Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz - Episodes Tagged with “Jesus”

11/27/22 Closer Than You Think: 29 Days

Ascension — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 11:45:00 -0600

Homily from the First Sunday of Advent.

You are made for more than a secondhand relationship with God.

We have 29 days until Christmas. And so much can change in that time. If we are willing to commit to spending 29 minutes every day for the next 29 days...if we are willing to beg the Lord to reveal Himself to us...everything could be different in just 29 days.

Mass Readings from November 27, 2022:
Isaiah 2:1-5
Psalms 122: 1-9
Romans 13:11-14

09/11/22 Eulogy Virtues: Joy

Ascension — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 11:45:00 -0500

Homily from the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Who you are now is who you are.

Joy is the abiding sense of well-being. It is a feeling, but it is also a choice. But we do not choose joy itself. We must choose the source of joy. Love is the source of joy.

Mass Readings from September 11, 2022
Exodus 32:7-11
Psalms 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19
1 Timothy 1:12-17

09/04/22 Eulogy Virtues: Loyalty

Ascension — Sat, 03 Sep 2022 11:45:00 -0500

Homily from the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Loyalty is a force that conquers time.

The essence of a eulogy virtue is character. Not merely who people think you are, but who you actually are. A person of character does what they said they would do…despite changing feelings or circumstances. This is loyalty.

Mass Readings from September 4, 2022:
Wisdom 9:13-18
Psalms 90:3-6, 12-14, 17
Philemon 9-10, 12-17

08/21/22 You, Strive

Ascension — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 12:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time.

How are you fighting for Heaven?

Jesus makes it very clear that our call is to make our pursuit of Heaven exactly that: a pursuit. He is personal and practical when He tells us that each and every one of us must strive for Heaven.

Mass Readings from August 21, 2022:
Isaiah 66:18-21
Psalms 117:1, 2
Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13

06/26/22 The Call

Ascension — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Deliberate. Decisive. Definitive.

God continues to call. God calls us to follow Him, making it clear that being a disciple is challenging...that it costs something. Therefore, we need to weigh out our response, we need to avoid hesitation, and we need to choose to follow Jesus in such a way that it actually changes something in our lives.

Mass Readings from June 26, 2022:
1 Kings 19:16, 19-21
Psalms 16:1-2, 5, 7-11
Galatians 5:1, 13-18

06/19/22 Corpus Christi

Ascension — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Homily from The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

This is everything.

The Body and Blood of Christ is one of the most underappreciated gifts God has ever given. In the Scriptures, God gives us His Word. In the Sacraments, God gives us His work. But in the Eucharist, God gives us Himself.

Mass Readings from June 19, 2022:
Genesis 14:18-20
Psalms 110:1-4
1 Corinthians 11:23-26

05/29/22 Ascension Gives Access

Ascension — Mon, 30 May 2022 15:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord.

What am I going to do with the gifts I've been given?

In the Ascension, Jesus completes the work of redemption. He has taken His once for all sacrifice, bound to time and place, and brought it before the Father. Because of this, we have access to all of God's graces in every time and every place.

Mass Readings from May 29, 2022:
Acts 1:1-11
Psalms 47:2-3, 6-9
Ephesians 1:17-23

05/08/22 The Time of Great Distress

Ascension — Mon, 09 May 2022 18:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Easter.

You are not abandoned. You are not alone. You are not afraid.

Our lives are marked by stress. Not only is stress unavoidable, it is necessary. The main question is: what is our response to stress?

Mass Readings from May 8, 2022:
Acts 13:14, 43-52
Psalms 100:1-3, 5
Revelation 7:9, 14-17

04/24/22 Be Mercy

Ascension — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 12:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Sunday of Divine Mercy.

Mercy is the love that we deserve the least when we need it the most.

The fact of the Resurrection of Jesus has introduced something new into this world of misery. The Cross and Resurrection introduced the possibility of mercy. Not only have we encountered the mercy of God, but we have been commissioned to be mercy in the midst of a world filled with misery.

Mass Readings from April 4, 2022:
Acts 5:12-16
Psalms 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24
Revelation 1:9-13, 17-19

04/17/22 Nothing

Ascension — Sun, 17 Apr 2022 14:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Mass of Easter Day.

