Category Archives: Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflections

Christmas Season, Thursday, 1-4-24, Year B Readings: 1st Reading 1 Jn 3:7-10; Ps 98:1,7-8,9; Gospel; Jn 1:35-42 Memorial: Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious Theme: A New Life in Jesus Today we celebrate St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious. She was born in the 13 states of colonial America and was raised in the Episcopalian faith. She marriedContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 1-4-24”

Octave of Christmas, Thursday, 12-28-23, Year B Readings: 1st Reading Jn 1:5-2:2; Ps 124:2-3,4-5,7cd-8; Gospel; Mt 2:13-16 Feast: Holy Innocents Theme: For the Love of God Could Herod have been forgiven for his sins, especially his decree to kill all the infant boys in Bethlehem to protect his kingship at the time of Christ’s birth?Continue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 12-28-23”

1st Week of Advent, Thursday, 12-7-23, Year B Readings: 1st Reading Is 26:1-6; Ps 118:1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a; Gospel; Mt 7:21, 24-27 Memorial: St. Ambrose, Bishop, Doctor of the Church Theme: Faith and Works The man on the corner of the street was handing out cards and in a loud voice saying, “all you haveContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 12-7-23”

31st Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 11-9-23, Year A Readings: 1st Reading Ez 47:1-2,8-9,12; Ps 46:2-3,5-6,8-9; 2nd Reading 1 Cor 3:9c-11,16-17; Gospel Jn 2:13-22 Feast: The Dedication of The Lateran Basilica Theme: The Temple of God A long time ago, back in college, I was at a summer party at a friend’s parents’ home. TheContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 11-9-23”

30th Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 11-2-23, Year A Readings: 1st Reading Wis 3:1-9; Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4,5,6; 2nd Rom 5:5-11 Gospel; Jn 6:37-40 All Souls’ Day Theme: Hope and Despair The call came into my Chaplain’s phone with a loud ring, startling me. Instantly my heart raced, as I knew what the call would beContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 11-2-23”

27th Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 10-12-23, Year A Readings: 1st Reading Mal 3:13-20b; Ps 1:1-4, 6; Gospel Lk 11:5-13 Theme: Are You God Centered or Self Centered I do not want to be a goat! In Matthew’s Gospel 25:31-45 Jesus explains the judgment of the nations, or, in other words, the judgment of eachContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 10-12-23”

25th Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 9-29-23, Year A Readings: 1st Reading Dn 7:9-10, 13-14; Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5; Gospel Jn 1:47-51 Feast: Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels Theme: The Love of Angels When great leaders are recognized, it usually is with a lot of fanfare and a gathering of those who believe inContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 9-29-23”

23rd Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 9-14-23, Year AReadings: 1st Reading Nm 21:4b-9; Ps 78:1bc,34-38; 2nd Reading Phil 2:6-11; Gospel Jn 3:3-17Feast: Exaltation of the Holy CrossTheme: Tree of Life When all the trees are gone, life on this earth, as we know it, will cease to exist. Without trees, there is no cleaning ofContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 9-14-23”

22nd Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 9-7-23, Year A Readings: First Reading Col 1:14; Ps 98:2-6; Gospel Lk 5:1-11 Theme: Being Transformed and Wanting More Have you ever seen a picture, the kind that displays an obvious common scene at first glance, but when studied more closely reveals an entirely different and more powerful sceneContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 9-7-23”

19th Week of Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 8-15-23, Year A Readings: First Reading Rv. 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab Ps 45; Second Reading 1 Cor 15:20-27; Gospel Lk 1:39-56 Solemnity: Assumption of the BVM Theme: A Mother’s Love Motherhood is a vocation of love. When we were wrongly accused or unfairly treated, she advocated on our behalf toContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 8-15-23”

17th Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 8-3-23, Year AReadings: First Reading Ex 40:16-21,34-38 Ps 84:3-6a, 8a, 11; Gospel Mt 13:47-53Optional Memorial: St. Apollinaris Bishop and MartyrTheme: Live Each Day As If It Were Your Last There is only one certainty in this life on earth and that is death. Eventually, we all will face thisContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 8-3-23”

15th Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 7-20-23, Year AReadings: First Reading Ex 11:10-12:14; Ps 116:12-13, 15 & 16bc, 17-18; Gospel Mt 11:28-30Optional Memorial: St. Apollinaris Bishop and Martyr Theme: Trust in Jesus to Carry the Load Do you ever wonder why all the little things that worry us during the day are somehow magnified atContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 7-20-23”

13th Week of Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 7-4-23, Year A Readings: First Reading Gn 19:15-29; Ps 26:2-3,9-12; Gospel Mt 8:23-27 Independence Day USA Theme:  Steadfast in the Lord Your God We celebrate the birthday of our nation today. We are now 247 years old! I wonder what the founding fathers would say about the state ofContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 7-4-23”

11th Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 6-22-23, Year AReadings: First Reading 2 Cor 11:1-11; Ps 111:1-4,7-8; Gospel Mt 6:7-15Optional Memorials: St. Paulinus of Nola Bishop, St. John Fisher Bishop and Thomas More, MartyrsTheme:  Commandment in Prayer St. Paul struggled with false prophets and religious zealots that took the Gospel of Christ and twisted it intoContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 6-22-23”

9th Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 6-8-23, Year A Readings: First Reading Tb 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a; Ps 128:1-5; Gospel Mk 12:28-34 Theme: Simplicity of The Golden Rule There are many times when I am amazed at the simplicity of Jesus’s answers in the Bible. So many times, the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees ask JesusContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 6-8-23”

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”