Category Archives: Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflections

8th Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 6-1-23, Year A Readings: First Reading Sir 42:15-25; Ps 33:2-9; Gospel Mk 10:46-52 Memorial: St. Justin, Martyr Theme: Letting Go With Faith “As the rising sun is clear to all,so the glory of the Lord fills all his works.Yet even God’s holy ones must failin recounting the wonders ofContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 6-1-23”

7th week of Easter, Thursday, 5-25-23, Year AReadings: First Reading Acts 22:30; 23:6-11; Ps 16:1-2a,5,7-11; Gospel Jn 17:20-26Optional Memorial: Saint Bede the Venerable, Priest, Doctor of the ChurchOptional Memorial: Saint Gregory VII, PopeOptional Memorial: Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, Virgin Theme: Tribulation and Mercy “Keep me safe, O God, you are my hope.” Our ResponsorialContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 5-25-23”

5th week of Easter, Thursday, 5-11-23, Year AReadings: First Reading Acts 15:7-21; Ps 96:1-3,10; Gospel Jn 15:9-11Theme: Christ’s Love Completes Our Joy I have always been a lover of dogs. I have had dogs as pets almost my entire life. The one thing that attracts me to them is their never-ending love for us. ItContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 5-11-23”

4th week of Easter, Thursday, 5-4-23, Year AReadings: First Reading Acts 13:13-25; Ps 89:2-3,21-22,25&27; Gospel Jn 13:16-20Theme: Receiving Christ “Amen, amen, I say to you whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” One day you are driving in your car alone and all ofContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 5-4-23”

3rd week of Easter, Thursday, 4-27-23, Year AReadings: First Reading Act 8:26-40; Ps 66:8-9,16-17,20; Gospel Jn 6:44-51Theme: When The Impossible Becomes Possible When the impossible becomes possible, an inflection point is created. We have one of two ways to go. Believe that what was once impossible is now possible and is real, or it isContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 4-27-23”

2nd week of Easter, Thursday, 4-20-23, Year AReadings: First Reading Act 5:27-33; Ps 34:2, 9, 17-18,19-20; Gospel Jn 3:31-36Theme: Remember Your Place in The World. Sometimes we forget our place in this world. We understand so much more about our world than our ancestors, that when we look back at what they understood of theContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 4-20-23”

Octave of Easter, Thursday, 4-13-23, Year AReadings: First Reading Act 3:11-26; Ps 8: 2ab,5-9; Gospel Lk 24:35-48Theme: Recognizing Truth Pilot said to Jesus in the praetorium, “what is truth?” He did not recognize that the truth he was asking about was standing right in front him. So many times, we gloss over evidence, facts, orContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 4-13-23”

Fifth Week of Lent, Thursday, 3-30-23, Year AReadings: First Reading Gn 17:3-9; Ps 105: 4-9; Gospel Jn 8:51-59Theme: A Change of Mind I would have to say, if I was a Jew in Jesus’s time and some stranger told me that if I kept their word, I would never see death, I, too would probablyContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 3-30-23”

Fourth Week of Lent, Thursday, 3-23-23, Year AReadings: First Reading Ex 32:7-14; Ps 106: 19-23; Gospel Jn 5:31-47Optional Memorial: St. Turibius of Mogrovejo, BishopTheme: Staying the Course How easy it is for us to change our thinking, especially when things get ordinary and routine, or there is a lack of leadership. As human beings, weContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 3-23-23”

Third Week of Lent, Thursday, 3-16-23, Year AReadings: First Reading Jer 7:23-28; Ps 95:1-2,6-9; Gospel Lk 11:14-23Theme: There is No Neutral Position In today’s readings, we are faced with the stark reality of not obeying God or following His commands. In God’s view, following Him is black or white. You either believe in Him andContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 3-16-23”

Second Week of Lent, Thursday, 3-9-23, Year A Readings: First Reading Jer 17:5-10; Ps 1:1-4,6; Gospel Lk 16:19-31 Optional Memorial: St. Francis of Rome, Religious – Died 1440, Patroness of widows and motorists. Theme: Self-Service or Service of Self Jesus said, “the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve.” ThereContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 3-9-23”

First Week of Lent, Thursday, 3-2-23, Year AReadings: First Reading Est C:12,14-16, 23-25; Ps 138:1-3,7c-8; Gospel Mt 7:7-12 Theme: Purpose, Meaning and Sincerity in Prayer Have you ever noticed that when something is really troubling you and you pray on it, your prayer has purpose, is more meaningful, and is full of sincerity? It seemsContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 3-2-23”

Fourth Week of Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 2-7-23, Year AReadings: First Reading Gen 1:20-2:4a; Ps 8:4-9; Gospel Mk 7:1-13Theme: Tradition for the Sake of Tradition How many things do we do today because it has traditionally always been done that way? Have you ever thought of something you do every day and wondered why you doContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 2-7-23”

Fourth Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 2-02-23, Year AReadings: First Reading Mal 3:1-4; Ps 24:7-10; Second Reading Heb 2:14-18;Gospel Lk 2:22-40Feast: Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas Day)Theme: Light of Christ I’ve often heard people say that they do not read the Old Testament because they do not think that God could be such a sternContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 2-2-23”

Third Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 1-26-23, Year AReadings: First Reading 2 Tm 1:1-8; Ps 96:1-3,7-8,10; Gospel Mk 4:21-25Memorial: Saints Timothy and Titus, BishopsTheme: Do Not Be Afraid Today’s message is “Do not be afraid.” Go and spread the gospel to all peoples. This is especially true for those to whom God called into service.Continue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 1-26-23”

First Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 1-12-23, Year AReadings: First Reading 1 Heb 3:7-14; Ps 95:6-7c,8-11; Gospel Mk 1:40-45Theme: Partners in Christ The Holy Spirit is all about making us partners in Christ. Through the Holy Spirit, we share in Christ’s three-fold office of priest, prophet, and king. As Christ helped others, so we tooContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 1-12-23”

For the Christmas Weekday, Tuesday, 1-3-23, Year AReadings: First Reading 1 Jn 2:29-3-6; Ps 98:1-, 3c-4,5-6; Gospel Jn 1:29-34Option Memorial: The Most Holy Name of JesusTheme: Children of God We, humans, are connected to each other. We are meant to be together, to belong with each other, and to be in service to each other.Continue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 1-3-23”

For the 5th Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord, 12-29-22, Year AReadings: First Reading 1 Jn 2:3-11; Ps 96:1-2a,2b-3,5b-6; Gospel Lk 2:22-35Option Memorial: St. Thomas Becket, Bishop & MartyrTheme: Obedience and Humility When I was a kid, and we would play outside with our friends, the town whistle would blow atContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 12-29-22”

For the 4th Week of Advent, Thursday, 12-22-22, Year AReadings: First Reading 1 Sam 1:24-28; Ps 1 Sm 2:1,4-7, babcd; Gospel Lk 1:46-56(Magnificat – Song of Mary or Canticle of Mary)Theme: Thankfulness In Galilee, in the town of Nazareth, two servants were preparing for a journey. One said to the other, “Can you believe thatContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 12-22-22”

For the 3rd Week of Advent, Tuesday, 12-13-22, Year AReadings: Zep 3:1-2, 9-13; Ps 34:2-3,6-7,17-18,19,23; Gospel Mt 21:28-32Memorial: St. Lucy, Virgin & Martyr, Died 304 AD.Theme:  Change for The Better How many of us are lulled into a life that is contrary to God’s will for us? In a way, we can just slip intoContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 12-13-22”