News in Homilies

FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS

FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

Devotion to the Sacred Heart has very ancient origins. It has spread in the Church especially starting from the seventeenth century through a French mystic, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. In her autobiography, this Visitation sister tells the revelations she had. She refers to the famous twelve promises of the Sacred Heart from which the pious practice of the nine first Fridays of the month was derived. It is on the inspiration of this saint that the feast of the Sacred Heart was established. 

BIRTH OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST

BIRTH OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

He is the patron of numerous dioceses; shrines and churches are dedicated to him, beginning with the ‘mother of all’ churches, St. John Lateran, built by Constantine. The name John—translated in every language—is the most common in the world. Many cities and countries were named after him (128 in Italy, 213 in France). The Baptist is also loved by the Muslims. They named the famous Umayyad Mosque of Damascus, a symbol of interfaith dialogue, after him. How do we explain this sympathy?

 Solemnity of The Holy Body and Blood of Jesus

Solemnity of The Holy Body and Blood of Jesus

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

Jesus did not leave us a statue, a photograph, or a relic of himself. He wanted to continue to be present among his disciples as food. Food is not placed on the table to be contemplated but to be consumed. Christians who go to Mass but do not receive communion must be aware that they are not participating fully in the Eucharistic celebration.

Commentary to the FEAST OF THE TRINITY – YEAR C

Commentary to the FEAST OF THE TRINITY – YEAR C

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

Christians today celebrate the specific aspect of their faith: they believe in a Triune God. They believe that God is the Father who created the universe and directs it with wisdom and love; they believe that He did not remain in heaven but, in his image, the Son, came to make himself one of us; they believe that He brings his project of love to completion by his power, by his Spirit. Every idea or expression of God has an immediate impact on our identity. In every Christian, the face of God who is Father, Son and Spirit, must be recognizable. 

Commentary to Pentecost Sunday – Year C

Commentary to Pentecost Sunday – Year C

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

Wherever the Spirit reaches, radical upheavals and transformations always occur: barriers fall, doors open wide, all the towers built by human hands and designed by the ‘wisdom of this world’ tremble, fear, passivity, and quietism disappear, initiatives develop and courageous choices are made. Those who are dissatisfied and aspire to renew the world and of people can count on the Spirit: nothing resists his power.

Commentary to the ASCENSION OF THE LORD – YEAR C

Commentary to the ASCENSION OF THE LORD – YEAR C

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

With the entry of Jesus into the glory of the Father, has anything changed on earth? Externally, nothing. People’s life continued to be the same as before: sowing and reaping, trading, building houses, traveling, weeping and celebrating, all as before. Even the apostles received no discount on the dramas and anguish experienced by other people. However, something incredibly new happened: a new light was cast on people's existence.

Commentary to the Sixth Sunday of Easter – Year C

Commentary to the Sixth Sunday of Easter – Year C

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

In his opening address to the Council, Pope John XXIII recalled a fundamental principle: ‘The truths of the faith are one thing, but how they are formulated is quite another.’ The mission of the Church is to translate, to make these same truths intelligible to people of all times and places, using their language, their culture, their images, their way of thinking.

Commentary to the Fifth Sunday of Easter – Year C

Commentary to the Fifth Sunday of Easter – Year C

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

The Church's days are numbered—some say—because it is old, it does not know how to renew itself, it repeats old formulas instead of answering new questions. Christians are not different from others; they do not wear badges, they do not live outside the world; what characterizes them is the logic of gratuitous love, that of Jesus, that of the Father.

Commentary to the 4th SUNDAY OF EASTER – YEAR C

Commentary to the 4th SUNDAY OF EASTER – YEAR C

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

Beginning in the third century A.D. (not before), the image of Christ the Shepherd with a sheep on his shoulders or surrounded by his flock often appeared in the catacombs. It is a scene meant to depict the confidence and serenity with which the believer crosses the dark valley of death, supported or guided by his Lord.

Commentary to the Third Sunday of Easter – Year C

Commentary to the Third Sunday of Easter – Year C

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

In the Christian community, we elaborate ambitious pastoral programs; in the family, we implement the most up-to-date psychological techniques to educate our children better, commit ourselves, make plans, and yet—as we know—even the most praiseworthy efforts are not always crowned with success. It happens to us something like what happened to seven disciples who, after Easter, went fishing: they were prepared, experienced, willing people, they worked for a whole night, but they didn't get anything. So much effort was wasted: they acted in the dark, without the light of the word of the Risen Lord.

Commentary to the Second Sunday of Easter – Year C

Commentary to the Second Sunday of Easter – Year C

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

"Fortunate are you to see what you see!" Jesus once said (Lk 10:23). Luke called the disciples who accompanied the Master during his public life witnesses of the events that have taken place among us (Lk 1:1-2). It is undeniable; they are blessed because they have seen. Among them, there is also Thomas. Yet, this experience was just the first stage of a demanding journey, one that had to bring them to faith.