What did he see?

John ran to the tomb and looked in. He saw and believed. What did he see?

Mass Readings from April 17, 2022:
Acts 10:34, 37-43
Psalms 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Colossians 3:1-4

04/15/22 The Crown of Thorns

Ascension — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 19:00:00 -0500

Homily from Good Friday of the Lord's Passion.

The heart of envy.

The crown of thorns reveals the darkness of the human heart. This darkness is in each one of us in the form of envy.

Mass Readings from April 15, 2022:
Isaiah 52:13—53:12
Psalms 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-17, 25
Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

04/14/22 Last Words: The Final Last Word

Ascension — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 22:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper.

All of Jesus’ words are summed up in one word.

On the cross, Jesus’ life ends with the same perspective He has had from the beginning: He trusts His Father.

Mass Readings from April 14, 2022:
Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
Psalms 116:12-13, 15-18
1 Corinthians 11:23-26

04/10/22 Last Words: Tetelestai

Ascension — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 17:45:00 -0500

Homily from Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion.

This one word connects and transforms the entire story.

There is a last word that does not merely disclose the Heart...it completes The Story.

Mass Readings from April 10, 2022:
Isaiah 50:4-7
Psalms 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24
Philippians 2:6-11

04/03/22 Last Words: Use This.

Ascension — Sun, 03 Apr 2022 22:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Lent.

Some last words have the power to define a person's life.

From the Cross, Jesus utters His last words. He thirsts for us to allow Him to forgive us.

Mass Readings from April 3, 2022:
Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalms 126:1-6
Philippians 3:8-14

03/27/22 Last Words: The Central Last Word

Ascension — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 12:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

This central Last Word of Jesus from the Cross is possibly the most important. He not only expresses the depths to which He enters into the consequences of sin, but the depth of His trust in the Father and the power of His sacrifice.

Mass Readings from March 27, 2022:
Joshua 5:9, 10-12
Psalms 34:2-7
2 Corinthians 5:17-21

03/13/22 Last Words: The Missing Last Word

Ascension — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 10:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Second Sunday of Lent.

Both men were loved. They weren't both saved.

The second Last Word of Jesus from the Cross is missing something. Jesus has begged for mercy for all...including the two criminals who were crucified with Him. But they did not both receive mercy. One received mercy and one rejected mercy.

Mass Readings from March 13, 2022:
Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18
Psalms 27:1, 7-9, 13-14
Philippians 3:17—4:1

03/06/22 Last Words: The First Last Words

Ascension — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 11:00:00 -0600

Homily from the First Sunday of Lent.

Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.

The first last words of Jesus reveal not just what, but Who was on His mind in the last moments of His life.

Mass Readings from March 06, 2022:
Deuteronomy 26:4-10
Psalms 91:1-2, 10-15
Romans 10:8-13

02/06/22 Nothing to Fear: Inadequacy

Ascension — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 15:15:00 -0600

Homily from the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The fear of being inadequate is the fear that I won't be able to rise to the challenge.

Fear is a gift. It is meant to keep us alive. But it can also keep us from living. There are two sources of fear are our biology and the stories we tell ourselves. We may not be able to change our biology, but we can change the stories we tell.

Mass Readings from February 6, 2022:
Isaiah 6:1-8
Psalm 138:1-5, 7-8
1 Corinthians 15:1-11

01/16/22 Jesus Changes Things

Ascension — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 17:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Jesus changes shame into joy.

There are certain things, certain failures, embarrassments, and shames, that could define our lives. There are certain events that could define our lives in a negative way unless something changes. Jesus can change those things.

Mass Readings from January 16, 2022:
Isaiah 62:1-5
Psalms 96:1-3, 7-10
1 Corinthians 12:4-11

01/09/22 Children of the Father

Ascension — Sun, 09 Jan 2022 14:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Baptism of the Lord.

Jesus changed the water. Now the water changes you.

Why was Jesus baptized? Not because He needed it, but because we need it. We need baptism to be saved, to be children of God, and to be in a new and real relationship with God.

Mass Readings from January 9, 2022:
Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7
Psalms 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10
Acts 10:34-38

11/28/21 Abounding Love: No Room

Ascension — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 21:00:00 -0600

Homily from the First Sunday of Advent.

