to us in the Word of God proclaimed, in our shared fellowship, and in the Eucharist, the sacrament of his body and blood. He is here. He is present to us. And he is as alive as our hearts give him room to live.

If we can so affirm that Jesus is our midst, why would we doubt for a moment that our loved ones who have died are also present?

Saint Paul dispels such doubts in this evening’s second reading from his letter to the Church of Rome. If we have been baptized into Jesus’ death – if we have died with him to sin and embraced his self-giving love – we believe that we will also live with him. The simple blessing of our faith assures us of this reality.

What a great source of consolation! … Yet take care, my friends, that as we seek encouragement from the words of Saint Paul, we continue to embrace our baptismal responsibility to put on Christ and to make the example of his self-giving love our own. Jesus was raised from the dead because of his selfless sacrifice on the cross for our life and our salvation. In the mystery of God, we will find the hope that we need to move forward in peace not solely in memories of departed loved ones, but also in lives of service – lives of selfless love – lives that look beyond ourselves to provide meaning, consolation and hope to those who – like us – suffer, mourn and grieve. Lives that welcome and care for others, just like the two disciples welcomed a stranger on the road to Emmaus.

Remember once again those words of the great Saint Augustine recounted by Pope Francis. “Whatever our state of life, we cannot live without these three dispositions of the soul, namely, to believe, to hope and to love”. Faith – belief in the power of God – draws us together this night to pray, doesn’t it? No matter how fragile we may think that gift is, the fact that we are present in this cathedral to celebrate the Holy Eucharist affirms God’s presence in our lives. And that very gift of faith opens us up to hope – a hope that only grows when we fortify it by love – by selfless love and service of those whom God places within our lives. … Recall the words of the Saint Francis of Assisi, “For it is in giving that we receive and it is in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life.”

Brothers and sisters, I hope and pray that this time of worship is a moment of blessing for you. I hope and pray that through faith, we come to appreciate that we are united forever, not only to the Risen Jesus, but to the great communion of saints who are a part of his body – the Church – the saints of this world and the next – the saints whom we know as our daughters and sons, our husbands and wives, our mothers and fathers, our sisters, brothers and friends who have passed into the eternity of God – and for whom we pray this day.

This great gift – more than all others – is the source of true and lasting hope!

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul
Saint Peter’s Cathedral
June 29, 2025

It’s not often that we have the opportunity during a Sunday celebration to reflect upon the lives of the two heroes we celebrate each year on June 29^th – Saints Peter and Paul. … As two of the very first leaders within the Church, they make an interesting pair, conveying two very different approaches to life and ministry. Yet both are unwavering in their commitment to serve the Lord.

Today’s gospel passage finds Peter confessing faith in Jesus as Messiah. He expresses his allegiance to Christ even though he does not yet fully grasp all that such an affirmation of faith will require of Jesus, much less himself. Time and trials will teach Peter the full meaning of the faith that he so boldly confessed.

While the gospel presents Peter at the beginning of his life as a follower of Jesus, our second reading from Saint Paul’s letter to Timothy presents Paul near the end of his. He reflects upon how his life has been poured out for the sake of the gospel and how God has stood by him and has given him the strength that he’s needed to face the struggles that have confronted him with hope.

Two disciples of the risen Jesus are presented to us today. Though different, both were convicted in their resolve to preach Christ crucified and raised from the dead – the only source of true life, meaning and purpose for a struggling and broken world. Their determination to proclaim the good news of Jesus’ saving ministry was unwavering – even though they understood very well that the cross of Jesus would be placed upon their shoulders before they would ever glimpse in their own lives the glory of the resurrection.

Today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles finds Peter in prison for proclaiming – in both word and deed – the gospel of Jesus. The first persecution of the Christian community came quickly in the Church’s two-thousand-year-old history.

Now fast forward to this gathering of the Church – to this moment of prayer two thousand years later. One would think that for as refined and sophisticated a people as we have become down through the millennia, religious persecution would have diminished more than it has throughout our world. One would think that we would have come to realize the futility of war – the vital need to treat one another with dignity and respect – and the urgency of caring for the lives given to us, all made in the image and likeness of God. But we haven’t, have we?

More than ever, we need to pause and reflect upon the lives of men and women of faith who have given of themselves so fully and completely as to make a difference for good in our world in a lasting way. Peter and Paul – heroes of the earliest days of the Church – remind us of who and what we are called to be as followers of Jesus. We are called, like them, to proclaim Jesus Christ and to live our faith, not just in the creed that we profess or in this moment of prayer but through love and service of our sisters and brothers.

Despite its flaws and imperfections, the Church has always sought to follow the example of Jesus and to embrace his mandate to serve those most in need. All of our vast charitable works, including health care, social services and education, exist because of our faith in Jesus. They are not optional gestures but essential fruits of our faith.

Our late Holy Father, Pope Francis, captured this reality of our faith best in simple words that he would often share as he called us to embrace the heart of the gospel for which Jesus gave his life. “We cannot be inactive Christians. To sit on the sidelines as a follower of Jesus makes no sense. No, we must become courageous Christians and seek out those who need our help the most, beyond the doors of our churches. The moment we step outside of ourselves, we will find poverty and we must respond.”

My sisters and brothers, today we are given both the privilege and challenge of reflecting upon the foundations of our faith tradition as Christians, recognized so profoundly in the lives of Saints Peter and Paul. May their example prompt us to recognize the urgency of living our faith today – of reverencing the lives that God places within our own – and of treating them with respect and dignity not only in our words but by living Jesus’ example in our service to all.

Peter put it best when he spoke these words to Jesus: “Lord, to whom shall we go? We have come to believe that you have the words of eternal life.” … Our union with Jesus will become most authentic when we give him space at the very center of our lives – like Peter and Paul – and allow all our actions to be patterned by his love, grace and mercy.