This is a link to the audio recording of my homily for the 3rd Sunday of Lent...
      I don’t know about all of you, but I love this time of year growing up as a die hard sports fan because it’s time for the NCAA Basketball Tournament begin!  It’s March Madness and what’s not to love.  As over the next four weeks a national champion will be crowned and all sorts of upsets will take place.  As March Madness begins, I read an interview a few years ago that stuck with me and I want to share part of that interview with you today. That particular interview was done with legendary college basketball coach, Speedy Morris.  Morris coached for nearly 40 years at the college level and is well respected within the college ranks.  During the interview Morris shared an interesting story that caught my attention and I want to share it with all of you today.  Speedy recalled in the interview a story that took place during the high point of his coaching career.
	According to Morris, “one day he was in the upstairs bathroom shaving when his wife told him he was wanted on the phone by Sports Illustrated.”  For the coach of a Division One basketball team that’s a great honor, and Speedy said he was so excited that he accidentally cut himself with his razor.  He grabbed some toilet paper and pressed it to his face and rushed out of the bathroom so he could get to the phone.  So with blood running down his cheek he descended the stairs two at a time.  He did fine for the first few, but then lost his balance and literally rolled down the last half of the stairs.  He wasn’t sure is he had pulled or broken anything, and limping he got to his feet and hurried the last few feet to the phone.  “Sports Illustrated” Morris asked.  “Yes”, came the reply from the other end of the phone, then woman proceeded to say, “And for only 75 cents an issue you can subscribe for an entire year.”  Morris then realized that Sports Illustrated did not want to interview him for the magazine, but rather they tried to sell him a subscription and disappointment sank in, and he began to realize how big of a fool he was for reacting the way he did.  
	The real moral of the story today is that it is frustrating to think someone is interested in you only to find out differently.  It’s tough to be let down, especially something looks very promising.  Sometimes we get our hopes too high.  And if a salesman or a politician or a sports team lets us down it can be irritating, but on a deeper and more important level when a person of faith does it, it can be devastating and that is exactly what happens in today’s Gospel.  Jesus today is devastated and let down, by the people of faith who are more interested in money than in worshiping God and being able to assist others so that they can more fully participate in worshiping God and making atonement for their sins at the temple.  In feeling let down, we see Jesus get angry and cause quite the co-motion, something that we do not see Jesus do often in the bible.  Jesus gets angry because He sees hypocrisy and that is something that He did not tolerate for alleged people of faith.  Don't do it, don't be a hypocrite, it ain't worth it.  Happy 3rd Sunday of Lent everyone!

Don't Do It, Don't Be A Hypocrite

This is the homily that I plan to give tonight at 7:00 PM on April 13, 2017 at the Mass of the Last Supper, the beginning of the Easter Vigil.  This will be occurring at St. John's in Rapids City.  While Easter Sunday Masses might be packed, you don't have to worry about not finding a seat in Church at any of the other liturgies of the Easter Triduum.  No security of guards will be dragging you out because we have reached seating capacity in the Church building.  To hear what I plan to say tonight you could listen to this recording of my homily.

Don't Do It, Don't Be A Hypocrite

Father Peter

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