Two things are clear about the inn at Bethlehem: Love Incarnate showed up and there was no room for Him.

Too often, we want to love the way we have been created to love. But we find ourselves incapable of loving this way. Not because we aren't willing or because we don't want to...but because our lives are simply too full. We have no room to love.

Mass Readings from November 28th, 2021:
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalms 25:4-5, 8-10, 14
1 Thessalonians 3:12—4:2

10/10/21 Holding On: Holding On to You

Ascension — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 15:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

What you've been holding on to ends up holding on to you.

Anything can keep us from Heaven. Anything that we prefer over and over (and anything that we defer putting down over and over) can end up holding on to us. There are times when we've chosen so often that we no longer have a choice. And there are times when we have put off letting go so often that we can't put it down. And we find ourselves stuck. What do we hold on to then?

Mass Readings from October 10th, 2021:
Wisdom 7:7-11
Psalms 90:12-17
Hebrews 4:12-13

09/12/21 Not Mine

Ascension — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 16:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Faith must be lived, not merely believed.

It is wise to take responsibility for one’s own time, resources, and family. And yet, we must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. This demands faith. Real faith is more than belief, but involves renunciation of any claim we might have on our lives in favor of the absolute claim Jesus has on every aspect of our lives.

Mass Readings from September 12, 2021:
Isaiah 50:5-9
Psalms 116:1-6, 8-9
James 2:14-18

09/05/21 Seen. Known. Loved.

Ascension — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 14:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Transition always involves destruction.

Jesus heals the man who was deaf and mute. In doing this, He was destroying something in the man’s life…his identity. Jesus has to take away the false identity in order to tell us who we truly are.

Mass Readings from September 5, 2021:
Isaiah 35:4-7
Psalms 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
James 2:1-5

07/11/21 Chosen and Consecrated

Ascension — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

You are wanted and set apart.

You are special. We’ve heard that for so much of our lives that we’ve either grown numb to it or no longer believe it. But what if it is true?

Mass Readings from July 11, 2021:
Amos 7:12-15
Psalms 85:9-14
Ephesians 1:3-14

06/27/21 Everyday Courage: Plan B

Ascension — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 14:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Love requires risk. Risk requires courage.

Many of us make plans. And many of those plans don’t end up working out the way that we had expected. Fortunately, God calls us to be courageous even when things don’t work out as we had expected.

Mass Readings from June 27, 2021:
Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24
Psalms 30:2, 4-6, 11, 12, 13
2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15

06/20/21 Everyday Courage: Into the Storm

Ascension — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 17:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

God is in the storm.

There are times when we do everything God has asked us to do…and we still find ourselves in the midst of a storm. In those moments, we are called to resist resentment and embrace courage. In those moments, we are called to run into the storm, confident that God is in the storm.

Mass Readings from June 20, 2021:
Ezekiel 17:22-24
Psalms 92:2-3, 13-16
2 Corinthians 5:6-10

05/02/21 Love Limits You

Ascension — Mon, 03 May 2021 12:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Easter.

Practice making the promise.

We find ourselves always moving and never done. We have so many options that we experience decision paralysis and subsequent decision dissatisfaction. But we are made for a full life. A full life is only possible when we intentionally limit ourselves by making the decision to love this person or to root ourselves in this place. Ultimately, unless we truly decide to remain in Christ, we will never experience the life we have been made for.

Mass Readings from May 2, 2021:
Acts 4:8-12
Psalms 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29
1 John 3:1-2

04/25/21 Inclusive Love/Exclusive Claim

Ascension — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 16:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Easter.

Inclusive means neither passive nor permissive.

To be included is an incredible gift. To be inclusive is powerful. It means more than being “welcome”, it means being radically open and desperately fighting to bring people in. The Church is as inclusive as God’s love. And yet, Jesus is also exclusive in His claim. Jesus has made an exclusive claim about Himself. And if this is true, Jesus has an exclusive claim on us.

Mass Readings from April 25, 2021:
Acts 4:8-12
Psalms 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29
1 John 3:1-2

04/18/21 To Be A Witness

Ascension — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Third Sunday of Easter.

