Deep South Deacon

The following is a close approximation of the homily that I delivered on December 13, 2015, Gaudete Sunday, Year C, at St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Slidell, LA.  The readings on which this homily is based can be read by clicking here.

Most people want happiness and joy in their lives.  We are naturally attracted to people and things that are happy and joyful. Happiness can be defined as a state of pleasure, contentment, satisfaction, cheerfulness,. But happiness is temporary.    Joy is similar to happiness, in that it expresses the concept of contentment, cheerfulness and satisfaction. But joy is not temporary and not dependent on my current situation and circumstances.

Below is an approximation of the homily I delivered at St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Slidell LA, at the 4:00 PM vigil Mass and the 7:30 AM Mass the weekend of November 7-8, 33rd Sunday of ordinary time, cycle B.  The readings on which this homily is based can be found here.

The Center for Economic Studies has been keeping a statistic called the Happiness index since 1961.

This post contains an approximation of the homily delivered at St Luke the Evangelist in Slidell on Sunday October 25, 2015. This is the 3oth Sunday in ordinary time, year B. The readings on which this homily is based can be found by clicking here. 

Blindness refers to an eye defect that limits or stops the ability to see.  People can be born blind or become blind from injury or illnesses such as cataracts.  But there are other uses of the word blind.

The recent college shooting has started the debate yet again about second amendment rights versus gun control.  Something happened and again people want to do something. The clarion calls sound something like this :   Let's do something.  Let's fix this.  We have to stop the carnage.

The USA did not become a haven for mass killers overnight.

This post contains an approximation of the homily delivered at St Luke the Evangelist in Slidell on Sunday September 13, 2015. This is the 24th Sunday in ordinary time, year B. The readings on which this homily is based can be found by clicking here. 

Some of you may be familiar with the concept of “fake foods”, foods primarily made of chemicals and other ingredients that look, smell, feel and often taste like the real thing. Margarine is an example of a fake food. It is fake butter.

This post contains an approximation of the homily delivered at the absolutely beautiful St.Mary's Assumption Church in New Orleans for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary time, Cycle B at the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass on Saturday August 22, 2015.  This Mass was part of the celebration of the 40th reunion of the Redemptorist High School class of 1975, of which the celebrant, Fr. Bart Robert Leon, OSB, assisting deacon Deacon Brian Soileau, and myself were a part.

I have been reading and hearing quite a bit lately about equality, justice, and fairness or the lack thereof.  And how people should be treated the same. And how people are not treated the same and how horrible that is.

I am going to propose an idea that may seem revolting to some. Equality, fairness, and justice are not the same things.  Let me propose a modern day parable.

Trader Jose owns a small chain of stores.

This post contains an approximation of the homily delivered at St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Slidell for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary time, Cycle B at the 6:00 PM Mass on Sunday August 9, 2015.  The readings on which this homily is based can be found by clicking here.

The American author Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain wrote 28 books and numerous short stories.  He was also a noted humorist and advice giver.

On June 17th of this year, a horrific act of violence, a mass murder took place at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston SC.  In a place where everyone should feel safe and secure, nine souls, including the senior pastor Clementa Pinckney went to their final judgements that day at the hands of 21 year old Dylann Roof.