Author Archives: Deacon Jonathan Jones

Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent – 2021

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On the liturgical calendar, this Third Sunday of Advent is also known as Gaudete Sunday; “Rejoice!” is the cry we hear from St. Paul to the Phillipians. From the Book of the Prophet Zephaniah, we heard “Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!” I suspect that there are people in six Midwest and Southeast states, for whom this call to “Rejoice!” rings hollow! There are people in our midst, people with their own individual tragedies, sorrows, for whom the invitation to joy, is maybe the last thing they want to hear.


This is not the homily I wanted to deliver this morning, I wanted to speak of joy, of rejoicing in our God; but the tragedy of yesterday weighs heavy on my mind and soul; especially as the numbers of injured and those who have died grows; as I saw the scenes of destruction play out on my TV screen, I knew I had to crumple the pages I had prepared, and start from scratch. This is one of those moments, whether you were personally touched by this tragedy, or not; when you want to shake your fists to the heavens, and shout out WHY?! But there is no easy answer! Scientists can perhaps explain the atmospheric conditions that created these monster storms, but that will not ease the pain, the loss. We still cry out WHY!


Maybe this why the Son of God, Jesus Christ, came down to be among us, to share in the sufferings, the pain, the hopelessness we may experience through life. And he did; he took on that pain, that hopelessness to such a degree; that even he cried out “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me!” It is then that he give us a reason for hope; through his Resurrection! There is hope, after all this destruction and death, God has not abandoned us!


As we watch on our televisions, desktops, iPads and cellphones, the scenes of suffering; this question may arise in our minds; “What should we do?” God’s response comes through the lips of John the Baptist: “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” Whatever we can give to help the recovery, give it! Let the love of Christ, blaze in our hearts, encouraging us to come the aid of our brothers and sisters!


I close with the words of St. Paul: “The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
And above all else, we need to continue to pray for the victims; those who are recovering; those who have died and those who mourn their loss. Let us together, give them a reason to experience some hope, some sense that they are not alone in this time of darkness and pain.

First Sunday of Advent – 2021

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Today, we begin a new liturgical year; we are celebrating the First Sunday of Advent, in the Year of Our Lord, 2021/2022. And we seem to be beginning the new Advent season, like we finished Ordinary Time a couple of week ago, with a reflection on the Second Coming of Christ. Once again we hear that the end times will come with powerful signs and wonders that will scare the living daylights out of people experiencing it!

Jesus speaks to the people of His time, and to us in this present time, and those who may come after us: “But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” We are told to be vigilant, not lazy. Now is the time for us to begin examining how well..or not; we are striving to live the Gospel life! How open are our ears and hearts to the prompting of the Holy Spirit!

We were committed at our Baptisms; we pledged at our Confirmations, to live the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We committed ourselves to loving our Lord God with all our heart and soul. And to love our neighbors, known and unknown; rich and poor; good or bad, as we love ourselves! This call for compassion, love and mercy. It calls on us to seek daily renewal of our heart and soul. This calls for constant reflecting on Scripture; constant prayer, both privately and in community. And joining together at the Lord’s Table, to receive the Body and Blood of Christ, so that we can be strengthened, renewed and ready for when He comes!

  • Jeremiah 33: 14-16
  • Thessalonians 3: 12-4: 2
  • Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36

This was composed in thirty minutes; it an approach I tried once before, and I am giving it another go! 🤞

“A Prayer When Visiting a Cemetery”

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May God bless all the company of the souls here,
may God and Mary bless you.  
You too spent awhile here just as we are now
and we too will join you soon.
May we all be adorned in the beauty
of the bright King of heaven.


From the Glenstal Book of Prayer
November 2021 Issue;  Give Us This Day

Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time Homily!

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“But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the SON, but only the Father.”

When I lived in the North Shore, I had to drive through the industrial area of the city of Lynn to get to the T station for the Blue Line subway into Boston. I drove down this road known as the Lynnway,and one morning I noticed this huge commercial sign. One it was a picture of a man, identified as an evangelical preacher, who had calculated, using Scripture, the exact day and time of the Second Coming of Jesus. And it was coming in a few months! He encouraged his followers and anyone who wished to be saved, to get ready. Some interpreted that to mean getting rid of their physical possessions, emptying out their bank accounts; some selling their homes. Of course, the day came and went, and nothing had happened. The preacher sent out a press release, stating that he had “miscalculated.” Sorry!


Scientists have made predictions about the end of our Earth, our Solar System, our Universe; the end of space and time itself, are billions, trillion of years in the future. Or it could be “snap”! Science fiction authors, movie producers and directors have speculated a future where the Earth dies violently from plague, a monster asteroid, a Sun going supernova, a nuclear war or accident!


But when we we are talking about the end times; we are talking about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, our Savior! This is not something that should be feared! This is something that we should be waiting for with joyous expectation! Jesus will be coming to bring us home to the Father! It is that promise that gives us hope, with all the pains, the sorrows, we may be struggling through. It gives us hope!


So let us live as a people of hope; not just for ourselves, but for every person who might also be in pain, we share with them the reason for our hope, by our words and actions!


We should strive to live a life of expectation; not just for the Second Coming of The Son of God; but in encountering Jesus here and now. Every time we read and reflect on His Gospel. Every time we open our heart and soul to Jesus, in prayer; and especially, when we approach the altar and receive His Body and Blood; we encounter the One who loves us, cares for us, heals our wounds, gives us joy, peace, and and hope!


So as we live daily, looking hopefully to the future; we echo the words from the Book of Revelation: “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!”

Giving Alms is Good!

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“Prayer with fasting is good. Almsgiving with righteousness is better than wealth with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold, for almsgiving saves from death, and purges all sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life, but those who commit sin and do evil are their own worst enemies.” Tobit 12: 8-12