It is possible to see the miracle and to not be a witness.

It is possible to encounter God and go back to the same life. It is possible to live as if the miracle had never happened. It is possible to say "I believe" and not be a witness. But it is also possible to not see a miracle and still bear witness to Christ by how we live, what we choose, and what we love.

Mass Readings from April 18, 2021:
Acts 3:13-15, 17-19
Psalms 4:2, 4, 7-9
1 John 2:1-5

04/11/21 Scar Stories

Ascension — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 15:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Sunday of Divine Mercy.

Every scar has a story.

Virtually everyone has scars. And every scar has a story. Scars are reminders of our past...they are reminders that won’t go away. And Jesus has kept His wounds in order to help us to never forget His story.

Mass Readings from April 11, 2021:
Acts 4:32-35
1 John 5:1-6
Colossians 3:1-4

04/02/21 Gallicantu

Ascension — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 20:00:00 -0500

Homily from Good Friday of the Lord's Passion.

Peter expected to fight in the Garden, not in the courtyard.

Peter told Jesus that he would die for Him. And he meant it. He just wasn’t ready at the right time.

Mass Readings from April 2, 2021:
Isaiah 52:13—53:12
Psalms 116:12-13, 15-18
Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

04/01/21 Context Matters

Ascension — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 02:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper.

On the night He was betrayed…He gave.

Everything in the Bible leads to the moment of the Last Supper…and leads to every time we are at the Mass.

Mass Readings from April 1, 2021:
Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
Psalms 116:12-13, 15-18
1 Corinthians 11:23-26

03/28/21 The Truth and the Choice

Ascension — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 18:00:00 -0500

Homily from Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion.

Christianity doesn’t offer comfort. It offers something else.

In our culture today, we are able to avoid thinking of death. But death is the inevitable reality of living. Still, the fact that we will all die is not the problem. The problem is that we pretend that we won’t.

Mass Readings from March 28, 2021:
Isaiah 50:4-7
Psalms 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24
Phillipians 2:6-11

03/21/21 To The Heart: Vulnerable and Able

Ascension — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 15:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Lent.

A heart that is too soft has to be protected. A heart that is too tough can’t be touched.

What good is it to have a heart that can be hurt by this world? Many choose to numb themselves rather than feel the pain of life. But becoming numb leaves us with a heart that is unable. Unable to feel pain but also unable to feel joy. As Christians, we are called to have a heart like the heart of Jesus: vulnerable and able.

Mass Readings from March 21, 2021:
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalms 51:3-4, 12-15
Hebrews 5:7-9

02/28/21 To The Heart: The Adventure of Obedience

Ascension — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 18:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Second Sunday of Lent.

Obedience precedes understanding.

We are made for adventure. But adventure means mystery and uncertainty. Often, what holds us back from action is a lack of knowing why. But what if there is a better question than “why?”? What if the adventure of obedience means asking “how?”?

Mass Readings from February 28, 2021:
Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18
Psalms 116:10, 15-17, 18-19
Romans 8:31-34

02/14/21 Hindsight 20/20: The Cost

Ascension — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 09:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Every choice comes at a cost.

Looking back, there are some things we could have known. And looking back, there are some things we could never have known. But one thing is unfailingly true when seen through hindsight: every decision comes at a price and every choice has a cost. Making the decision is risky, but there are things that are more important than staying safe.

Mass Readings from February 14, 2021:
Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46
Psalms 32:1-2, 5, 11
1 Corinthians 10:31—11:1

02/07/21 Hindsight 20/20: In Good Times and In Bad

Ascension — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 17:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Good times don’t last…and neither do bad times.

One of the many things that life teaches us is that life is always changing. To grow is to change. There are times that are good and there are times that are bad. All of us go through good times and bad times and neither of them are permanent. In both good times and bad, Jesus is Lord and He loves the person in a desperate situation and the person in a bright situation.

Mass Readings from February 07, 2021:
Job 7:1-4, 6-7
Psalms 147:1-6
1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23

01/10/21 You Are My Son

Ascension — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 09:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Baptism of the Lord.

At the Incarnation, God joined His divinity to humanity...at the Baptism of Jesus, God identifies with our brokenness.

