Homilies, Videos

4th Sunday Ordinary Time – Homily (Fr. Smith)

| St. Charles Borromeo

As we read St. Mark’s gospel this year, it will be important to recognize that his audience is not getting new information. They have heard many stories about Jesus, and Mark’s intention is not tell them more, but to help them understand what they already know. This is the first gospel, and its author deserves to be considered a major literary innovator. Indeed, he uses sophisticated literary devices to help his congregation make the decision to follow Jesus, and he can help us as well. 

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Events, Videos

Community Mass – 4th Sunday Ordinary Time

| St. Charles Borromeo

Please join us to celebrate the 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time – the Sunday of the Word of God – on Sunday, January 31:

  • 9 AM EST – Morning Mass – In Person at the Church, not live streamed.
  • 11:15 AM EST Community Mass In Person at the Church and also streamed online and available for playback.

    Instructions to view the Mass are available here. You can also watch the video via YouTube Live in the window above.

Today’s readings and hymns are available to download here:

2021-01-31Download

Scriptual Commentary

4th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Reminded that We Are Part of God’s Plan

| Fr. William Smith

Moses Speaks to the People, James Jacques Joseph Tissot, c. 1896-1902, Jewish Museum of New York

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the First Reading
Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Deuteronomy 18:15–20
January 31, 2021

People who believe in a God wish to have a connection and indeed be in communication with him or her. Religions differ on how, why, and by whom this is accomplished. These are important questions but as we will see today, they rest on the basic understanding of who God is.

Our Scriptures give us information about the people who were to become the Jews from about 1400 BC. Most of the Old Testament that we have today was compiled in its present form by 400 BC. There was much evolution in thought during this time, but there are key ideas and themes that become more prominent as the people’s relationship with God developed.

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Events, Videos

Community Mass – 3rd Sunday Ordinary Time/Sunday of the Word of God

| St. Charles Borromeo

Please join us to celebrate the 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time – the Sunday of the Word of God – on Sunday, January 24:

  • 9 AM EST – Morning Mass – In Person at the Church, not live streamed.
  • 11:15 AM EST Community Mass In Person at the Church and also streamed online and available for playback.

    Instructions to view the Mass are available here. You can also watch the video via YouTube Live in the window above.
  • Please note that some people have experienced sporadic issues with YouTube this morning. If you have issues connecting via YouTube, you can also join via Zoom at stcharlesbklyn.org/zoom.

Today’s readings and hymns are available to download here:

2021-01-24Download

Scriptual Commentary

3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time – Being Exceptional Without Exception

| Fr. William Smith

The Calling of Saint Peter and Saint Andrew, James Tissot, 1886-1894, Brooklyn Museum

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the First Reading
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jonah 3:1–5, 10
January 24, 2021

The book of Jonah is difficult to date with great precision, but scholars suggest that it was written sometime between 300 and 250 BC. This would have been after the conquest of Judea by Alexander the Great in 332 BC and the breakup of his empire after his death in 323 BC. Even the most biblically illiterate person knows of it because of the story of Jonah and the whale, but its message is sublime and one that we may need to ponder now.

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