Homily from the Sixth Sunday of Easter by Deacon Phil Harrington on May 26, 2019. St. Mary Catholic Church in Aspen, CO.

Homily from the Fifth Sunday of Easter by Fr. John Hilton on May 19, 2019. St. Mary Catholic Church in Aspen, CO.

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Easter by Fr. John Hilton. St. Mary Catholic Church in Aspen, CO.

Sermon by Bishop Jorge Rodriguez, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Denver. Given on the Fifth Sunday of Easter at the conclusion of the Encounter, an Aspen Catholic weekend event.

Sermon by Fr. John Hilton at the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. Sunday June 2nd, 2019 at St. Mary Catholic Church, Aspen CO.

Brothers and sisters, a life on mission fosters a life of hope. Using St. Patrick as an example, I'd like you to ask yourself this question: Are you a Christian on mission? Do you understand that your life is meant to be a life of witness for others? If not, then Christianity can become just a bunch of rules. It won't have a purpose. My friends, YOUR HOLINESS MATTERS. And here is how the Ascension of our Lord into heaven ties into all of this...

Lectionary Readings:

Acts 1:1-11

Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

Eph 1:17-23

Lk 24:46-53

Throughout this year’s Easter season, the Church has been taking us on a journey through three books of the bible: Acts, Revelation, and the Gospel of John. I haven’t preached yet on the Book of Revelation. The only time you will hear at the weekend Masses this progressive reading of Revelation, is during these 6 or 7 Sundays following Easter. And that happens only once every 3 years, because the Sunday Lectionary readings are on a 3-year cycle.

So, this is the final Sunday reading from Revelation we are going to hear until the Easter season of 2022! So let’s dive into this incredible, final book of the Bible in which the climax of biblical revelation begins. This is the point to which the entire story has been tending.

Lectionary Readings:

Acts 15:1-2, 22-29

Ps 67:2-3,5,6,8

Rev 21:10-14, 22-23

Jn 14:23-29

Today is my first-year anniversary as a priest. On this special day I reflect on the graces of the past year and give thanks to God for the gift of life and this incredible vocation I'm not worthy to receive. And in today's Gospel, Jesus reminds me and every baptized Christian what it truly looks like to be a disciple of Christ..."Love one another, as I have loved you."

Lectionary Readings:

Acts 14:21-27

Ps 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13

Rev 21:1-5a

Jn 13:31-33a, 34-35

Welcome to the last day in the Easter Sunday Octave. And it is also Divine Mercy Sunday. So what is Divine Mercy and this devotion we have to it as Catholics on this day? Here's a good definition: Mercy is a particular mode of love, and the highest form of love. That when love encounters suffering, it takes action to do something about it. Mercy is having pains in your heart for the pains of another, and taking pains to do something about their pain. And this is what God does for us. So my friends, what I think is so important is that Divine Mercy is not just about our devotion to God, but God’s devotion to us. And the place Jesus gave us to encounter his Divine Mercy brothers and sisters, is in the confessional...it awaits you there. So let's talk about this, and the amazing Sacrament of Reconciliation our Lord gave us through His Church, which originates from today's Gospel reading.

Lectionary Readings:

Acts 5:12-16

Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-2

Rev 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19

Jn 20:19-31

Brothers and sisters, Christ is RISEN!...He has truly RISEN! The Christian story is the greatest, most powerful, and beautiful story in history. Easter is the mysterious night when Jesus Christ conquered death. Sometime in that darkness between the Cross of Good Friday, and the light of Easter morning…Jesus Christ redeemed the world. And I think we will never really understand our redemption, until we know just how bad our situation was. The Christian story is a story of a good world gone bad…and then redeemed.

Lectionary Readings:

Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

Col 3:1-4

Jn 20:1-9