What difference does the Baptism of Jesus make? It means that God doesn't stay away from our sins, but that He takes them upon Himself.

Mass Readings from January 10, 2021:
Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
Psalms 29:1-4, 9-10
Acts 10:34-38

12/27/20 Holy Families

Ascension — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 16:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Mass of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

Parents are not powerless.

It can be so easy for parents to feel powerless when it comes to passing on the faith to their families. But there are four powerful tools every parent can employ to help their families become holy families.

Mass Readings from December 27, 2020:
Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
Psalms 128:1-5
1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20

12/25/20 Taken

Ascension — Fri, 25 Dec 2020 09:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Mass of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas).

Why is He there?

We have become more comfortable with the "completed" past than the unknown future. Rather than desiring to launch into the challenge of the future, many of us have become paralyzed by fear of the future. When we are rooted in the Word of God each day, we become more rooted in God Himself each day. When we are rooted in the Lord, there is no room for fear of the future.

Mass Readings from December 25, 2020:
Isaiah 52:7-10
Psalm 98:1-6
Hebrews 1:1-6

12/06/20 Legacy

Ascension — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 17:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Second Sunday of Advent.

We can’t go back to the beginning of the story, but we can start where we are and change the ending.

Saint Peter reveals that the Day is coming when The Story will have been written. On that day, everything will be revealed and we will know God’s hidden role in every moment of The Story…and we will know the truth and consequences of our roles in The Story. We will know our legacy.

Mass Readings from December 6, 2020:
Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11
Psalms 85:9-12, 13-14
2 Peter 3:8-14

11/29/20 Be Here

Ascension — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 14:00:00 -0600

Homily from the First Sunday of Advent.

God will not just get us through this moment…He has brought us to this moment.

Too often, we find ourselves just wanting this moment to be “done." We miss out on the miracle of the moment because we see what is happening as something that is getting in the way of life. But this is life. There is not another one we are waiting for. We need to learn to trust that God is not just going to help us get through this moment, but that He has brought us to this moment.

Mass Readings from November 29, 2020:
Isaiah 63:16-17, 19; 64:2-7
Psalms 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19
1 Corinthians 1:3-9

11/22/20 Roadmap: Expect Delays

Ascension — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 14:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Solemnity of Christ the King.

What you do with the delay makes all the difference.

We have a destination: to be who we are and to be that well. We have a Roadmap and a Rule of Life. What remains is one last question: Is there any room in your Rule for the Ruler?

Mass Readings from November 22, 2020:
Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17
Psalms 23:1-3, 5-6
1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28

11/08/20 Roadmap: Accident or Excellent

Ascension — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 15:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Excellence requires making the decision carefully, consistently, and quickly.

The one question that can either deflate or motivate a person is “When?” This question reveals whether our goal is an actual goal or merely a wish. But if we want to escape a life of accidents and craft a life of excellence, we need to make the decision of “when” are we going to choose excellence carefully, consistently, and quickly.

Mass Readings from November 8, 2020:
Wisdom 6:12-16
Psalms 63:2-8
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

10/18/20 Roadmap: Be A Saint

Ascension — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 22:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The roadmap begins with “Who.”

There is one true goal in life: to be a saint. Many of us believe this, but is there a path? Without a plan, we will certainly fail to hit the goal. Without a roadmap, we will spend our time on this planet wandering as if we neither know where we are or where we are going.

Mass Readings from October 18, 2020:
Isaiah 45:1, 4-6
Psalms 96:1, 3-5, 7-10
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5

09/20/20 How Do I Look? Highlighter

Ascension — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 12:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

It doesn’t matter how long you live. What matters is how you live.

Our lives will magnify (or highlight) something. Will they be so full of nice things that they will miss the most excellent things? Or will we be wise so that, no matter the outcome, Christ will be highlighted?

Mass Readings from September 20, 2020:
Isaiah 55:6-9
Psalms 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18
Philippians 1:20-24, 27

09/13/20 How Do I Look? The Cost of Forgiveness

Ascension — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 16:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

There is no forgiveness without justice.

Forgiveness is neither excusing nor enabling evil. There is always a debt that needs to be paid…and somebody needs to pay it.

