Homilies Transcribed

November 26, 2025 - The Writing on the Wall: Persevere for Eternal Life

As we listen to the gospel today, the important part of our reading is the very last. "By your perseverance, you will secure your lives". What the Lord is speaking is not our current lives, but the lives to come. That of being in union with God for eternity, that's the life we are really looking forward to, where there'll be no more suffering, no more pain, but only the glory and joy of being God's presence.

It must have been really frustrating for the king when he sees us writing on the wall. If that wasn't scary enough, but then to learn that everything he thought he had was gonna be lost, his king would be divided. He would have no strength or power. That's not what he wanted to hear. I'm sure he thought, oh, it's gonna be a great gift that I'm going to be given.

It was just the opposite. I think in our own lives we can get into that situation as well. Everything is going so wonderfully then everything seems to collapse. I know as a priest when you get a letter that's really glowing and saying, you're doing a great job, it's not a day later that you get another letter that's saying You're our the worst possible priest ever.

And sometimes those are the letters that go to the bishop. And then he calls what's going on? But God still raises us up. Sometimes we have to be put in our place. We don't always do what's right. I remember one when I was a very young priest and people were always coming late to church. So when church began, I locked the church door and people were pounding on the door, let us in.

I said, don't let 'em in. Well, for the next three weeks. Everybody was on time, but so was a letter from the bishop. You can't do that. We have to be put in our place once in a while, and that book goes both ways. As a priest and as a people of God, we should be at church on time. We should not leave before the end of mass.

And I think that's one of the most frustrating parts of priesthood is seeing people leave right after communion. We still have an important part of the liturgy. The final blessing. The final hymn of giving praise to God. Why are we here for not to give thanks to God for all that he does? And that was the problem with the early people of God.

I love the history of the Jewish people. They had these great high points. Then they'd fall down and then God would lift them back up again, and then they'd get all of this pride. That's when they'd fall down again. To be on our high is good. When people go to Cillo, our marriage encounter, and they're on such a high, but then they fall back into the regular world, we can't always be on a high.

Sometimes we have to get to the depths so it can be raised up again, and that's not a bad thing. The Lord continue to help us in our journey of faith by this incredible gift that we've given today in this Eucharist, to have that grace and love of God that's given to us freely, and then for us to take that grace and share it with our brothers and sisters.

November 25, 2025 - When Empires Fall: Stand Ready for the Lord

As we recognize as the church year comes to an end, how our readings take a foreboding turn. Here we have the incredible sign that has been given to Nicodemus, that the Lord is gonna be coming. And then we hear from Nebuchadnezzar, this vision that he has this incredible structure of all these different materials.

And yet with all the wealth, all the prestige that would come, it all collapse. That must have been a frightening experience for him to hear that everything that he had would be lost and that future generations will have great conflict. And when we look at our world today, we see that happening. But yet the Lord says, don't be worried.

Don't get terrified. 'cause these things will happen. For the early church, they saw much of this happening. They saw the, the Kingdom of Rome falling apart. As we look at Revelation, that was John's writing about all of the collapses that were gonna take place, and yet the very end of it, he says, be filled with joy.

You wonder, well, how can you be filled with joy? 'cause the Lord will be there. He'll be welcoming us home as long as we're prepared. It doesn't matter when the end comes. 'cause if we're truly waiting for the Lord, if we've lifted up our hearts, if we changed our lives, it doesn't matter when the time comes.

'cause we will be ready and he'll be there with open arms saying Welcome home. For us to recognize that gift within our own lives is such an important gift. The Lord is willing to give us everything that we need to be a fulfilled person and what I mean, fulfilled, filled with the Lord, filled with the Holy Spirit, that we can be that example for our brothers and sisters of the power of Christ working through us for the betterment of our lives and the lives of our friends and family.

The Lord continue to bless us as we look forward to a new year. Filled with new hopes, new promises, new graces. The Lord is always there for us. Let us be there for him.

November 22, 2025 - Today You Will Be with Me in Paradise: A Message of Forgiveness

To have been at that scene of the crucifixion and to witness the incredible gift that the Lord was offering to this other victim of crucifixion. Today you will be with me in Paradise Ice, to really understand that the great gift the resurrection was offered, and then for those who don't believe in heaven.