EASTER SUNDAY— YEARS  C    WITNESS IS ONE WHO ‘SAW’ THE LORD

EASTER SUNDAY— YEARS C WITNESS IS ONE WHO ‘SAW’ THE LORD

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

The words with which John begins his letter are moving: “What we have heard and what we have seen with our own eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, I mean the Word who is Life … we proclaim also to you” (1 Jn 1:1-3). His is an enviable experience but unrepeatable. However, to become ‘witnesses’ of Christ, it is not necessary to have walked with Jesus of Nazareth on the roads of Palestine.

EASTER VIGIL – YEAR C   DO NOT LOOK FOR THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD

EASTER VIGIL – YEAR C DO NOT LOOK FOR THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

We Christian are convinced we are custodians of an excellent project of humanity and society. We are proud if the noble and elevated moral proposal that we preach is recognized. We are pleased to be referred to as the messengers of universal fellowship, justice, and peace. We experience a certain modesty presenting ourselves as witnesses to the resurrection, as carriers of the light that illuminates the tomb.

Good Friday    WE CONTEMPLATED A LOVE STRONGER THAN DEATH

Good Friday WE CONTEMPLATED A LOVE STRONGER THAN DEATH

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

 The dramatic agony on the cross has often led the preachers of the past to dwell excessively on the gory aspects of Jesus’ passion. From this preaching, images, popular representations, and devotions that aggravate the violence of the blows, the scourging, the falling under the weight of the cross, the sadism of the exasperated soldiers, are derived.

Holy Thursday   JESUS: BROKEN BREAD, OFFERED AS NOURISHMENT

Holy Thursday JESUS: BROKEN BREAD, OFFERED AS NOURISHMENT

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

Among the many names by which the Eucharist was called, the one that best expresses the meaning and richness of the sacrament is the breaking of the bread. The disciples of Emmaus recognized the Lord “in the breaking of the bread” (Lk 24:35); the community of Jerusalem diligently participates in the catechesis of the apostles and to “the breaking of bread;” at Troas they met “on the first day of the week to break bread” (Acts 20:7).

Palm Sunday – Year C

Palm Sunday – Year C

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

 Jesus has proposed a new face of God. No longer an executing God, but a God who saves every person. He has proposed a new face of man. He overturned the values ??of this world: for him, a person’s greatness is not in control and domination but true service of one’s brothers and sisters. He has proposed a new religion, no longer one of rituals, but that ‘in spirit and truth.’ He proposed a new society where the ‘first’ is the poor, the weak, and the marginalized.

Commentary to the Fifth Sunday of Lent - Year C

Commentary to the Fifth Sunday of Lent - Year C

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

In the first centuries, with the increased number of Christians, a certain laxity in moral quality led to the justification of any behavior as licit and permissible. In response, a belief spread far and wide that the Church could pardon grave sinners, but only once in their life. Repeat offenders will face the severe judgment of God. The rigorists preferred to put aside rather than give any importance to the episode of the adulteress.

Commentary to the Fourth Sunday of Lent – Year C

Commentary to the Fourth Sunday of Lent – Year C

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

Here is the most beautiful of all the parables of the Gospels. From the early days of the Church, it has been studied, commented on, and inspired ideas in great writers, painters, musicians, philosophers, and psychologists. It is known as the ‘Parable of the Prodigal Son,’ but this title is not apt because it considers only one of the three characters. It neglects his older brother, to whom the whole second part of the story is dedicated, and above all, it ignores the real protagonist, the father. It is more correct to speak of the ‘Parable of the Love of the Father’ or the ‘Parable of the Merciful Father.’

Commentary to the Third Sunday of Lent – Year C

Commentary to the Third Sunday of Lent – Year C

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

The parable's message is clear: from those who have heard the message of the Gospel; God expects delicious and plentiful fruits. He does not want exterior religious practices and is not content with appearances (in the spring, the fig tree bears fruit even before the leaves), but he seeks works of love. Unlike other evangelists who speak of a barren fig tree that is made to wither almost instantly (Mk 11:12-24; Mt 21:18-22), Luke, the evangelist of mercy, introduces another year of waiting before the definitive intervention. He presents a God who is patient, tolerant to human weakness and stubbornness.

Commentary to the Second Sunday of Lent – Year C

Commentary to the Second Sunday of Lent – Year C

by: Fernando Armellini in Homilies,

Peter, James, and John coming down from the mountain, “kept this to themselves at the time, telling no one of anything they had seen” (v. 36). They could not speak about what they did not understand; the exodus of Jesus was not yet fulfilled. We, today, coming out of our churches instead, can announce to all what our faith made us discover: the one who gives life for love enters in the glory of God.