Mass Readings from September 13, 2020:
Sirach 27:30—28:7
Psalms 103:1-4, 9-12
Romans 14:7-9

08/30/20 How Do I Look? "Lucky"

Ascension — Mon, 31 Aug 2020 15:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Am I being conformed or transformed?

Christians must not only live differently in the world, we must look differently at the world.

Mass Readings from August 30, 2020:
Jeremiah 20:7-9
Psalms 63:2-6, 8-9
Romans 12:1-2

08/23/20 Influencer

Ascension — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 13:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The Church has influence even when it isn’t considered important.

We can often confuse influence with importance; authority with power. But the Church has been given the very influence and authority of Jesus Christ. Even when the world does not listen to the voice of the Church, She still has the influence and authority of Jesus.

Mass Readings from August 23, 2020:
Isaiah 22:19-23
Psalms 138:1-3, 6, 8
Romans 11:33-36

08/09/20 Why Did You Stop?

Ascension — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 17:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

It is one thing to start walking. It is another thing to keep walking.

Distraction is anything that takes our focus away from where it needs to be.

Mass Readings from August 9, 2020:
1 Kings 19:9, 11-13
Psalms 85:9-12, 13-14
Romans 9:1-5

06/28/20 Something to Lose

Ascension — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 18:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

It is a gift to have something to lose.

Every good thing in our lives comes from Jesus. Since He is the source of everything, He must be more important than anything.

Mass Readings from June 28, 2020:
2 Kings 4:8-11,14-16
Psalms 89:2-3,16-19
Romans 6:3-4, 8-11

06/21/20 Fear No One

Ascension — Sun, 21 Jun 2020 15:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

You matter to God and you have a job to do.

Jesus tells us to "fear no one." Not because there is no danger, but because He is calling us to not be safe.

Mass Readings from June 21, 2020:
Jeremiah 20:10-13
Psalms 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35
Romans 5:12-15

06/14/20 No Longer Optional

Ascension — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 19:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ.

The Eucharist will never be optional...until the day it is no longer an option.

The moment worship becomes about “what I get” it ceases to be an act of love and becomes idolatry.

Mass Readings from June 14, 2020:
Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16
Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20
1 Corinthians 10:16-17

06/07/20 In His Image and Likeness

Ascension — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 23:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.

You do not have to know the details of a person’s life to know they are worth loving.

Human worth is rooted in our deepest identity. And our deepest identity comes from being made in God’s image and likeness. And God’s deepest identity is love.

Mass Readings from June 7, 2020:
Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9
Daniel 3:52-56
2 Corinthians 13:11-13

05/31/20 Exiles: The First Gift

Ascension — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 23:00:00 -0500

Homily from Pentecost Sunday.

For the love of God has been poured into our hearts.

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit so that we could receive the first gift of the Holy Spirit: to know what it is to be loved by the Father.

Mass Readings from May 31, 2020:
Acts 2:1-11
Psalms 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34
1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13

05/17/20 Exiles: Why Go Back?

Ascension — Mon, 18 May 2020 06:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Sixth Sunday of Easter.

Not a habit or a have-to, but the heart is the reason.

At some point, the exile will end. You will be able to go back. But why? What is the reason why you will go back?

Mass Readings from May 17, 2020:
Acts 8:5-8, 14-17
Psalms 66:1-3, 4-7, 16, 20
1 Peter 3:15-18

04/26/20 Insecure: Not Home

Ascension — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 17:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Third Sunday of Easter.

Back to normal might not be what we think.

Our lives can be spent wishing for certain outcomes. But a security built on specific outcomes is a conditional and temporary security. We need true hope to walk in confidence.

Mass Readings from April 26, 2020:
Acts 2:14, 22-33
Psalms 16:1-2, 5, 7-11
1 Peter 1:17-21

04/19/20 Insecure: The Source of Security

Ascension — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 01:00:00 -0500

Homily from Divine Mercy Sunday.

In a time of incredible insecurity, we trust in incomprehensible mercy.

We live in an insecure world, but God’s mercy is stable.

