Patrick Freese, sacristan and administrator at Our Lady of Grace parish in Edina, Minnesota begins this Eucharistic episode with a reflection on the parish wide support for the families of neighboring Annunciation Parish following the horrific all school mass shooting. Patrick opens his reflection of Newman’s sermon “Gospel Feast” by appropriately noticing the tension found in God’s created world that is simultaneously fruitful and broken. This tension is answered by the Gospel feast in the innocent sacrifice of Christ. Both the Old and New Testaments prefigure this sacred meal as not only the sustenance of our present pilgrimage but a foretaste of the eternal banquet in heaven. Because the Eucharist is hidden in the supernatural it surpasses even the visible blessings of Isreal. Newman urges us to approach this sacrament of privilege not coldly or formally but with faith, awe and love since it is the merciful foretaste of everlasting joy. 

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

Fr. Scott Karl, vice rector of St. Paul Seminary in St Paul, Minnesota describes their innovative priestly formation program considering Newman’s seminary opening sermon, “The Infidelity of the Future.” Like Newman the seminary is focused on human and spiritual formation. For instance, most of the seminarian’s time is without cell phones so that they can focus on their encounter with The Lord, themselves and each other to grow in new ways in the freedom found in the life of The Holy Spirit. The seminary aims to form missionary disciples dealing with “the perils of the time.” Newman shows that infidelity to Truth is the primary peril of the time. The seminarian then must offer a clear, consistent idea of revealed truth which Newman states: cannot be found outside of the Church – “consistency and completeness are the persuasive argument for a system being true.” Healthy human development comes into being through relationship - where we discover our individual identity. Then as we grow, we come to determine our unique purpose in life. Newman helps us understand that our spiritual lives flourish when our identity flows from our relationship with God. There is great freedom in knowing that we are not alone. 

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

Dr. Zach Meckley, PhD, brings G. M. Hopkins’ insights into his discussion of Newman’s sermon, “Sincerity and Hypocrisy.” Dr. Meckley sets the tone by affirming that faith is not a suspension of reason, but rather its fulfillment. Hopkins, for instance, seeks to give nature its proper praise as a means of fully praising God—a recognition of God’s presence and an invitation to welcome Him into one’s heart.

Practicing the presence of God fosters single-mindedness: a purity of heart directed toward seeking God’s will. The Fall, as Dr. Meckley notes, reveals man’s unwillingness—Adam’s disordered desire leads him to hide from God, an act that itself becomes a rejection of God’s presence. By contrast, single-mindedness demonstrates a trust in and longing for God.

Newman distinguishes between mere sentiment and true desire. An orientation of the heart turns the will toward God, placing us in a state proper to loving Him with a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. Dr. Meckley draws thoughtful parallels with Hopkins’ poetry, especially the poem “The Lantern out of Doors.” Much of human life is marked by solitude; yet, as Dr. Meckley observes, Christ remains present when no one else can be: the “first fast, last friend.” God’s presence answers the deep existential loneliness of the human heart. Ultimately, we are never truly alone.

This divine presence dwells in our inmost hearts—in our consciences—which are illuminated by God. The heart longs for friendship, and in its openness to God, it finds a home. The psalmist speaks as though God stands before him, bringing all things honestly before God and passing the test of opening one’s heart fully.

When we allow God’s light into our hearts, much is resolved. While celebrating natural goods has value, it has limits; the heart is ultimately made for the love of God, which alone can fully satisfy it. Our natural knowledge hints that there is something beyond the goods we pursue—they are never quite enough, and we always yearn for more.

Newman guides us to deeper self-knowledge through the test of doing God’s will: desiring to remain in His presence, even in our imperfection.

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

Dave Berg, longtime active Catholic friend, reacts to Newman’s 1834 sermon “Christian Zeal.”  Dave brings to light Newman’s understanding of zeal as a particular Christian grace that is perfected by faith and love. Without these virtues an incomplete zeal leads to a lukewarm state of mind with a temper of religious indifference. True zeal is guided by Christ’s example, an earnest desire for God’s honor. Newman offers saints Simon and Jude as prototypes of Christ’s loyalty in that they did not merely obey but they obeyed with promptitude, energy, dutifulness, disinterested devotion, disregard of consequences.”

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

Dr. Scott Goins, classics professor from McNeese St. University, finds Newman’s theory of education as a model for today’s educators. Newman’s pedagogical elevation of communal learning finds a home in today’s technological teaching. The sermon “Invisible Presence of Christ” insists that by allowing God’s presence we permit ourselves to be what we are meant to be. The unlikely survival and spread of Christianity throughout the ages is evidence of the existence of that Spirit. This same Spirit enters each of us through our shared search for happiness. Excessive individuality is an attempt to replace this thirsting space of for true happiness with strange and simple natural desires which can only be found in God. We best find Him (or rather He finds us) in the tradition and teachings of His Church. It is in our heart, formed in God and for God that we find true happiness. 

