26 juillet 2025 – Mémoire des saints Joachim et Anne

Ex 24,3-8 ; Mt 13,24-30

H o m é l i e 

          L'Évangile est d'une extrême discrétion concernant la Vierge Marie. Nous connaissons très peu de détails de sa vie. C'est comme si les Évangélistes voulaient que toute notre attention soit centrée sur ce qui est l'essentiel la concernant, à savoir qu'elle a été la Mère du Fils de Dieu. Luc, qui en dit un peu plus que les autres, ouvre son récit de l'Incarnation par cette formule simple et solennelle à la fois : "L'ange Gabriel fut envoyé par Dieu dans une ville de Galilée du nom de Nazareth, à une jeune fille accordée en mariage à un homme nommé Joseph, de la maison de David; cette jeune fille s'appelait Marie."

25 juillet 2025 – Fête de saint Jacques

2 Cor 4, 7-15; Mt 20, 20-28

Homélie

          Il y a plusieurs Jacques dans le Nouveau Testament. Celui que nous célébrons aujourd'hui, c'est le frère de Jean et fils de Zébédée. Ce Jacques fut l'un des premiers martyrs. Hérode le fit mettre à mort lors de la première grande persécution contre l'Église, avant même l'arrestation de Pierre. Avec son frère Jean, comme lui compagnon de Pierre, il tient une place toute particulière durant la vie publique de Jésus. Avec Jean, il est l'un des premiers disciples à aller demander à Jésus "Maître, où demeures-tu?". Il est l'un de ceux que Jésus amène avec lui sur la montagne de la Transfiguration, dans la chambre où il ressuscite la fille de Jaïre et, finalement, au Jardin des Oliviers.

25 July 2025 - Feast of Saint James

2 Cor 4, 7-15; Mt 20, 20-28

Homily

          There are several James in the New Testament. The one we are celebrating today is the brother of John and son of Zebedee. This James was one of the first martyrs. Herod had him put to death during the first great persecution against the Church, even before Peter's arrest. Along with his brother John, who was also a companion of Peter, he held a very special place in the public life of Jesus. Along with John, he was one of the first disciples to ask Jesus "Master, where are you staying? He was one of those whom Jesus took with him to the Mount of Transfiguration, to the room where he raised Jairus' daughter from the dead and, finally, to the Garden of Olives.

23 juillet 2025 – Fête de sainte Brigitte de Suède

Ex 16, 1…15; Mt 13, 1-9

Homélie

          Le premier octobre 1999, à l’ouverture du synode des évêques sur l’Europe, le pape Jean-Paul II nommait trois femmes comme copatronnes de l’Europe : Catherine de Sienne, Edith Stein et Brigitte de Suède. Cette dernière est inscrite comme « mémoire » dans le calendrier de l’Église universelle, mais on la célèbre comme fête en Europe. Toutes trois sont des femmes ayant su joindre dans leur vie une profonde relation personnelle avec Dieu, tout en exerçant un rôle important dans la société et l’Église.

23 July 2025 - Feast of Saint Brigid of Sweden

Ex 16, 1…15; Mt 13, 1-9 

Homily 

          On 1 October 1999, at the opening of the Synod of Bishops on Europe, Pope John Paul II named three women as co-patrons of Europe: Catherine of Siena, Edith Stein and Brigid of Sweden. The latter is listed as a "memorial" in the universal Church calendar, but is celebrated as a feast day in Europe. All three were women who combined a deep personal relationship with God with an important role in society and the Church.

22 July 2025 - Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene (July 22, 2025)

2 Cor 5, 14-17 : Jn 20, 1.11-18 

Homily

           Mary Magdalene is without doubt the woman mentioned in the Gospels about whom we know the most (although it is not always absolutely clear which "Mary" the Evangelists are talking about).  When she washed Jesus' feet and sprinkled them with perfume, Jesus said that wherever the Gospel would be taught people would tell what she had done "in memory of her". However, what St John has remembered most about Mary Magdalene, and which is the subject of the Gospel text we have just read, is that she was the first witness to the Resurrection of Jesus. 

            This was a very important thing in the early Church.  You will remember that when the Eleven decided to choose someone to take Judas' place in the College of Twelve, they looked for someone who had been a "witness to the Resurrection".

            But what does it mean to be a "witness to the Resurrection"?  In reality, no one witnessed the precise moment when Jesus rose alive from the tomb. This moment is the object of Faith.  Witnesses to the Resurrection are those who had a personal encounter with the risen Christ.  And among these witnesses, according to the Gospel, Mary Magdalene is the first.  Saint John describes this encounter with great emotion and delicacy. 

            Mary Magdalene was the first to go to the tomb very early, on the first day of the week, when everything began.  She expects to find the body of Jesus, but she sees that the stone that closed the tomb has been rolled away.  She immediately goes to warn John, the beloved disciple, the only one of the Apostles who was present at Calvary, and she also goes to warn Peter, whose authority she thus recognises.  After the others had come and gone, she stood there weeping because her Lord had been taken away.  She recognised him when he called her by her name "Mary", as he had no doubt done many times before. 

            If we truly seek God - and this is what we have come to the monastery to do - one day or other we will hear Jesus call us by our own name.  He will call us to an ever more intimate personal encounter with him.  And then we too will be able to be - and indeed we too must be - witnesses to the Resurrection, for that is the essential mission of a Christian.

Armand Veilleux

 

Homily

          Mary Magdalene is without doubt the woman mentioned in the Gospels about whom we know the most (although it is not always absolutely clear which "Mary" the Evangelists are talking about). When she washed Jesus' feet and sprinkled them with perfume, Jesus said that wherever the Gospel would be taught people would tell what she had done "in memory of her". However, what St John has remembered most about Mary Magdalene, and which is the subject of the Gospel text we have just read, is that she was the first witness to the Resurrection of Jesus.