Jesus gives complete testimony at that time 'cause you will be with me in paradise. He recognizes his own sinfulness and he came to the Lord asking for that great gift. We're so fortunate in our church that we can come for forgiveness. The Lord is always open to us saying, come home, be at peace. The sacrament of reconciliation is one of the great services that the Lord has offered to us, and it's good to see that wonderful sacrament is coming back.

More and more people are returning to the sacrament to seek the Lord's forgiveness and to be part of the community of faith. We are so blessed for In the early church when people wanted to go to confession, they had to confess before the whole congregation.

I don't think I'd want to do that, but they were willing to sacrifice their own humility for the sake of forgiveness, and yet all we have to do is come before God. Through the ministry of the Priest to be forgiven, to be given God's ultimate grace. But we're also given incredible gift right here at this mass when we can come forward and receive Christ himself.

The king of the universe gives himself to us, the one who created the world in the Gospel of John, it talks about Christ as the logos, the word who proclaims the world, who creates us in his love, being one with a father from all eternity. For us to recognize his presence in our midst. That he loves us and graces us with his very being. The Lord continued to bless us and strengthen us in this incredible gift that as we take Christ into ourselves, that we can go out and bring Christ to our brothers and sisters by what we say and what we do.

If we are true to our faith, we shouldn't be afraid. That was one of the great gifts that St. Paul gave to the early church, even as he was very mean to the church in the beginning, killing people for the faith, for the way his whole life would be transformed by the Lord. And then he became one of the greatest ambassadors for the life of the world, bringing Christ to so many people.

Even in the midst of suffering, being stoned, being shipwrecked, being thrown overboard and crucified in his own true way. For us to have that same kind of faith to trust God, that he'll give us what we need to do in word and in action to bring Christ to our brothers and sisters. The Lord continued to bless us and strengthen us in our faith. We can be that model of courage and strength for our brothers and sisters and for ourselves.

November 21, 2025 - When Family Includes Everyone: Jesus Redefines Kinship

For those who were in that occasion must have been wondering what is he talking about? This has gotta be kind of confusing. Your mother and your brothers are outside. They wanna see you, they wanna talk to you, and he simply says, Uhuh, here are my brothers and my mother and my sisters. It wasn't only talking to the people that were there, but he was especially talking to the disciples, telling them that their families that most of them had left, that their family is much larger than they could imagine.

It's caring for all their brothers and sisters. Everyone becomes family, the family of God. That's one of the great gifts that the priesthood offers to us. As we can become the father for the community, giving guidance and comfort and support, but that's not just for the priests, that's for each and every one of us to be able to care for one another in good times and in bad.

Sometimes it calls us to have to challenge one another, and that can be a hard thing to accomplish. 'cause often people don't wanna listen. They're in their own little world, and that could have happened to the disciples very easily. They could have gotten so caught up in their own lives that they failed to see the need for reaching out, and for most part, that was true at the very beginning, after the crucifixion.

They were scared. They were afraid for their own lives. Yet we know the Lord came back and gave them the courage to continue in the mission. Just as it gives us the courage to continue in our mission, in our baptism and our confirmation to be that witness to our brothers and sisters, bringing them the word of God for everyone is our brother and our sister and our mother to us.

The Lord continued to bless us in our journey of faith. Bless us in this wonderful Eucharist that we receive, that he gives us his strength, the ability to reach out and touch our brothers and sisters. Bringing them the comfort, the love, and the grace that they need to be able to be a child of God.

November 19, 2025 - Faith that Refuses: Lessons from the Maccabees

November 18, 2025 - Stand Firm: Lessons from Eleazar and the Maccabees

November 16, 2025 - Strength for the Journey: Eucharist and Courage in Times of Fear

As we come to the end of another church year, we always hear these rather foreboding scriptures. They can be quite frightening. And yet the Lord wants us to have great hope, to trust him 'cause he'll give everything that we need to persevere. As the early church was finding its way, I'm sure that the disciples were struggling.

Because they were fearful and yet through it all, they had some great courage. They were willing to go out and share the good news with their brothers and sisters, even in the face of great terror. And as we've heard so often from St. Paul on his journeys where he was beaten, stoned, thrown in prison, shipwrecked.

And yet through it all, he continued the ministry of reaching out to his brothers and sisters and sharing the faith that should give us great hope that when we bring the word of God to our brothers and sisters, we are continuing the mission of all the disciples. because we have been called to be disciples of Christ by our baptism and our confirmation we're to go forth and spread the good news.

