Fr. Brendan McGuire - Podcasts that Break open the Word of God

This week's Gospel describes how Jesus climbs into Peter's boat and just sits down and says, “Pull out a little bit from shore.” How incredibly intimate that must have been. Here he was preaching to thousands of people on the shore and Jesus chose his boat and sat down right next to him. (Read more…)

Here is the my homily for the Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time. This was the second week of our Annual Diocesan Appeal and pledge weekend. Please feel free to share it with others.

We are all called to follow Jesus but unless we move in close, we are not really going to be able to fully follow him; because from a distance what Jesus says and asks us to do is crazy. (Read more…)

What can we do as we celebrate Christian Unity Week? We can certainly pray for those who are not part of our own Christian circle but are part of the wider Christian circle. We can look for the weak and the broken in our own community. And seek to serve them so that we can be that Body of Christ that God calls us to be today and every day. (Read more…)

When Mary says to the servers: “Do whatever he tells you.” She is saying that to us. “Do whatever the Lord tells us to do.” Use your gifts for the greater good of the community and today, let our joy increase because it is abundant. (Read more…) 

Let’s cooperate with God’s grace and become what we receive. Let us become the gentler and the kinder version of ourselves because the Divinization process lasts a lifetime and today, we can recommit to what we committed on our Baptism day and that is what the Baptism of the Lord promises today and every day.

Here is the my homily for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. This feast marks the end of the Christmas Season for the church and now we enter back into Ordinary time until Lent. Let's start something new. (Read more…)

My mother taught me that the real Christmas message was about the hidden face of Christ in others and that when Christ became one of us, he did not come in the grandeur of a palace as some first-born king. (Read more…)

Mary and Elizabeth give us a great example to follow. They hold on. They hold on to faith. They hold on to believing. When they do not understand, they hold on. And what do they hold onto? They hold onto hope; that they know there will be something here . I will do the Lord’s Will even though I do not understand it. (Read more…)

Sometimes the beauty of a moment or of something we are looking at or experiencing, forces us to pause and sort of take it in. The beauty is at another level. It is not on the surface. It is beneath the surface. One has to work a little harder to experience the beauty not just see the beauty. (Read more…)

Thank you again for the incredible outpouring of love and support these past few weeks. While it was hard to preside at my brother Paul’s funeral, I was grateful to so many of you for your prayers for strength . It was a a beautiful Funeral Mass and Celebration of Paul’s life.

God is the destination. Jesus is the way. As long as we keep on asking what would Jesus have us do, and keep choosing Jesus then that will keep us on the right road. That is the main highway. Jesus is the highway. As long as we choose Jesus, we keep on choosing the right road. That is what this whole Advent time is all about. Here is the my homily from this past weekend. Please feel free to share it with others. (Read more…)

My bother Paul McGuire’s funeral will be held on Sunday, December 12, 2021 at 3PM at Holy Spirit Church (1200 Redmond Avenue, San Jose CA 95120). The Mass will be livestreamed and can be viewed at: https://holyspiritchurch.org/live-stream-mass/

To family and friends in Ireland, we will be holding a Memorial Mass at Holy Redeemer Church in Bray, Co. Wicklow on January 3, 2022 at 11AM. Brendan will preside over the Mass and Maria, Daniella, Dominic, and Sean will be present. 

Many have asked about donations in Paul’s name to his favorite organizations. As many of you know he had a very special connection to Amigos for Christ in Nicaragua where he spent many summers (with our entire family in tow) working side by side with the Nicaraguan families building schools, digging trenches and constructing clean water systems. He also led the Amigos Gifts of Opportunity Christmas fundraising campaigns at Holy Spirit raising hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years, which made a difference in the lives of countless Nicaraguan families. If you would like to make a memorial gift in honor of Paul, please visit www.amigosforchrist.org/paul.

Thank you for the incredible outpouring of love and support these past few days. 

Let’s focus on the presence and the grace of God here and now. So be vigilant at all times but to what? To God’s grace. To God’s beauty right here, right now in the midst of all of this. God is among us here. Let’s notice with wonder and look with fresh eyes and celebrate the gift of God’s presence today. Here is the my homily from this past weekend. Please feel free to share it with others. (Read more…)

I am sorry that is is later than usual but it is with a heavy heart that I share with you that my brother and best friend, Paul peacefully passed away on Tuesday, November 30 at 3:40 p.m. in the afternoon at Stanford Hospital surrounded by his wife, Maria, his children Daniella, Dominic, & Sean, and myself. He fought as hard as anyone could have but this cruel type of pancreatic cancer was relentless and he endured incredible levels of pain and suffering over the past 6 1/2 months since diagnosis. We are all devastated and heartbroken over the loss of an amazing father; husband, brother, uncle, brother-in law, son-in-law, friend and co-worker that made each of our lives better in some impactful way. We pray for all who are mourning his passing and hope we can all support each other together during this unimaginable and painful time.

In addition to this loss, my Spiritual Director and close friend, Fr. Dave Ayotte also died on Monday night following a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Funeral arrangements for Paul have yet to be determined but will take place at Holy Spirit Church in San Jose. More information will be provided as it is known. Thank you for all your love and support.

Please pray for my family and me.