Homily from the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Knowledge without action is useless.

Too often, our problem as followers of Christ is not a lack of knowledge, but a lack of courage. In order for us to live the lives Jesus has made possible by his grace, we do not need to know more. We need to be brave enough to act on what we know.

Matthew 15:21-28

Homily from the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary is the New Ark of the New Covenant.

It is fitting that Mary was assumed into Heaven since she is the fulfillment of the Ark in the Old Covenant.

Luke 1:39-56

Homily from the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A distraction issue or a decision issue?

In order to achieve any worthwhile goal, we need to focus. Yet, distractions abound in our world and in ourselves. A distraction is anything that takes our focus away from what we need to be doing. But in order to know what a distraction is, we first have to know what it is we need to be doing.

Matthew 14:22-33

Homily from the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

Claimed. Respected. Trusted.

Jesus Transfigured on the top of Mount Tabor precedes His journey to Mount Calvary. On Tabor, He is not merely transfigured...He is Claimed, Respected, and Trusted as the beloved Son. We too need the Father's voice to voice His claim over us, His respecting us, and His entrusting a mission to us.

Matthew 17:1-9

Homily from the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Observe. Orient. Decide. Act.

When we are faced with the challenges and obstacles of following Christ, it is easy to become overwhelmed. But we do not have to solve all of the potential issues. We are simply called to face this problem and take the next step.

Matthew 13:44-52

Homily from the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The enemy can't win, he just wants you to lose.

The Church has been established by Jesus Christ Himself. And yet, the Church has sinners and sin within Her ranks. The enemy of God and humanity has done this. We need to be aware of sin in the Church and sin in our own hearts. If we stay awake and alert, we can guard against sin in the Church and in our lives.

Matthew 13:24-43

Homily from the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

We may want to run, but things get in the way.

God provides the grace that we need to be able to grow as fully and freely as possible. But life is full of obstacles that make this growth a challenge. With God's grace, we can be prepared for these battles.

Matthew 13:1-23

Homily from the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Hurry is the greatest threat to the spiritual life and the way of Jesus."

We constantly experience the temptation to "max out" our lives by racing from event to event, task to task. The goal of life is union with God and anything that takes us away from this goal is a major threat to this goal...including hurry.

Matthew 11:25-30

Homily from the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Just one more thing that could go wrong.

To protect one's heart is the safest way to live. But since we are made in God's image and likeness, we are made for love. Without love, we remain safe...but we remain incomprehensible to ourselves. To love is to be vulnerable...it is to risk. To receive the gift means we must be open to grief.

Matthew 10:37-42

Homily from the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

We must cultivate the fear of the Lord in our lives. If we do not, then we will have only a partial vision of who God truly is. If we do not cultivate the fear of the Lord, then we will never have the proper relationship with God that we are made for.

Matthew 10:26-33