This talk originally meant to be a homily for the first Sunday of Lent morphed rather into a reflection talk on the spiritual purpose of Lent itself.  So it's a little longish for a homily, but I hope just about right for a Lenten talk.  (Given at St. Francis in  Derwood on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021)

Happy Valentine's Day one and all!!!! Today is the day for lovers; and all true disciples of Jesus should be passionately committed to HIS one repeated command: "Love one another!" I preached this homily on Valentine's Day 2021 at the home of our 20 Capuchin friars living at Capuchin College. May we all know that we are God's Valentine, and HE longs to send us forth to be Valentine's for one another.

Dr Martin Luther King Jr is rightly celebrated as a national hero and champion of justice and peace, but we should always remember that Dr King’s greatest desire, his deepest dream was to be a humble servant of Our Lord Jesus. In light of his Christian witness, this homily considers how we might walk in the LIGHT of CHRIST by simply listening, committing and trusting. (Preached at St Francis, Derwood— 1/17/21)

St. Paul uses the most disturbing little adverb when commanding disciples of Jesus to rejoice; he tells us to rejoice ALWAYS!  Come on...even now, even this year--2020?  This homily considers how we might embrace St. Paul's adverb "always" by remembering to turn to MGM:  Mary....Gratitude....Mission.  (Preached 12/13/20 at 8 am mass, St. Augustine's)

I love the invention of the GPS!  Wow, with GPS on our devices we really never have to be geographically lost again.  But the even better news is that Christ wants to be our Spiritual GPS.  HE wants to direct our path at every turn; the prophet Isaiah  says it: "His voice shall sound in your ears:  “This is the way; walk in it.”   Are we listening to HIS voice?  Are we attuned to HIS GPS?  (This brief homily was preached at our Capuchin College chapel; so its immediate application is for our Capuchin friars, but I think it has broader applications too--Saturday, December 5, 2020). 

The first Sunday of Advent always begins with a wake-up call that we might actually see the coming of Christ even now.  This joyful wake-up call can liberate us from the "nightmares" that can keep our hearts captive in various forms of darkness.  This homily explores both those nightmares and how Christ comes to WAKE US UP!  (Preached at St. Francis of Assisi, Derwood on Nov. 29, 2020)  There is a longer conference on this same topic at my at my YouTube channel

The Feast of All Saints gives us a yearly chance to celebrate our goal, our mission, our purpose in life: to become as as they are--Citizens of God's Eternal Day.  As St. Bernard himself said, "Let us long for those who are longing for us."  But the saint are also our greatest cheerleaders--rousing on in this great stadium called life.  If we listen carefully, we can hear their three cheers:  "STEP IT UP and struggle, smile and SURRENDER."  (Preached at St. Augustine's on November 1, 2020)

We all know that the GREATEST commandment is LOVE. But What is LOVE? Why is it so hard? How can we live better???

St. Francis of Assisi is known as the SAINT of PEACE; he even made peace with a notorious wolf of Gubbio.  Today we absolutely need St. Francis again to make peace with the wolves that are still on the prowl: The wolf of Division, the wolf of Anger/Resentment, the wolf of Fear.  (Preached at St. Francis of Assisi, in Derwood, MD--Oct. 4, 2020)

Many folks claim to hear God's voice. But how do we know it's God speaking and not just our EGO disguised in Divine clothing?  (Preached on August 30, 2020 at St. Augustine's 10 am mass)