And we're given the greatest hope promised to us by our Lord in receiving the Eucharist, by giving us his own body and blood. He gives us the strength to be able to go out and share the faith with our brothers and sisters. Only if we truly believe that what receive is the body and blood Christ.

For those who don't believe. It is gonna be hard because they won't have the strength they need to reclaim the truth, to recognize that from this altar Christ comes to us, he gives us himself and there's no greater gift to being like the disciples at the last Supper — to receive him. And then for those two that were on the journey to Emmaus and to meet the Lord and not recognizing that it is he who's in their midst till they sit down at dinner and they share a meal together, then they recognize him in the breaking of the bread.

What's interesting is then he disappears from them. Because he wanted them to recognize what was going to take place in their lives by the gift that he offered to them in his own body and blood. And for them to return to Jerusalem and say, we've met the Lord. That gives me chills that they were able to go back and say, brothers, guess what?

We saw the Lord and we shared a meal with him. We share a meal with the Lord every time we come to Mass, every time we receive, viaticum. He shares himself with us and there's no greater gift. The Lord continues to inspire us with this gift that he's offered, that we will be witnesses to the Lord even in the worst of times, even a face of great challenges, even the possibility of death.

He still gives us what we need as we look at all the modern martyrs throughout the world, and especially for our brothers and sisters in Nigeria, we're suffering greatly, but still willing to stand up for the faith. May we have the same kind of courage to be able to reach out and touch those that we know and share our faith.

Bringing them Christ that only we have the opportunity of sharing that God continued to bless us and strengthen us through this Eucharist, to be that sign, that gift, that grace for one another.

November 14, 2025 - Facing the End: Finding Hope in Uncertain Times

It's always interesting that as we enter the end of the church year, the readings get so foreboding. It's interesting how people can take these words and use them to destroy other people's lives. I remember back in college, there was that occasion where people were going around saying, the world is coming to the end in the next two days.

I wonder how they knew that. 'cause no one's gonna know the time of the hour. And then the Mayan calendar was coming to an end. The world's coming to an end. There's all these people prophesying the end of the world, and yet the Lord himself said, no one's gonna know the hour. The key to the all of it is to be prepared as we hear in the first reading.

Those who don't know the Lord are lost. They're foolish. We are so blessed to have that gift, to know the Lord's presence in our lives, especially as Catholics, to be able to have the presence of Christ with us that he gives himself to us every time we receive him. It's sad how many people have lost that connection, those who have left the church, and I wonder why you have the greatest gift given to you.

You. The Lord is present to you. Receive him. Allow him to change your life. For all of us, we need to recognize the Lord's presence that he gives us that great gift. And if we are truly prepared, we don't have to worry about the end of the world. 'cause we know where we're going to be. But it means we have to challenge ourselves.

We have to recognize we're not perfect. But God calls us to perfection to be the best we can be. Growing up in school, I can always remember my parents saying, we don't care what your grades are, as long as they're doing the best you can. That's the real challenge, to be the best that we can 'cause. God's gonna love us all the more, the better we do.

Not that He's gonna take us less if we don't. We're not perfect. But that we strive to be more perfect. The Lord help us in our journey of faith today to accept him from this altar and allow him to chance transform us into the perfect person that we can be in loving one another, caring for another, and loving our God.

November 13, 2025 - Wisdom for the End Times: Always Be Ready

As we listen to this incredible book of wisdom, to have the wisdom of Solomon, that great understanding of that depth of understanding of compassion and mercy, but also of real understanding of God's presence and his gift that only can he can provide. As we are looking towards the end of another church year, we see all these forecasts of doom and gloom.

And Jesus says, don't get persuaded by this. For every day should be the day that we look to the ends of the earth to the end of our own creation. 'cause if we do that, then we're ready for that time. I can remember in college, there was that time where people were going around saying, the end of the world is coming.

It's gonna be in the next couple days. That could have been a really frightening experience, but it's interesting. God tells us, Jesus Christ tells us no one knows that time or the hour. So why should we get influenced by these people that are peddling this nonsense? And if we're truly prepared, it doesn't matter.

If he comes the next minute, it doesn't matter if we're ready. And that's the real key to the wisdom, is being prepared every moment of our lives that if we're ready, it doesn't matter at all to understand God's presence and his love for us. And the gift that he gives us in this Eucharist is what keeps us in tune with who we are as a child of God.

