Category Archives: Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflections

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”

For the 1st Week of Advent, Thursday, 12-1-22, Year AReadings: Is 26:1-6; Ps 118:1,8-9,19-21,25-27a; Gospel Mt 7:21,24-27Theme:  Don’t Just Be a Hearer But Also a Doer “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my father in heaven.” Just becauseContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 12-1-22”

For the 34th Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 11-24-22, Year CReadings: Rv 18:1-2, 21-23, 19:1-3,9a; Ps 100:1b-2,3,4,5; Gospel Lk 21:20-28Memorial: St Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest, and Companions, MartyrsTheme:  Be Prepared, Do Not be Afraid “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by theContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 11-24-22”

For the 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 11-17-22, Year CReadings: Rv 5:1-10; Ps 149:1b-6a & 9b; Gospel Lk 19:41-44Memorial: St. Elizabeth of Hungary, ReligiousTheme:  Worthy Is Christ In the apocryphal writing of Revelations, we read the amazing symbolism that describes figures, themes, and objects in glorious ways. We hear numbers, such as seven (theContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Reflection 11-17-22”

For the 32nd Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 11-10-22, Year CReadings: Phlm 7-20; Ps 146:7-10; Gospel Lk 17:20-25Memorial: St. Leo The Great, Pope, Doctor of the Church, +461Theme:  Forgiveness & Reconciliation Working at the jail ministry, I have learned a few things about forgiveness, reconciliation, and deceit. Although I have only been at this forContinue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 11-10-22”

Homily for the 30th Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 10-27-22, Year CReadings: Eph 6:10-20; Ps 144:1b,2,9-10; Gospel Lk 13:31-35Theme:  Persevere for the Lord’s Coming “I will never agree with you on your version of Catholicism.” These words were texted to me on a post I put on Facebook about abortion. Part of my response was,Continue reading “Deacon Steven Johnson’s Homily 10-27-22”