Fourth Sunday of Lent (Year B) • Obedience to God flows from faith in God. Noah, Abraham, and all the rest are asked to trust God and to do what God asks. The Israelites often broke the covenant by refusing to do what God asked. But there is another way of breaking the covenant. Sometimes the people would go through the motions of loving God, without really loving God. Like a married couple who does all the right things, but hasn’t given their hearts to each other. Like a priest who seems to do a really good job but doesn’t actually love God. So Christians who do all the right things but haven’t given their hearts to God. Such works cannot save us. Where is your heart?

(11 Mar 2018)

Point to Ponder: Have I really given my heart to my spouse? When and how did it happen? (or if single: When did I fall in love with Jesus?)

Point to Discuss: It’s hard to tell when we haven’t given our hearts, especially when we wanted to and thought we did. What are some of the warning signs for a marriage, a priest, or a Christian that their heart isn’t in the right place? Discuss with a friend or a spouse.

Point for Action: Read my article Lent is All About Love again and reexamine your Lent in light of the call to love God and neighbor wholeheartedly.

Third Sunday of Lent (Year B) • On the mountain God gives Moses instructions for right living and right worship. The Israelites offer right worship to the true God first in the tabernacle and then in the Temple of Jerusalem. Jesus now enters this temple and proclaims that the time for the temple is over. The temple is being replaced with the Body of Christ. You and I are members of the Body of Christ. When you follow the commandments and live your purpose, you are a sign of the covenant.

(4 Mar 2018)

Point to Ponder: Meditate for a moment on being a Temple of the Holy Spirit.

Point to Discuss: How can you offer right worship to the true God? Talk to a friend about what it means to worship God and how you offer sacrifice.

Point for Action: In prayer today, speak to Jesus and give him permission to cleanse the temple of your body.

Second Sunday of Lent (Year B) • God can only bless Abraham through his sexuality when he finally puts it in God’s hands. Natural family planning is a way that we can learn to trust God with our fertility. We also need to trust God with our infertility. Trusting God transfigures our sexuality. More than just as source of pleasure, and pain, it will become something glorious that blesses us and the world. Abraham has finally learned that God is worth more and that God will keep His promises no matter what, even if it costs God His Only Son.

(25 Feb 2018)

Point to Ponder: What would it look like to trust God with your sexuality? In what ways do you struggle to trust God with this aspect of your life?

Point to Discuss: Read and discuss how natural family planning is different from what we commonly call “birth control”. Talk to a friend about pros and cons, and what seems to make the most sense.

Point for Action: Pray for couples that are struggling with infertility.

Learn more about the St. Gianna Clinic in Green Bay, WI

First Sunday of Lent • God said to Noah and to the whole earth: I take you to be my people, I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health… At Baptism God says these same words to us. Will you be faithful to God, as He has been faithful to you?

(18 Feb 2018)

Point to Ponder: You and God have a history together. What are some of the signs, sounds, or images, that remind you of God’s love for you?

Point to Discuss: It can be hard sometimes to believe that God is 100% faithful. Discuss with a friend the lies or doubts that sometimes get in the way of trusting yourself completely to God.

Point for Action: Bring a bottle of Holy Water home from church and bless yourself and your family daily.

Ash Wednesday • Valentine’s Day is about all kinds of love: be my friend, give me candy, and I LUV U. Lent is about one kind of love: God’s love. God’s love makes a covenant with us: “I will be your God, and you will be my people. Forever.”

The Israelite people slowly learned that God was worth more. Do we realize that God’s love for us is worth more than being rich, powerful, popular, or successful? Lent is about trading a few nice things for something so much better: a deeper relationship with God. This Lent put God first and learn for yourself that God is worth more.

(14 Feb 2018)

90 Day Challenge: Several years ago I addressed a large Confirmation class where I was told that many of the kids weren’t sure they wanted to be Confirmed. I told them they didn’t have to be Confirmed, or be Catholic, but they should try actually living the Faith first before they decided it didn’t work. I would challenge anyone to really live their Catholic faith for 3 months. Pray daily, come to Mass every Sunday, come to Confession, and grow in some significant way whether it’s learning more or changing sinful habits. And after the 90 days honestly ask yourself: “Is my life better now that I’ve put God first?” If it is, then keeping doing it. If not, then walk away.