Because if we truly understand that God loves us so immensely, then it does change our lives. It helps us to look inward in seeing we're not perfect and we're called to be perfect as Christ is perfect. And that can be a challenge 'cause we know that we can't do it by ourselves. We have to have his help and to be able to come and receive Christ.

It's one of the greatest gifts we can have, that he loves us so much that he's willing to give us himself. In this Eucharist, I may we take that depth of understanding, that wisdom that the Lord has to offer us and prepare ourselves for this moment or next day, next year, next millennium. It doesn't matter as long as we are prepared.

November 12, 2025 - The One Who Returned: A Samaritan’s Grateful Heart

I have always found this gospel greatly inspiring. Here we have these 10 lepers. The sadness of their own illness is one thing, but then to be ostracized from the community. They were to have no contact with anyone. They were not allowed to go to the temple. They were not allowed to see their relatives.

They had to stay off by themselves. And sometimes someone nice would throw them some food, but it was always left at a distance because no one could get close to them 'cause of their illness. And yet they see the Lord coming and you wonder how did they know it was him? Because if they were totally shut off from the rest of the world, how could they have the knowledge?

And yet they were inspired to say, Lord, I need your help. And he doesn't say, I'm going to heal you. He says, just go off to the priests and tell them. That must have been a frightening experience for them. 'cause they were not to have any contact and yet to go to the priest and say, I need your, your blessing.

And yet as they go off this one to see that he has healed and he goes back to thank the Lord. What an awesome experience that must have been. To recognize he was healed of that infirmity and that he could once again go to see his family go be part of the community. What's fascinating, he was a Samaritan.

He was totally outside the reach that was normal. He was this foreigner that was despised, and yet he's the one that recognized the gift that he had been given. I think sometimes we can be like the outsiders. And feeling that we're different from everyone else. And yet the Lord says, no you're not because I created you.

I have given you everything you need trust. And that's what these 10 lepers had to find out. They needed to trust the Lord. But then when we are healed to give thanks, to say thank you, Lord for what you've done for me. To be able to come to mass and to receive the Lord and give him thanks 'cause that's what Eucharist means.

Thanksgiving. That's the way we come to give thanks to God for all he is done for us in the past, and all the things he is going to do for us in the future that He's ever present. And we ask the Lord to continue to inspire us, fill us with the grace of understanding our own need for healing and being healed.

And being able to give thanks to God for his blessings, his kindness, his mercy, and his love.

November 11, 2025 - Ought, Not Should. Living as Unprofitable Servants

To be unprofitable servants doing what the Lord asks of us. And that can be a challenge at times. But it's interesting in our first reading how it we're gonna be challenged. But if we follow that challenge and do what we ought to do, things are gonna be wonderful for us. Maybe not in this world, but definitely in the next.

I always love the word ought is so much better than should. Should is something. Ah. Maybe you want to do it, but ought you are entitled to do it. We need to recognize that in our lives there's things that we ought to do and one is to recognize the Lord's presence in our lives, to be an example for our brothers and sisters of the Lord working through us.

For the betterment of ourselves as well as our brothers and sisters. And that definitely can be a challenge. 'cause oftentimes we, in that challenge, we don't wanna follow through 'cause we know it's gonna be hard. And yet if we'll truly trust the Lord, he makes it easy for us to be able to go out and share the faith with our brothers and sisters.

One of the great challenges we have is in the course of life. To be able to stand up to people and say, I do not believe that abortion is correct. It is taking the gift that God has given no matter what the circumstance. That's a precious life and as I've heard some women who were conceived through rape and how they have been blessed by having life 'cause they're able to bring the gift of life to their brothers and sisters.

That ordinarily they wouldn't be able to achieve and to recognize that all life is important when we look at the death penalty, as often as some people can be so cruel to others, that doesn't mean we should be cruel back. And one parish in which I was stationed, a young man was murdered. And it was sort of a vicious triangle with a girl and two guys.

And the one guy was very jealous, even though the couple had broken up and he executed this other boy in the trial, he was found guilty and the judge asked the parents, what do you want us to do? And they said, we cannot take another life and we have to give him the opportunity for reconciliation with God.

