Fr. Brian Soliven Sermons

The Road to Emmaus story beautifully mirrors the Holy Mass, reminding us that Christ walks beside us even when we fail to recognize Him. Just as He opened the Scriptures to the disciples and their hearts burned within them, so too are our hearts stirred during the Liturgy of the Word. And as He revealed Himself in the breaking of the bread, we encounter His real presence in the Eucharist. The journey to Emmaus is not just a past event—it is the rhythm of every Mass, where the risen Christ meets us. 

Easter, at the heart of the Catholic faith, is not just a celebration of Jesus Christ rising from the dead—it is the proclamation that death no longer has the final word. For Catholics, this truth transforms everything. It means that the tomb is not the end. Suffering is not wasted. And love, poured out to the last breath, is not lost to silence. Easter is the victory of life over death, light over darkness, and hope over despair.

The Resurrection of Jesus is not a symbolic gesture or a myth passed down to comfort the grieving. It is the cornerstone of Christian belief: Jesus, fully human and fully divine, died a real death and rose in glory. Through His rising, He shattered the permanence of the grave. What once seemed unchangeable—death as the great ending—has now been revealed as a passage, a doorway into new and eternal life.

This changes the meaning of death for every believer. In Christ, Catholics believe that we too shall rise. The pain of loss remains real, but it is no longer hopeless. Grief is transformed by faith. Tears may still fall at the graveside, but they are lit with the quiet fire of Easter: the fire that whispers, *This is not the end.”For those who walk through darkness, for those standing at the edge of sorrow, Easter proclaims something bold and radical: Love has triumphed. Death has been defeated. Jesus’ Resurrection is the promise that no sin, no suffering, no grave can hold back the fullness of life that God desires for His children.

So when Catholics proclaim, “He lives!” they are not just remembering a moment in history—they are standing in a truth that reshapes all time. Because of Easter, the final say belongs not to death, but to life. And that life, in Christ, is eternal.

Jesus continues to carry His cross in our lives each day through the love, strength, and grace He offers in our struggles. Every time we face hardship with faith, forgive when it’s hard, or choose compassion over anger, we walk with Him. His journey wasn't just a moment in history—it’s a living reminder that even in pain, there is purpose, and even in the darkest hour, there is hope. He carries His cross in us when we choose to rise, keep going, and love deeply, no matter how heavy life feels.

 Jesus indicated that the betrayer was someone close—someone who had dipped his hand in the bowl with him. This moment revealed Jesus’ awareness of Judas Iscariot’s impending betrayal, fulfilling the Scriptures and setting the stage for his arrest and crucifixion.

How can God get us back? This is the ultimate question. If you were God, how would you win humanity back? Your biggest problem would be free will. You cannot force us to love God, otherwise, you remove our ability to choose. Love by its very definition needs to be a free choice.. Enter the genius and beauty of Holy Week. God’s rescue mission will be on full display in the most unexpected of ways. This Palm Sunday, the huge crowds will welcome Jesus as a conquering king. They think he will come like the same, tired, tyrants of human history that think power and military might means victory. That is why the people greet Jesus with the palm branches  as the ancient custom demands. “He will slaughter our enemies and rebuild the Jewish kingdom!” They thought wrongly. You see they wanted more wealth, pleasure, power, and honor. But Jesus is not here for that. He enters Jerusalem to conquer something much more precious – us. He will do it, not through the sword, but with his blood.. The same crowd that cheered Jesus with the Palm branches will suddenly take a darker, more sinister turn. Instead of “hosanna,” these same voices will now chant, “CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!” His death upon the glorious cross will be the greatest act of love humanity will ever encounter. My friends, get ready for Holy Week. 

Christianity is more radical than we ever imagined. We're not merely meant to be "nice" but new. Come tonight to our parish Bible Study to find out how. 

"Ready for Holy Week? Tonight at 6:30 PM at St. Mary's, twelve priests will be available to hear confessions. This is a wonderful opportunity to spiritually prepare as we approach the most significant week in Christianity.

The story of Lazarus’ resurrection in the Gospel of John is one of the most profound and stirring accounts in the Christian tradition. In John 11, Jesus calls forth Lazarus from the grave after he has been dead for four days, demonstrating His divine power over death and revealing the fullness of His identity as the Son of God. While the event itself is a miracle of unparalleled magnitude, the early Church Fathers, with their deep theological insight, also saw it as a powerful symbol of both spiritual renewal and the hope of eternal life.

The early Church Fathers, including Augustine and Chrysostom, viewed the raising of Lazarus as more than just a demonstration of Christ’s miraculous abilities. For them, it was a theological statement about the nature of Christ's power to overcome not just physical death, but spiritual death. Lazarus, they noted, was not merely revived in his body; he was called out from a tomb that symbolizes the grave of the human soul. Through this act, Jesus was showing that, just as He could restore life to a dead body, He also had the power to bring life to souls that were spiritually dead in sin.

St. Augustine, in his writings, emphasized that Lazarus' resurrection was a foreshadowing of the ultimate resurrection of all believers at the end of time. He saw in Lazarus' return to life a glimpse of the future hope Christians hold in the resurrection of the dead. As Augustine wrote in *Sermon 356*, “The raising of Lazarus is an image of our own resurrection. Just as Lazarus was called forth from the tomb by the voice of Christ, so too will the dead in Christ rise to eternal life through His voice at the end of time.”

Chrysostom, on the other hand, focused on the personal transformation implied in Lazarus’ story. He saw Lazarus as an archetype for all who are spiritually dead, whose hearts are hardened by sin and whose lives are bound by the graveclothes of worldly attachments. Lazarus' awakening from death, for Chrysostom, symbolized the Christian journey of repentance and conversion—when we hear Christ’s call, we are to cast off our burial cloths and step into the light of new life. The resurrection of Lazarus is, in this sense, not only a future promise but a present reality for every believer who encounters Christ in faith.

Through the eyes of the early Church Fathers, the raising of Lazarus becomes a story not only of physical resurrection but also of spiritual renewal, liberation, and hope. It is a call to all believers to heed the voice of Christ, who calls them out of the darkness of death and into the light of eternal life. It reminds us that Christ is the source of both physical and spiritual resurrection, and that through Him, death, whether physical or spiritual, can be overcome. In the raising of Lazarus, we see a clear and compelling invitation: to come out of our tombs, cast off the graveclothes of sin and despair, and embrace the life-giving power of Jesus Christ, who offers us both redemption and eternal life.

God’s love was most profoundly displayed on the cross, where Jesus, in His infinite compassion, took on the weight of humanity’s sins. Through His sacrifice, He demonstrated an unmerited, boundless love that surpasses all understanding. On the cross, God’s mercy and grace were made visible, offering redemption and eternal life to all who believe. It is in this act of selfless love that we witness the depth of God’s commitment to humanity, showing that nothing—neither sin, nor death—could separate us from His love.

The Old Testament prophets hold significant importance in both Jewish and Christian traditions. They were believed to be chosen by God to convey His messages, guiding the people of Israel with warnings, encouragement, and calls for repentance. Prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel not only foretold future events but also urged moral and spiritual renewal, emphasizing justice, mercy, and faithfulness to God. Their messages often addressed the social and political issues of their time, and many prophecies are seen as pointing toward the coming of a Messiah. Their writings continue to influence religious thought and teachings, shaping the understanding of God's will and the covenant between God and His people.