Father Kevin A. Codd

Una parabola que nos asusta y un sinodo, 27o Domingo (A), 8 de octubre, 2023

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.

A Shocking Parable and A Synod, 27th Sunday (A), October 8, 2023

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!) 

Two Brothers: Yes and No? 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A), October 1, 2023

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.

Katherine Hampton Funeral Homily, September 29, 2023

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. 

O Death, Where is Your Sting? 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A), September 24, 2023

As happens in every church community, death unexpectedly intervenes in our daily and weekly life. Early Saturday morning, one of the young members of our church family, Katherine, suddenly died. It moved me from working on a homily based on the day's great parable of the workers in the field (Matthew 20:1-16a) to a reflection on this Sunday's reading from Paul's Letter to the Philippians (1:20c-24), which gives us insight into his attitude to both death and life, an attitude founded in his deeply intimate relationship to Jesus, the Risen One. 

Our memories of Katherine are sweet and they shall remain so. We embrace her family in our prayers and love. We entrust her gentle spirit into the hands of the gentle Lord. 

Saint Francis Catholic Community, Cuenca, Ecuador

Where Two or Three Are Gathered: 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (A), September 10, 2023

In a culture of super-individualism, Jesus' preference for "gatherings" is easily obscured. His great promise to "be there" wherever two or three gather in his name is a call to take seriously the importance of "gathering" in the Christian life and the life of the world. 

Homily shared at the Saint Francis Catholic Community in Cuenca, Ecuador. 

The Prophet’s Hard-Knock Life, 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time (A), September 3, 2023

Today's passage from Jeremiah the Prophet opens a window into the complicated heart of the prophet. Beginning with the words, "You duped me, O God...!" Jeremiah lets us know both how powerful is the prophetic vocation and and how hard it is. Hard though it is, he carries on; he cannot not preach God's word to Israel! And so it was for Jesus; his own prophetic ministry had plenty of hard knocks, too. The temptation to back off and go the easy way must have been strong for him, witness his reaction to the bumbling Peter: "Get behind me, SATAN!" Yet, Jesus perseveres to the end. And so it is as well for us as his disciples...

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

Peter the Rock and Us: 21st Sunday A, August 27, 2023

Jesus asks the fundamental question: "Who do you say that I am?" Peter answers, correctly for a change, "You are the Christ, the son of the living God." And for his prize, poor Peter receives way more responsibility than he ever bargained for! Rocks and keys and loosenings and bindings! As do we!

Homily shared with the Saint Francis Catholic Community in Cuenca, Ecuador.

Una Mujer Pagana. Una Mujer de Fe, 20o. Domingo (A), 20 de agosto de 2023

La mujer Canaanita que encontramos hoy en el Evangelio de San Mateo nos inspira por su persistencia en sus esfuerzos de encontrar a Jesus y pide de él lo que quiere para su hija, poseída por un demonio. Se pone en contraste grande a los "hombres de fe" que nunca piden nada de Jesús. Es claro cual de estos personajes es para nosotros un ejemplo verdadero de fe. 

 

Homilía predicada en la Iglesia de San Francisco de Cuenca, Ecuador.

”Yet She Persisted...” 20th Sunday of the Year (A), August 20, 2023

The Canaanite woman in today's reading from Matthew's Gospel is astounding for her persistence in getting to Jesus and making her plea to him for deliverance for her daughter. This pagan woman stands in contrast to the "men of faith" who are just beyond the edges of this story, the leaders of the Jewish religion who poke, prod, test, and eventually persecute Jesus. What makes the difference between her and them?