That changed my opinion about the death penalty 'cause they saw the worth of life. And giving someone an opportunity to make a change in their life, for us to recognize that gift of all life, from conception to natural death is so important that we need to stand up for that, that grace that God can provide me, Lord, help us as he helped.

Our wonderful Saint today, Saint Martin of Tours, a man of great faith, a conscientious objector to war, even though his father was a soldier and he became a soldier, but only served as a civilian within war, and to become a great gift to those to whom he served, and those that he witnessed to in his later life.

May we be that kind of individual to our brothers and sisters, bringing them Christ and all of his love in the good and the bad.

November 10, 2025 - Who Do You Say I Am? Peter’s Bold Confession

As we listen to our scriptures this morning, and we listen especially to Matthew's recounting of this event, Jesus wants to know who the people think he is and they give these wonderful responses. Well, obviously he's, you know, a great prophet. He's one of the ones that really give us our faith, but he says.

Even more than that, who do you as my disciples say that I am and wonderful St. Peter. He's always there to be the first to respond to the Lord. He says, well, you're the Christ. You're the Son of the living God. What a incredible pronouncement that was to respond to Jesus that way. It said a lot about his understanding of God.

But the only way he could do that, it was not from human experience, is by God helping him to understand that gift he had to have God's help. Just as we need God's help in our daily lives. We can't always do it by ourselves. We can get afraid. We can have our struggles, but when we ask God to help us, he gives us what we need.

That's true for priests too, especially when they're preaching. We don't always have the right words. We have to rely on the Holy Spirit and God to give us what we need to give to our brothers and sisters to help them too. To live the faith, even in the worst of times, to be able to turn to God and say, I need your help.

I can't do it myself. And that's okay. 'cause that's why God's there. That's why when we receive the Eucharist, this incredible gift that God has for us. He gives us the strength we need when we turn to God and say, I need you today. He's gonna be there. And we ask the Lord to help us in our journey of faith as we live our lives, as children of with our parents, and with our godparents and with our own grandparents, to understand God's love for all of us.

And sometimes we're not the best of people. But God helps us to overcome our difficulties and know that he loves us and he wants us to love others. May God continue to bless you. He's given you this great opportunity. May the Lord continue to bless you and strengthen you in your faith to be that example for your brothers and sisters, for your parents, for your teachers.

And for our world to know that God is there and he care and loves each and every one of us.

November 9, 2025 - Saint John Lateran: Rome’s Hidden Heart

Today as we celebrate this wonderful feast of St. John Lain, often we think of the Church of Rome as being St. Peter's Basilica, but the real basilica of Rome is St. John Lain. It is the main sea of Rome. It's an incredible building filled with inspired. Creativity and love, and as we look at all of our scriptures today, they're talking about these buildings, but it's not about buildings.

It's about what comes out of the buildings that is so important. In our first reading, we hear about all these streams of water flowing forth from the temple, each of the four directions. That is really the stream of ourselves flowing out from this church. Not this building, but the church as a body of Christ flowing out and bringing Christ's presence to our brothers and sisters.

And when St. Paul is talking about the church, the foundation that is so necessary, and that foundation being Jesus Christ, he gives us what we need to be that firm foundation for our brothers and sisters. But that means we have to really recognize. Who we are, that we've been created in the likeness of God.

And because of that, that great gift, we have to be an example. And oftentimes that means we have to make some changes in our lives. 'cause we're not perfect. We need to be changed. And with the Lord's help we can make that change. He can call, call us ever closer to himself and to our brothers and sisters.

And as we read in the gospel, Jesus goes into the temple and they're selling all these things, which was custom, but he was tired of it. There's something greater in the temple than all of these things that people are buying for sacrifice. 'cause the greatest sacrifice was right in front of them. He was the ultimate sacrifice.

He was the willing to take on all of our sinfulness by his own death and resurrection to really recognize that gift in our lives that he was willing to sacrifice for us dying on a cross, one of the most painful punishments that could be enforced on one. He was willing to put his arms out on that cross. He nailed to that cross for us

today as we receive the Eucharist, as the body of Christ, he continues to nourish us with his very self. We really need to understand and comprehend what that means. That he was willing to die so that we could have this Eucharist to give us strength that we need. And the Lord continues to inspire us by the life he lived by, the gift he gives us in the Eucharist to be that flowing stream out to our brothers and sisters, bring them truth that we are the foundation that brings life.

