Category Archives: Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflections

6th Friday in Ordinary Time, Yr 1, February 17, 2023Gn 11:1-9; Ps 33:10-15; Mk 8:34-9:1 Whenever I hear the reading of the Tower of Babel, my mind goes back to the late 1970s and I think of a Babel Fish. That small yellowish fish that when you stick it in your ear, you immediately areContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 2-17-23”

5th Friday in Ordinary Time; Feast of St. Scholastica, February 10, 2023Gn 3:1-8; Ps 32:1-2, 5-7; Mk 7:31-37 Today we hear the story again of original sin. The very first time man, in this case, Eve, and then her husband Adam, were tricked into doing something that was not good for us. In Eve’s case,Continue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Homily 2-10-23”

4th Friday in ordinary time, also feast of Saint Blaise and Saint Ansgar, February 3, 2023Heb 13:1-8;  Ps 27:1,3,5,8-9; Mk 6:14-29 The group of friends I hang around with, let’s call it the “Rockford” area even though I live in Belvidere, are known around the country as, “Those hospitable folks from Rockford!” They are alwaysContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection – 2-3-23”

3rd Friday in Ordinary Time, Yr 1, Optional Memorial of Saint Angela Merici, January 27, 2023Heb: 10:32-39; Ps 37:3-6, 23-24, 39-40; Mk 4:26-34 I have a friend who is suffering immensely from cancer. Yet through it all, he bears witness to the glory of God. He said, “It is through my suffering, that I believe someoneContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 1-27-23”

2nd Friday in Ordinary Time, Yr. 1, also Feast of St Sebastian and St Fabian, January 20, 2023|Heb 8:6-13; Ps 85:8, 10-14; Mk 3:13-19 We continue with our theme this week of a high priest. In the letter to the Hebrews, the high priest, once again, is Jesus. But in this case, the writer isContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 1-20-23”

1st Friday in Ordinary Time, Year 1, January 13, 2023Heb: 4:1-5, 11; Ps 78: 3, 4bc, 6c-8; Mk 2:1-12 Which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or, “Pick up your mat and go home? To understand what Jesus is saying here, we need to understand the time and place it was being said.Continue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 1-13-23”

Christmas Weekday, Friday, January 6, 20231 Jn 5:5-13; Ps 147: 12-15, 19-20; Mk 1:7-11 I will start today with a question. And that question is this: Who do you believe? So think of that question as you listen to this homily. I am going to start by talking about Baptism. I don’t think any ofContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Homily 1-6-23”

Feast of the Holy Family, Friday, December 30, 2022Sir 3-2-6, 12-14; Ps 128:1-5 Mt 2:13-15, 19-23 I was watching a new episode of “The Chosen” the other night. It was right after the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus called the disciples together before they split up for some R&R. As they were talking, JesusContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 12-30-22”

Friday, December 23rd in the Octave before Christmas. Mal 3:1-4, 23-24; Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-10, 14; Lk 1:57-66 All this week we have been hearing the stories of how John the Baptist and Jesus’ births came about. As we approach the end of the Octave before Christmas, we hear the last “O” antiphon today. “O King ofContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Homily – 12-23-22”

3rd Friday in Advent, December 16, 2022IS 56:1-3a, 6-8 Ps 67:2-3, 5, 7-8; Jn 5:33-36 Today marks the end of the third week of advent, and where we end the preparation of our hearts. Tomorrow, we begin our focus on the coming of our Savior. It marks the beginning of the time we focus onContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 12-16-22”

Friday the 2nd week of Advent, December, 9, 2022Is 48:17-19, Ps 1: 1-4, 6, Mt 11:16-19 Today, on the feast day of St. Juan Diego, we are about to come to the end of the 2nd week of Advent. Our focus will switch from reflecting on our own sinful nature, to one of anticipation. WaitingContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 12-9-22”

1st Friday in Advent, December 2, 2022Is 29:17-24; Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14; Mt 9:27-31 During this first week of Advent, we are being reminded about the coming of our Lord, and today, on Friday, we are told that Jesus is the light. Isaiah prophesized with a wonderful poem about the coming of the Messiah. BackContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 12-2-22”

34th Friday in Ordinary Time, November 25, 2022Rv 20:1-4, 11-21:2; Ps 84:3-6a, 8a; Lk 21:29-33 As we approach the end of the Church year; and the end of the Book of Revelations, John gives us this beautiful image of what heaven may look like. There, Jesus sits on His white throne ruling over heaven andContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 11-25-22”

33rd Friday in Ordinary Time, Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul. November 18, 2022Rv 10:8-11; Ps 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131; Lk 19:45-48 The two images presented today, the first from the book of Revelations where John literally is told to eat the word of God, and the other where JesusContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 11-18-22”

32nd Friday in Ordinary Time, Yr 2 Memorial of St. Martin of Tours, November 11, 20222 Jn 4-9; Ps 119:1-2, 10-11, 17-18; Lk 17:26-37 Has anyone ever called you a “watchman?” A watchman is someone who is always on the lookout, always paying attention to their surroundings, and generally will make some noise or notifyContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 11-11-22”

31st Friday in Ordinary Time, November 4, 2022Phil 3:17-4:1, Ps 122:1-5, Lk 16:1-8 St. Paul proposes an interesting proposition today: “Join with others to be imitators of me.” On the surface, this seems pretty arrogant, but in the context of the Philippians, who are being swayed by every huckster in the area, Paul is sincereContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 11-4-22”

30th Friday in Ordinary time, yr 2, Feast of St Simon and St JudeOctober 28. 2022Eph 2:19-22; Ps 19:2-5; Lk 6:12-16 Today we celebrate the feasts of Saint Simon and Saint Jude, two of the 12 disciples chosen by Jesus. Simon, also called the “Canaanite” or the “Zealot,” was one of the first disciples JesusContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Homily 10-28-22”

29th Friday in Ordinary time, YR 2, October 21, 2022Eph 4:1-6; Ps 24:1-6; Lk 12:54-59 The call to holiness is pretty tough, isn’t it? I mean, to live as a Christian like Jesus would want us to is very difficult. After all, we need to be pleasant all the time, not do anything wrong, andContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 10-21-22”

28th Friday in Ordinary Time, Yr 2. October 14, 2022Eph 1:11-14; Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 12-13; Lk 12:1-7 I love watching my birdfeeder because there are many different types of birds that come and go. They are all different, yet they are all the same. Each one of them beautiful in its own right. From theContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection 10-14-22”

27th Friday in Ordinary Time, year 2, Feast of Our Lady of the RosaryGal 3:7-14, Ps 111:1b-6; Lk 11:15-26 The Rosary is one of the most misunderstood prayers by our non-Catholic friends. Yet, the Rosary, in its current form, reminds us of all the important events in Christ’s life and His Mother’s life. Starting withContinue reading “Deacon Stu Dobson’s Reflection – 10-7-22“