Mass Readings from April 19, 2020:
Acts 2:42-47
Psalms 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24
1 Peter 1:3-9

04/10/20 Prepared But Not Ready

Ascension — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 19:00:00 -0500

Homily from Good Friday of the Lord's Passion.

Why are we surprised when we discover that “weakness” is actually weak?

Jesus prepared His disciples for His Passion. But they were not ready, because they had not factored in their own weakness. But Jesus had factored it in. It was, in fact, why He entered His Passion.

Mass Readings from April 10, 2020:
Isaiah 52:13—53:12
Psalms 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-17, 25
Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

04/09/20 Re-Claimed and Re-Named

Ascension — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 22:00:00 -0500

Homily from Holy Thursday, the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper.

God speaks your true name: "Mine."

Our name is our identity. Christ has covered our given name with His blood. And now we have a new name: we are “His.”

Mass Readings from April 9, 2020:
Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
Psalms 116:12-13, 15-18
1 Corinthians 11:23-26

04/05/20 Un-Done: Unfinished

Ascension — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 16:00:00 -0500

Homily from Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion.

Jesus has not removed suffering from our lives, He has redeemed the suffering in our lives.

Jesus accomplished the Father’s will in His passion, death, and resurrection. His mission of salvation is “finished.” And yet, Christ’s Body on earth still lives out the mission of Her Head: we are called to unite our sufferings to His for the salvation of the world. And this work — the work He has entrusted to us — remains unfinished.

Mass Readings from April 5, 2020:
Isaiah 50:4-7
Psalms 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
Philippians 2:6-11

03/01/20 Un-Done: We've Come Undone

Ascension — Sun, 01 Mar 2020 10:00:00 -0600

Homily from the First Sunday of Lent.

The decision that broke the world.

This world is not perfect. And we are not perfect. But imperfect does not mean unloved.

Mass Readings from March 1, 2020:
Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
Psalms 51:3-6, 12-13, 17
Romans 5:12-19

02/26/20 He Sees. He Cares.

Ascension — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 10:00:00 -0600

Homily from Ash Wednesday.

Your Father sees you. Your Father hears you.

We all desire to be heard and seen...to know we matter. Jesus reveals that even your actions in secret are known by the Father and they matter to Him.

Mass Readings from February 26, 2020:
Joel 2:12-18
Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-14, 17
2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2

01/19/20 Underestimated: Single Unifying Principle

Ascension — Mon, 20 Jan 2020 09:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The single unifying principle unites all of the various threads of our life into one whole image.

It is “too little” to remain who you are instead of becoming who God needs you to be.

Mass Readings from January 19, 2020:
Isaiah 49:3, 5-6
Psalms 40:2, 4, 7-10
1 Corinthians 1:1-3

12/25/19 One Star

Ascension — Wed, 25 Dec 2019 09:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Nativity of the Lord.

God will always fulfill His promises. Is that enough?

We know that God is faithful because He has fulfilled what He has promised. But He does not need to do what He has not promised to do.

Mass Readings from December 25, 2019:
Isaiah 52:7-10
Psalms 98:1-6
Hebrews 1:1-6

12/01/19 Before Goodbye

Ascension — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 08:00:00 -0600

Homily from the First Sunday of Advent.

We do not know when, but we do know what.

Goodbyes can be painful. But what makes goodbyes even more painful is when we are not ready for the leaving or letting go. The goodness of the goodbye comes down to what we do with the time before goodbye.

Mass Readings from December 1, 2019:
Isaiah 4:2-6
Psalms 122:1-9
Romans 13:11-14

11/24/19 A King Who Remembers

Ascension — Sun, 24 Nov 2019 08:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

Jesus loves you and He hasn’t forgotten you.

It is easy to feel forgotten and forsaken…even by God. But God notices, loves, and remembers you.

Mass Readings from November 24, 2019:
2 Samuel 5:1-3
Psalms 122:1-5
Colossians 1:12-20

10/06/19 Are You Saved? From What: Lovelessness

Ascension — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time.

How do you know God loves you? How do you know you are saved? Answer: the sacraments.

The saving work of Jesus was accomplished in His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. The saving work of Jesus meets our lives and transforms them through the tangible gifts of His love: the sacraments.