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

Fr Sean Magnuson, former military chaplain, analyzes Newman's sermon "Purity and Love” by explaining that fervent love must come from the substance of purity, like a candle's flame coming from the substance of its wax. The life of St. John the Evangelist shows us that his burning love for Christ and His mother fed on his purity. Newman explains that when we are drawn to God's goodness and beauty with our own powers we freely and genuinely love Him and in turn, others. Grace received in purity works within our individual will by properly ordering our desire to Divine union. Divine intimacy requires deep trust in Him, posing the ultimate question: do I love this sin or thing more than God? Nothing but love can enable you to live well or die well.

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

Olivia Spanton, a Catholic Studies graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota and now young financial planner, parish volunteer, and youth volleyball coach discusses Newman’s 1870 sermon, “Stewards and also Sons of God.” Olivia finds Newman relatable in that his style calls us out as he contrasts religion with the world. She presents the sermon theme as our need to realize that all of our God given gifts are to be returned to Him. Our duty lies in this – we are only borrowing God’s gifts therefore we have a duty to return them to Him. Newman leads us to understand that when we use our God given gifts well, we co-create with Christ. Since everything is gift, we must learn to hear the voice of God in order to affect the return. Olivia discloses that the only way to know someone’s voice is to spend time with them. Newman tells us that His voice directs us to a necessary surrender to Christ. Olivia suggests that one form of surrender is to offer Him our brokenness – surrendering our worldly filter in exchange for the filter of purity in Christ. It is in this purity that God uses our individual faculties to reveal Himself. For us to advance from servants to sons and daughters of God Newman tells us that we must “dig” into our sin to reclaim our union with Christ and we then must love in the form of “begging” for forgiveness enabling us to enter fully into the Paschal Mystery. All of us have an innate sense that sin is not our true identity. When we come to know ourselves in Christ, on the other hand, we find real freedom and joy in our “true self”. We must receive the graces freely offered by the Church to be made new in our identity in Christ. An under-examined conscience “dims” this innate sense. Without the right disposition formed by conscience our service of The Lord can become a performance rather than identity based as a son or daughter of God who receives everything as pure gift. Finally, purification of the soul avoids natural decay and since the soul is eternal, we should obviously strive for purity which is our protection against decay. Newman ends by telling us that becoming good stewards of the manifold gifts of God only happens when we allow grace to untangle our minds. With His grace we become not merely servants, but sons and daughters of God. We now have a mission to live in and move with this privileged inheritance. Its only through grace that we can merit heaven. It is like God telling us “do not run away, you cannot do this by yourself.” 

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

Caitlan Rangel looks at Newman’s sermon “The Duty of Self-Denial”. Newman helps us realize that we discover ourselves when we find true peace in the self-denying love of Christ. When this selfless love takes the form of co-suffering there is a profound closeness to the Lord. Like Christ, by giving up ourselves, we find joy. 

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

William Yanek, FOCUS missionary at Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minnesota looks closely Newman’s sermon “Christian Manhood”. Here William finds Newman explaining that true manhood is found when we break from our desire for worldly things and grow to desire only unity with God. This desire, provided by the Holy Spirit, is not a zero-sum game. We don’t earn His infinite mercy. Entering into His mercy is the only important thing. If our desires end only in worldly things, we become stuck and slaves to things of this world rather than pursue the ultimate beatitude for which we are made. The child can be blocked from realizing that there are infinitely higher views to engross his mind. If we contemplate our desires, we easily realize that nothing but the Infinite can satisfy our infinite longing. To begin the journey to the Infinite we must hand over all of your worldly wants and desires to Christ. If you want to realize what God promises you need to be willing to take a risk. It is in that space of risk and uncertainty where we learn to trust God. We then are able to rest all our hopes on Divine permanence and support.

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.

Sister Cinthya Carmona of the Pro Ecclesia Sancta order shares with us her thoughts on Newman’s mediations on the Sacred Heart of Jesus which can be found at newmanontap.com. All of Newman’s devotionals can be found at newmanreader.org. 

Sister Cinthya discovered that Newman wanted to give the best of himself to Christ. He realized that he had received so much that he responded with all that he had in order to give God glory and love. Newman makes an act of reparation to have the Lord help him purify his love for His heart. Newman speaks in the present tense because he is encountering the living God. His love is constantly given to the one that He loves. 

When we look to the Sacred Heart, we see a heart that is wounded enabling us to love within our own weaknesses. Wherever we are in life it is best to give our weaknesses to Him. Being open to receiving His love empowers us to bring Jesus to others. True charity in our hearts transforms other hearts. Since the Sacred Heart is shown to us as open, fragile, and vulnerable when we enter His heart we can not only heal our own wounded hearts, but we can bring that divine love to others. His heart is shown on fire because He has a burning zeal to transmit His love to us. The saints live in His zeal in such a deep way that humility is enkindled in them. Every time that we are disposed to the love of His heart we are created anew in His love.

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.