Exegesis | Preaching Hope

Easter 6 A ~ "Gift of the Spirit" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

May 8, 20233 min read

Easter 6 A ~ "Gift of the Spirit" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

I will not leave you orphans. These consoling words of the Lord Jesus, spoken to his disciples at the Last Supper, promised the gift of...

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Easter 5 A ~"Laying a Cornerstone in Zion" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

susan mcgurgan

May 2, 20236 min read

Easter 5 A ~"Laying a Cornerstone in Zion" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

Just before today’s Epistle Lesson begins, a prior image is offered as a way to speak of our life in Christ. That famous text appeals to...

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susan mcgurgan

Apr 25, 20235 min read

Easter 4 A ~ "Abundance"~ Susan McGurgan

A few years ago, at the height of the pandemic, I dreamed that the pain of isolation, the drive to find a vaccine, the shared wounds of...

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susan mcgurgan

Apr 17, 20236 min read

Easter 3 A ~ "On the Road" ~ Two Approaches to Preaching the Emmaus Encounter ~Susan McGurgan

This week, instead of a full homily, I am sharing two approaches to preaching the Emmaus story: Paul Scott Wilson’s, Four Page Sermon and...

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Easter 2 A / Sunday of Divine Mercy ~ "Three Words" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts

susan mcgurgan

Apr 11, 20231 min read

Easter 2 A / Sunday of Divine Mercy ~ "Three Words" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts

My cousins challenged me to preach a Sunday homily in less than one hundred words. I have three words for you: peace, mission, mercy....

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The Resurrection of the Lord/Easter A ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

susan mcgurgan

Apr 4, 20235 min read

The Resurrection of the Lord/Easter A ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

It is very early on the first day of the week when Mary Magdala comes to the tomb. In fact, it is still dark. She does not come with any...

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susan mcgurgan

Apr 3, 20233 min read

Good Friday A ~ Susan McGurgan

We cannot turn back time, and walk where he walked, carefully fitting our faltering steps into his dusty footprints. We cannot turn back...

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Holy Thursday A ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

susan mcgurgan

Apr 2, 20233 min read

Holy Thursday A ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

On Holy Thursday, I usually offer this Mass for deceased priests. I think of them often during holy week. I think of those priests who...

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Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion A ~ Two Homilies: Rev. Richard Eslinger and Rev. Benjamin Roberts

susan mcgurgan

Mar 28, 20238 min read

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion A ~ Two Homilies: Rev. Richard Eslinger and Rev. Benjamin Roberts

"The Apostle's Speech" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger Following the Supper, Jesus prophesied that this night, “all of you will have your faith...

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Lent 5 A ~ John 11:1-45 Exegesis, Homiletic Reflection & Strategies ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

susan mcgurgan

Mar 21, 202320 min read

Lent 5 A ~ John 11:1-45 Exegesis, Homiletic Reflection & Strategies ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

Once again, John is faithful to the literary structure of a sign narrative. By now we expect some sort of need or lack to be stated at...

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susan mcgurgan

Mar 20, 20234 min read

Lent 5 A ~ Two Homilies: Susan McGurgan & Rev. Benjamin Roberts

"I Am..." ~ Susan McGurgan I am Lazarus. Neighbor. Brother. Beloved friend. I am Lazarus. The man who died too young. I am Lazarus. Jesus...

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Lent 4 A ~ John 9:1-41 Exegesis, Homiletic Reflection & Strategies ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

susan mcgurgan

Mar 14, 202315 min read

Lent 4 A ~ John 9:1-41 Exegesis, Homiletic Reflection & Strategies ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

With the arrival of the Fourth Sunday in Lent, we encounter a Johannine sign for the first time in our forty day journey. Therefore, it...

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Lent 4 A ~ "Mud and Oil and Opened Eyes" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

susan mcgurgan

Mar 13, 20234 min read

Lent 4 A ~ "Mud and Oil and Opened Eyes" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

It is the 4th Sunday of Lent, and I have completely failed at my Lenten practice. It’s actually worse than that. I failed to even choose...

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Lent 3 A ~ John 4:5-42 Exegesis, Homiletic Reflection & Strategies ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

susan mcgurgan

Mar 8, 202314 min read

Lent 3 A ~ John 4:5-42 Exegesis, Homiletic Reflection & Strategies ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

This profound and detailed story follows upon a sequence of events that function in differing ways to shape the reader’s expectations as...

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susan mcgurgan

Mar 7, 20234 min read

Lent 3 A ~ "You and Me and the Woman at the Well" ~ Susan McGurgan

Like so many women in the Bible, we never even know her name. She is “The Woman at the Well” or maybe, after hearing her story, “The...

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The Multiple Feasts of the Transfiguration

susan mcgurgan

Mar 1, 20233 min read

The Multiple Feasts of the Transfiguration

This article was researched by Kendall McCabe for Rev. Richard Eslinger's Commentary on Lent, Year A, in the New Proclamation series,...

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Lent 2A ~ "Listen to Him" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

susan mcgurgan

Feb 27, 20235 min read

Lent 2A ~ "Listen to Him" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

Six days before, Jesus had led the disciples to Caesarea Philippi where Simon Peter made his confession, “You are the Messiah, the Son of...

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What's the Problem with Catholic Preaching? What Can we Do About It? II ~ Rev. Michael Connors, CSC

susan mcgurgan

Feb 21, 20236 min read

What's the Problem with Catholic Preaching? What Can we Do About It? II ~ Rev. Michael Connors, CSC

Rev. Michael E. Connors, CSC, is the Director of the Marten Program in Homiletics and Liturgics at the University of Notre Dame. In the...

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susan mcgurgan

Feb 20, 20234 min read

Lent 1 A ~ "Temptation" ~ Susan McGurgan

At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. Anyone who has wandered in a desert knows it can be...

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7th OT A ~ "Finding the Good News" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

susan mcgurgan

Feb 13, 20233 min read

7th OT A ~ "Finding the Good News" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

Last week, when we celebrated our parish feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, I talked about St. Bernadette. She is the little girl who met Our...

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What's New?

New Position for Susan McGurgan
Susan is now the Director of the Preach All Ways Lilly Compelling Preaching Grant and Associate Professor of Theology at Marian University, Indianapolis.

20 OT B ~ "A Deeper Union with Christ" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min. ~Preach This Week

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What's New?

New Position for Susan McGurgan Susan is now the Director of the Preach All Ways Lilly Compelling Preaching Grant and Associate Professor of Theology at Marian University, Indianapolis. 20 OT B ~ "A Deeper Union with Christ" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min. ~Preach This Week

Subscribe Form

New Position for Susan McGurgan
Susan is now the Director of the Preach All Ways Lilly Compelling Preaching Grant and Associate Professor of Theology at Marian University, Indianapolis.

20 OT B ~ "A Deeper Union with Christ" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min. ~Preach This Week