Mass Readings from October 6, 2019:
Habbakuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4
Psalms 95:1-2, 6-9
2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

09/22/19 Are You Saved? From What: Hopelessness

Ascension — Sun, 22 Sep 2019 08:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Jesus took from us what was ours so He could give to us what is His.

When we come face to face with our sin, we realize that we owe a debt we cannot pay. When we come face to face with Jesus, we realize that He paid a debt He did not owe. This is the free gift that saves us from hopelessness: we are saved by grace through faith working itself out in love.

Mass Readings from September 22, 2019:
Amos 8:4-7
Psalms 113:1-2, 4-8
1 Timothy 2:1-8

09/15/19 Are You Saved? From What: Fatherlessness

Ascension — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 08:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Jesus saves us from being orphaned or abandoned.

I was saved at my Baptism. I am being saved. I hope to be saved. The Father has adopted us in Christ. And He cannot take it back. But do we live as children of the Father?

Mass Readings from September 15, 2019:
Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14
Psalms 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19
1 Timothy 1:12-17

08/11/19 Living By Faith

Ascension — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 08:00:00 -0500

Homily from the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

A disciple is a decision-maker.

Faith is more than belief. It “acts”. It can be seen. In fact, what we choose reveals our faith. And our decisions shape our lives, here on earth and in eternity.

Mass Readings from August 11, 2019:
Wisdom 18:6-9
Psalms 33:1, 12, 18-19, 20-22
Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19

04/28/19 #Fail: Free to Fail

Ascension — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 08:00:00 -0500

Homily from Divine Mercy Sunday.

Failure is the one necessary prerequisite for God’s greatest gift.

Many people battle with perfectionism. God’s mercy in the midst of failure is His remedy for the fear that failure is the end.

Mass Readings from April 28, 2019:
Acts 5:12-16
Psalms 118:2-4, 13-15, 22
Revelation 1:9-11, 12-13, 17-19

04/14/19 Behind Enemy Lines: Stand

Ascension — Sun, 14 Apr 2019 08:00:00 -0500

Homily from Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion.

To stand for Jesus is to stand against the world.

If I live in such a way that I merely follow the crowd, I will find myself praising Jesus on Sunday and crying out for His Crucifixion on Friday. This world is a “not friend“ of the Christian. Therefore, we must stand against the world and for Jesus.

Mass Readings from April 14, 2019:
Isaiah 50:4-7
Psalms 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24
Philippians 2:6-11

03/06/19 Behind Enemy Lines: Isolated and Disoriented

Ascension — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 08:00:00 -0600

Homily from Ash Wednesday.

You are in a fight; what comes next?

For many of us, our default assumption about life is: it’s fine. Even when things are obviously broken, we can pretend that they will “fix themselves.” But Lent reminds us that we are in a battle that won’t be won unless we are ready to engage the enemy who will attack us like our Lord was attacked in the wilderness...behind enemy lines.

Mass Readings from March 6, 2019:
Joel 2:12-18
Psalms 51:3-6, 12-14
Corinthians 5:20—6:2

01/27/19 Disqualified: Prevented or Prepared?

Ascension — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 07:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

What great work may God be preparing you for right now?

In Christ, your past might not be the thing that prevent you from being a part of God’s great work… It might be the thing that has prepared you.

Mass Readings from January 27, 2019:
Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10
Psalms 19:8, 9, 10, 15
1 Corinthians 12:12-30

01/20/19 Insufficient and Insignificant

Ascension — Mon, 21 Jan 2019 07:00:00 -0600

Homily from the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

God uses what we have and gives us what we need.

It is often very tempting to forget the heart of God. To forget that He notices us, delights in us, and rejoices in us. When the focus shifts from His love to our insufficiency and feelings of insignificance, He reminds us of the truth.

Mass Readings from January 20, 2019:
Isaiah 62:1-5
Psalms 96:1-3, 7-10
1 Corinthians 12:4-11

12/25/18 But Why?

Ascension — Tue, 25 Dec 2018 07:30:00 -0600

Homily from the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas).

The Why is a Who.

Jesus is not merely the “reason for the season”… He is the reason for everything.

Mass Readings from December 25, 2018:
Isaiah 62:11-12
Psalms 97:1, 6, 11-12
Titus 3:4-7