Father Kevin A. Codd

Wisdom, as understood in the Hebrew Scriptures in the centuries before Jesus, was imagined as a living and gracious feminine presence, seeking out souls open to its blessings. It was seen as an expression of God's presence among his people. This kind of Wisdom was alive and present especially in Jesus, his words and works. It is close to, if not the same reality, his disciples later came to understand as the Holy Spirit. This Holy Wisdom, "Hagia Sophia" in Greek, is what the world needs now...

Homily delivered to the Saint Francis Catholic Community, Cuenca, Ecuador

Jesus blasts the hypocrites who are his constant opponents in ministry with a series of accusations about their moral character. One among those accusations is particularly poignant for the cruelty it points to: those who lay heavy burdens upon others' shoulders, yet do not lift a finger to lighten the load. (A cheery apology for the interruption at the beginning of the homily when a small child wandered into the sanctuary, attracted by the beautiful statuary in the retablo of the church!).

Homily delivered to the Saint Francis Catholic Community of Cuenca, Ecuador. 

Jesus yet again responds with great wisdom to the trick questions posed by those who are threatened by his public ministry. The two great commandments, including "the golden rule", to love our neighbor as ourselves, form the foundation of our moral lives and the way of the Gospel.

Homily delivered to the Saint Francis Catholic Community in Cuenca, Ecuador. 

In Jesus' encounter yet again with the Pharisees, he is confronted with a trap at base of which is a moral dilemma presented by the image of Caesar on a Roman coin, then common in use in the first century. Is it idolatrous to use such a coin given Caesar's pretensions to divinity or is it just a practical necessity allowed by God and for the good of his people? The trap is sprung, but Jesus turns the question on its head by making clear our concern as people of faith is not Caesar or his coins; it is our hearts and how we give them back to God. 

Homily delivered to the Saint Francis Catholic Community in Cuenca, EC.

La hermosa imagen del "Cielo de Dios" como una grande fiesta encima de una montaña alta provee a Jesús el base de la parábola que nos ofrece hoy en el evangelio de San Mateo. Jesús nos invita a la fiesta de vida eterna aun aquí en esta tierra. 

Iglesia de San Francisco, Cuenca EC

And the parables just keep rolling! At the foundation of today's parable of the wedding feast gone sideways, is the beautiful image from the prophet Isaiah of the great feast atop the mountain where God is present lifting the veil that covers the nations, wiping every tear from every eye, and where death is no more. Jesus' adaptation of Isaiah pleads with the leaders of Israel to come to the feast...as he does us. 

Homily preached to the Saint Francis Catholic Community in Cuenca, EC

La parabola que Jesus ofrece a los sumos sacerdotes y ancianos del pueblo de Israel nos asusta. El hijo del dueno esta matado por los trabajadores. Los ancianos y sacerdotes no entienden que Jesus esta hablando de ellos. Su gran pecado de arogancia es un pecado que siempre nos afliga. El Sinodo en Roma es un ejercicio espiritual y eclesial a purificar la iglesia de este pecado tan horible. 

Homilia dado en la Iglesia de Todos Santos, Cuenca Ecuador.

Yet another parable from Jesus directed to the high priests and elders of the people...but this one is particularly shocking because of how Jesus ends it: with a horrific murder. Even this does not break through the blindness and cold-heartedness of the elders. Their failure to see because their authority and power had hardened them is a failure that plagues the Church, too. The current Synod taking place in Rome is the Church doing her best to step away from this sin of arrogance that comes with power and instead serve the world in humility and self-giving love. 

Homily delivered to the Saint Francis Catholic Community in Cuenca, Ecuador. (Apologies for the poor audio quality of this recording; sometimes technology just lets us down!) 

Today's parable could have been snatched from any one of our homes as we were growing up: two brothers...one says yes but does nothing, the other says no but does get to work. The impact of the parable on the priests and elders to who Jesus directs it must have been hard-hitting to say the least once he explains it to them. It is also a pointed reminder to us that when it comes to the Gospel, we, too, have to "walk the talk." 

Homily delivered to the Saint Francis Catholic Community in Cuenca, EC.

The sudden death of Katherine Hampton came as a shock to her family and all of us. The ensuing week of grief had been difficult, especially for her mother, Sue, and brother, Taylor. As that week culminated in a beautiful funeral Mass in the Iglesia de San Francisco in Cuenca, Ecuador.  Katherine's spirit was entrusted into God's hands. Consoling all present was Jesus' beautiful teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. In the Beatitudes he gives us insight into how God sees and values human beings. If Katherine had been in the midst of that crowd on the mountainside, she would have understood well just what Jesus was teaching; she would have loved this Jesus teaching her. If they had met following the teaching, their conversation would have been marked by reassurance and welcome into God's Kingdom.