Justice, peace and hope for our brothers and sisters.

November 5, 2025 - Choose Less, Follow More: The Challenge of Letting Go

We have a very challenging couple of readings today. First, to recognize that to owe nothing to anyone is a real challenge. 'cause today most of our credit cards are filled with wanting things and we get behind in our culture of what is really necessary, and that's what the Lord is speaking of as well today.

To give up all your possessions on our culture. That's a hard thing to do. We want more and more things and what is the real thing that is most important in our lives? That's the Lord himself. To be able to take up our cross and follow him is a definitely a challenge. 'cause our culture wants us to possess a lot of things.

Buy more, buy more, buy more. And yet we need to oppose that. That's all of us. Even priests, they love their cars. That's the one big purchase we make in our lives. 'cause we don't have the opportunity to buy a home. We don't have a opportunity to buy many of the things that our community and our society says we should have.

After retiring, I found out that the church doesn't provide very well for the retired priests. For the first time in my life I had to buy furniture. I had to buy dishes, had to buy, all these things I didn't have to buy when I was an active priest 'cause it was all provided. And that becomes a burden 'cause you have to have these things to exist.

Sad, isn't it? And yet Jesus said All you need to take is a walking staff, not even sandals for your feet. That was a real challenge for the disciples, that they had to give up everything, even their families, to follow him. And we know the Lord still acknowledges the families 'cause he went to Simon's mother-in-law and healed her, brought her the healing that she needed, the Lord provides for us.

In the simplicity of life, not in the many possessions. May we recognize within our own lives that which is necessary. 'cause we do need things to exist. But there's many things that we can give up. We ask the Lord to help us in that challenge, to recognize within ourselves what is most important, and to acknowledge that we don't need everything.

It's okay to have it, but it can't take control of us. May the Lord help us in that journey to understand how we relate to God and he relates to us.

October 29, 2025 - We Ought to Pray: a Call to Deeper Commitment

October 26, 2025 - Thrown Down, Raised Up: Lessons in True Humility

Our scripture today really reflects on humility as we hear from St. Paul. He writes his love letter to Timothy that he's run the course. He's fought hard, but he knows it's the end, but he's given everything to the Lord with true humility. A man who persecuted the church and yet had this incredible experience of changing his life, really being humbled, being thrown off his horse and hearing the word of the Lord, telling him to change his life, to be opening for this new church that has come upon the world.

Then we hear of these two individuals who come into the temple to pray. That's. Pharisee, this man of great wealth and privilege, and he doesn't really humble himself. He thinks he's above everyone else. Then we have this tax collector who very humbly comes before God says, I'm a sinner and I need your help.

We have to recognize within our own lives where we stand in our relationship with God. In the seminary at one of our masses in the chapel, we had this little platform in which the celebrant would sit. It was a raised elevation, but it had no backing on it. And Father, after he did the opening, he probably went to sit down and he fell backwards off the back of it.

And his vestments were all askew, and he said, I always pray before mass that God will keep me humble, and all he ever does is humiliate me.

There's a difference between humility and being humble, being humiliated. I find that every time I talk to a bishop. After I'm done talking with him, I think, oh, what did I say? I'm sure I said everything wrong. And when you get into that habit and not rec, really recognizing the Lord works through us in so many ways.

Even when we think we're at the bottom, he lifts us up. And that's being humble, knowing that we're not in charge of anything. Only God is in charge. And that really takes humility and giving ourselves over to God. 'cause we know God loves us, he cares for us, and he'll never do anything to really harm us.

And that seems contradictory to the lives of the Saints when so many were martyred for the faith, but it's in their humility that they offer themselves up for the glory of God. That's being humble. 'cause we know God's gonna take care of us. As we look at our world today, and we see so many martyrs when we look at the church in Nigeria where so many Christians are being murdered, so many churches are being burned down, but God still raises them up.

When we look at all the innocent children in the womb that are being taken, the sacrifice that they're offering, that in their innocence, God lifts them up, but it's our responsibility is people of faith to pray for them and to pray for an end to this insidious crime, this murder of innocence. And to recognize that all life from conception to natural death is precious.

It's a God-given, right that we have no responsibility to take away that. To truly be humble is offering all life to God and let him be the master. May the Lord help us in our journey of faith to answer that call. That the Eucharist that we receive today is that gift to us to help us to be humble when we come forward, to receive the Lord, to be humbled in his sight when we say amen.

