Gardening Tips from the Garden of God    

Gardening Tips from the Garden of God    

Carmelite Homilies are recorded by Fr. Gregory Houck, O, Carm., following the Cycle of Readings of the Common Lectionary. His preacher's blog is found at: fathergreg.com There’s a quotation from Saint Teresa of Avila that I’ve relied on when the going gets rough.  She writes, “When you ask for something difficult you pay God a compliment.”  I think that’s what describes what’s going on in today’s Gospel.  There’s a lot going on.  This man comes to say that his daughter has died, ‘Jesus, ...

Carmelite Homilies are recorded by Fr. Gregory Houck, O, Carm., following the Cycle of Readings of the Common Lectionary. His preacher's blog is found at: fathergreg.com In the Second Book of Kings we have Elisha – he’s the prophet living on Mount Carmel, successor of the Prophet Elijah – and Naaman, a Syrian commander, comes to be cured of leprosy.  And so Elisha says, ‘Go wash yourself in the Jordan River.’  And Naaman is all upset, ‘I could’ve done this ...

Carmelite Homilies are recorded by Fr. Gregory Houck, O, Carm., following the Cycle of Readings of the Common Lectionary. His preacher's blog is found at: fathergreg.com In today’s Gospel Jesus uses the metaphor of building a house.  And to listen to his word is like to build a secure, strong house, and to not listen to his word is to build a flimsy house built on sand which will get washed away.  But we’re Carmelites!  We’re mendicants which means wandering friars.  We’re ...

Carmelite Homilies are recorded by Fr. Gregory Houck, O, Carm., following the Cycle of Readings of the Common Lectionary. His preacher's blog is found at: fathergreg.com I was a teacher at one of our high schools and I was asked to be a chaperone on the student trip to Europe.  After the trip was over I stayed in Europe and went to visit Straubing in Germany, which was the founding house of the United States Carmelites, to spend the ...

Carmelite Homilies are recorded by Fr. Gregory Houck, O, Carm., following the Cycle of Readings of the Common Lectionary. His preacher's blog is found at: fathergreg.com Saint Teresa of Avila writes, “I don’t see how, Lord, nor do I know how the road that leads to you is narrow.”   And I agree with her!  Even though Jesus says in today’s Gospel, ‘try to enter the narrow gate for the road that leads to destruction is wide.’  Actually, I think, if we ...

Carmelite Homilies are recorded by Fr. Gregory Houck, O, Carm., following the Cycle of Readings of the Common Lectionary. His preacher's blog is found at: fathergreg.com In today’s Gospel Jesus warns us not to judge others and the measure we measure out will be measured back to us. And he gives us the good example of why look at the speck in your brother’s eye and miss the plank in your own. But what’s the point? I think ...

Carmelite Homilies are recorded by Fr. Gregory Houck, O, Carm., following the Cycle of Readings of the Common Lectionary. His preacher's blog is found at: fathergreg.com Today we have a Resurrection Gospel.  It’s the well-known scene on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.  The disciples have come in after a miraculous draught of fish.  And afterwards, Jesus asks Simon three questions – do you love me? do you love me? do you love me?  He doesn’t ask questions like, ‘Simon, why ...

Carmelite Homilies are recorded by Fr. Gregory Houck, O, Carm., following the Cycle of Readings of the Common Lectionary. His preacher's blog is found at: fathergreg.com In today’s Gospel Jesus says, as he prays for the Apostles, ‘consecrate them in truth; your word is truth; I consecrate myself for them so that they may be consecrated in truth.”  There’s a lot of truth language here, but there needs to be because there’s a lot of lies.  Society says, ‘oh, there ...