Four minute homilies
Short Sunday homilies. Read by Peter James-Smith
Episodes
233 episodes
Pentecost
Pentecost With Pentecost we come to the end of Easter. We have been preparing ourselves for a while to receive the Holy Spirit. Once a year we have the opportunity to get to know the third ...
The Ascension
The Ascension Saint Bernardine of Siena tells the story of a young fellow who went to the Holy Land and tried to follow Jesus’ footsteps. He began in Nazareth, then Bethlehem, Cana of...
Sixth Sunday of Easter The Will of God
The Will of God Today we hear in the Gospel: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” How much do I love God? How much am I ready to do anything for him? It is as simple as that. Lo...
Fifth Sunday of Easter Way, Truth and life
Way, Truth and Life Jesus was telling his disciples: I have to go and prepare a place for you, then I’ll come back and take you to myself; and you know the way. Thomas, a down ...
Fourth Sunday of Easter The Good Shepherd
The Good Shepherd Every fourth Sunday of Easter we have the Gospel of the good shepherd. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, who leads his flock to good pastures, who knows his sheep one by o...
Third Sunday of Easter Emmaus
Emmaus The road to Emmaus resembles our own journey. We are pilgrims. We can identify ourselves with these two disciples, who went back to their village, after Jesus’ death. It was all over...
Second Sunday of Easter Thomas
Thomas When Jesus came to meet the apostles after the resurrection Thomas was not there. Where was he? We don’t know. Did he go shopping? Did he go fishing? Maybe he was still running away....
Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early on Sunday morning and found it empty. She was the first one to discover the empty tomb. It is very important for us the empty tomb. It sh...
Good Friday
Good Friday After the homily we are going to bring the crucifix veiled, Jesus crucified hiding behind a purple cloth. Purple used to be a royal colour, because it was the most expensive col...
Holy Thursday
Holy Thursday Today is an important day for the Church. We priests celebrate two Masses. In the morning all priests of the Diocese go to the Cathedral to concelebrate with the bishop what w...
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday Why did Jesus enter in Jerusalem on a donkey? He could have come on a horse or on a camel, more elegant animals, sitting higher to be able to be seen and have a better view. But...
The Annunciation
The Annunciation In the fullness of time, when everything was ready, God sent the Angel Gabriel to Nazareth, to a young beautiful girl, to ask her a question. If we could choose an importan...
Fifth Sunday of Lent Lazarus
Lent 5 A Lazarus “Lord, him whom you love is ill.” The same can be said of us. We are sick to death by sin, and we need Jesus to either cure us or resurrect us from death. He loves us...
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph We don’t know much about about Saint Joseph. His life is shrouded in silence. There is a book entitled “Joseph the Silent”, trying to interpret his silences, reading betw...
Fourth Sunday of Lent The blind man
The blind man Last Sunday we looked at one of the four natural elements, water, indispensable for human life. It is very much part of the beginning of our Christian life, when we are baptis...
Third Sunday of Lent The Samaritan Woman
The Samaritan Woman Today we meet a different Jesus, less attractive, more human, more like us. After two days journey from Jerusalem, he is tired, dirty and thirsty. He is all alone, sitti...
Second Sunday of Lent The Transfiguration of Jesus
The Transfiguration of Jesus Last Sunday we went with Jesus down to the desert. This week he is asking us to accompany him up Mount Thabor. We went down through penance and repentance; now,...
First Sunday of Lent Temptations of Jesus
Lent 1 Temptations Jesus goes to the desert led by the spirit to be tempted. He allows himself to be tested, to share our normal ordinary existence. By doing this, Jesus has entered the dra...
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday “Return to me”, the Lord is telling us on the first reading of today’s Mass. It means that we have been wandering off, we have lost our direction and we need to stop and come ...
6 Sunday A Yes means Yes
Yes meansYes “Let your Yes mean Yes, and your No mean No.” This was the motto of a boys’ school, to teach the kids to be sincere. They used to ask me, why do we have to say the truth, if wi...
5 Sunday A Salt and Light
Salt and Light Jesus reminds us today in the Gospel that we Christians are salt and light; salt of the earth and light of the world. Both are related to two senses, seeing and tasting. With...
Presentation of Our Lord
Presentation of Our Lord Today Jesus is brought for the first time to his temple, to fulfil the duties prescribed by the Jewish Law. He comes in his mother’s arms; he is too little to be ab...
4 Sunday A The Beatitudes
The Beatitudes One of the most beautiful places in the Holy Land is where the church of the Beatitudes is located. It is built on a grassy hill with an amazing view of the lake of Gennesare...