this weekend's homily

We have a permanent deacon at our parish who usually preaches two weekends a month. He is on this weekend, so I didn't prepare a homily or even really look at the readings.


Then on Friday, I got a call from a local priest asking if I could cover for him on Saturday because he was not feeling too well. As I'm the only parochial vicar in the area, I usually do this sort if thing - and am happy to do it! - but suddenly I realized, "I need to write a homily!"


Combine that with the Jr. High dance I chaperoned last night and the marriage prep day I helped with today ... and there's not too much time for homily preparation.


It took me back to something our vice rector said (a lot) last year: "You should be ready to preach, pray, or die at all times."


So, I preached tonight, but it was far more improvised than usual and, therefore, not written out here.


In short, I would summarize it like this: We celebrate Laetare Sunday because of the hope we have in the Paschal Mystery at the end of Lent. That hope is founded in the love of God, who sent his only Son into the world to bring light to the darkness of sin.


Amen.