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) • The leper was like a walking corpse. Jesus touched him and brought him back to life. What good is life if you have no purpose for living? The more we do, the busier we are, the less fulfilled we feel. God made you for a purpose: To know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in the next.

A Catholic funeral Mass reminds our loved ones that we are meant for Eternity. St. Damian and our parish Care Ministers remind the sick of their purpose and value. We need to be reminded regularly of our purpose. What do you focus on that interferes with knowing, loving, and serving God? This Lent, let Jesus bring you back to life.

(11 Feb 2018)

Point to Ponder: Which do you struggle with most right now: knowing God, loving God, or serving God?

Point to Discuss: How can I help my children (friends, neighbors, coworkers) to know, love, and serve God more?

Point for Action: Take a few minutes and reflect on your Lent in light of God’s purpose for your life.

Image Credit

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) • Jesus knows his purpose. St. Paul knows his purpose. Job eventually comes to appreciate that he has a purpose even if he doesn’t know what it is. Prayer can help us learn our purpose. Do you know your purpose?

(4 Feb 2018)

Point to Ponder: Prayerfully ask God to reveal to you the purpose he has for you.

Point to Discuss: Talk to someone who has a clear sense of purpose in their life: What is their purpose? How did they come to know this?

Point for Action: Today’s homily was short because of the Bishop’s Appeal Video. Watch this Video and consider Making a Gift.

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) • Moses was the greatest prophet in the Old Testament because he went up the mountain to speak to God face to face. But Jesus is greater because he is God come down the mountain. We can have confidence in Jesus: God really loves me, God knows better than I do, and God can bring good out of evil. Have confidence in Jesus and he will teach you how to teach your children.

(28 Jan 2018)

Point to Ponder: Catholics don’t have the same sabbath rules as the Israelites did, be we are still called to keep Sunday holy and a day of rest. How does working on Sunday reveal a lack of confidence in Christ?

Point to Discuss: Read more about the  the Lord’s Day. Talk to your family about what a day of rest would look like for all of you.

Point for Action: Make some concrete steps to avoid cleaning, shopping, and generally treating Sunday as a work day. Instead plan to play, rest, relax, and enjoy each other and God’s creation this Sunday.

From Fr. Mike

I didn’t preach this weekend so there’s no new Homily to share with you. But take a look at one of these classic homilies from our archives:

From 2015

Abandon Ship and Believe in God’s Merciful Love (#510, 3rd Sunday)

From 2012

“Pray like a Champion Today” (Homily for week 3)

(My recording has the dates wrong)

Reflection

Last week we talked about our direct line to God and the importance of listening for what God wants to say. And what does God say? He tells us to repent (first reading) and he calls us each by name (Gospel).

The world, and everything in it, is passing away (second reading). Do you love your marriage? It is passing away. One day one of you will kiss the other Goodbye and watch them close their eyes forever. And you will walk with them to the church, and the cemetery, and go home to carry on alone. Do you struggle with your marriage? It is passing away. Do you love, or loathe, the presidency of Mr Donald Trump? Like it or not, it’s already passing away. And so on with job, health, family, life circumstances— Good or bad, blessing or curse, it is all passing away.

What then can we do?

We are invited to turn away from the world and turn towards our God. God wants to lead us personally; he wants us to follow Him. He wants us to let go of passing things and cling to what lasts forever. The world is not evil, but it is passing. We should not cling to what will not last.  Listen and He will lead you to what lasts forever.

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year B) • The priest’s white collar is actually a telephone with a direct line to God. What would you say if you had a direct line to God?  God is really listening! We should be really talking to God, and really listening too.

(14 Jan 2018)

Point to Ponder: Ponder the idea that God hears every word you speak.

Point for Conversation: Who helps you listen to God? Tell them how the have helped you.

Point of Action: Who do you help to hear God’s voice? Pray to God about a person that needs to hear God’s voice more. What does God want to tell you?