Bishop Thomas Gumbleton Column

Pentecost Sunday

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:36:08 -0400

The Peace Pulpit by Bishop Gumbleton	Sunday, May 11, 2008
Homily Archives	Weekly Homily

What should appear on this page is the homily Bishop Thomas Gumbleton preached on Pentecost Sunday. Unfortunately, a technical glitch means that the homily was not recorded and so no transcript could be made.

As it happens, we do have a transcript and recording of a Pentecost homily by Jesuit Fr. John Dear. You can read the transcript and listen to the recording by following this link: The Pentecost of peace.

A homily by Bishop Gumbleton will appear next week.

The Ascension of the Lord

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:08:00 -0400

The Peace Pulpit by Bishop Gumbleton	Sunday, May 4, 2008
Homily Archives	Weekly Homily

It may seem strange to us, but if you notice, the gospel lesson doesn't say anything about the ascension of Jesus and in fact, when you look at the other gospels, Mark's gospel has no account of the ascension and John's gospel doesn't mention anything about an ascension of Jesus 40 days after Easter. In fact, in John's gospel, it's on Easter Sunday night that Jesus comes back to the disciples and during that visit, he breaths on them and fills them with the Holy Spirit, as we will celebrate next Sunday on the feast of Pentecost. Everything is combined into the one experience of those disciples.

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:09:57 -0400

The Peace Pulpit by Bishop Gumbleton	Sunday, April 27, 2008
Homily Archives	Weekly Homily

As we listen to the scripture lessons this morning, I think it will help us to get the full benefit of what God is speaking to us through God's holy word, if we remember the context within which we are reflecting on these scriptures. We get the context from the first lesson this morning, from the Acts of the Apostles. Jesus said to his disciples, "You are going to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, even to the ends of the earth," so it was beginning to happen.

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:55:15 -0400

The Peace Pulpit by Bishop Gumbleton	Sunday, April 20, 2008
Homily Archives	Weekly Homily

I am very flattered and honored that Fr. Fabian Slominski asked me to celebrate with him this Holy Eucharist this morning as he rejoices, as we heard him proclaim at the beginning, with such sincerity, in the 60 years that God has allowed him to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Detroit. I think we ought to acclaim Fr. Slominski at this moment and thank him for those 60 years of service. [Applause.]

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:13:17 -0400

The Peace Pulpit by Bishop Gumbleton	Sunday, April 13, 2008
Homily Archives	Weekly Homily

When we begin to listen to the scriptures deeply this morning, we must try to put ourselves in the situation of those Jewish people who heard that sermon of St. Peter on that feast of Pentecost. It was the feast that the Jewish people [celebrated] 50 days after Passover. Those who had dispersed to other parts of the world would come back to celebrate the feast at their temple in Jerusalem, so they were there from various parts of the world.

Third Sunday of Easter

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:36:40 -0400

The Peace Pulpit by Bishop Gumbleton	Sunday, April 6, 2008
Homily Archives	Weekly Homily

I think this is one of the most beautiful of the gospel stories about Jesus after his resurrection. I think it's one that all of us can quite easily relate to. It's so easy to think of those true disciples walking along Easter Sunday night after all they'd been through Holy Thursday at the Last Supper, and then Good Friday, and so sad and disappointed.

Then suddenly, there's Jesus walking with them. Of course, as Luke tells us, they don't know it's Jesus because they haven't really understood about who Jesus is and what he came to do and why. But they're blessed along that journey, because Jesus begins to explain to them. It almost might seem sort of harsh the way Jesus says to them, "How dull you are. How foolish, how slow to believe." And maybe we even share that idea.