So be it that this is a living God who gives himself to us to keep us strong in our faith. The Lord help us in this journey to live up to that faith that we've been given. And to be that instrument of peace and humility for our brothers and sisters.

October 22, 2025 - The Smile That Changed a Life: Lessons from St. John Paul II.

October 18, 2025 - Unyielding Faith, Moses, the Persistent Widow and the Call to Perseverance.

The key to our scriptures this evening is that of persistence. We first see the persistence of Moses in his war against the amids to bring a victory, but it wasn't easy holding up our hands for any period of time. We get weak, and as he got weak, they would overtake his his kingdom. But when his hands were raised, they'd win again.

To have the wisdom of finding a stone frame to sit on so that they could help support his arms was such a bright idea that would come to them so that he could have that victory. Then there's some incredible letter that Paul writes to his good friend Timothy. I charge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead.

And by his appearing and his kingly power proclaim the word, be persistent, whether it is convenient or inconvenient, it confess. Reprimand encouraged through all patience and teaching. That's the real key to priesthood is to be that witness to the faith, to be strong in our commitment to delivering the truth to the people of God.

Whether it's convenient or inconvenient in too often today's society, it's easier to be inconvenient than convenient 'cause the world doesn't want to hear what we have to say. They have their own. Guidance as it were, which is totally against the will of God. And we have to be strong. We have to be forthright.

And that can be a challenge 'cause the world doesn't want to hear it. And sometimes that happens within our own families. One of the hardest things in confession is hearing parents say, our children have lo left the church. I think in reality that's not really true. 'cause as parents, we've given them the truth and it's there.

It's, it's somewhere in there. And if we are truly like St. Monica and we're praying for our children, they'll return. She waited 30 years for Augustine to come back to the church. And what an incredible time that was. It would not only come back to the church, become one of its greatest teachers, one of the greatest men of faith, even confessing his own sinfulness so that others could see the light of God in their own lives.

And as the Lord today talks about this judge who's pretty wicked 'cause he doesn't believe in God, he doesn't believe in. His brothers and sisters 'cause he's the judge. He makes all the right decisions. Yet this poor widow keeps coming to him saying, you've got a rule for me back over and over and over again.

And finally he says, I guess I better do something. Or someday she's gonna go whack me. Well, I don't think she would ever do so. But her persistence is what won her victory. So we have to have that same persistence to really recognize God is there for us. He cares for us. He cares for us so much that he's willing to sacrifice his own son for us, giving us the possibility of turning life, eternal life.

But if we don't live our faith, then we're at risk. Through this wonderful gift that we received this evening, this wonderful gift of Jesus Christ himself that comes to us in this incredible sacrament that gives us the strength to carry on that mission. Just as he gave this great calling to the disciples to be able to reach out and touch their brothers and sisters, bringing them the faith.

Will Lord help us to be that witness to our brothers and sisters to bring Christ in his love, his mercy, his forgiveness and his grace to our brothers and sisters.

October 11, 2025 - From Leprosy to Thanksgiving: The Samaritan Who Returned

Two incredible events take place in our readings, both involving lepers, the first being healed and going back to give thanks and there's no greater God than your God. He says to them, then we have the 10 lepers way off in a distance. 'cause they weren't there allowed to get near anyone else. So Lord sees them after they yell.

And he says, go yourselves. Show yourself to the priest, and they all take off. What's interesting about this account is the one that returns, 'cause you went to see a priest, it wasn't a Jewish priest, it was a Samaritan priest. So I often wonder, what did that priest say to him that was different than the others?

Go back and tell him, thanks. Give thanks to his God for what he has done. In many ways we are lepers. 'cause we all have sores mostly that no one else can see, but we can see them ourselves and we too need to be healed. That's why we have this incredible gift of reconciliation when we can go and be cleansed of our sins to give thanks to God for all that he has done for us.

It is good to see so many are returning to the sacrament today. There was over 40 people that came to the gift before mass to imagine that taking place again in a church. The times that I've been up in Kettering for celebrations, they had to call me to help 'cause they already had three priests and they were still needing priests to help with a sacrament.

That is so hopeful 'cause it's saying we understand the need for healing within our own lives and that the only one that can bring that healing is God himself. God in the blessed trinity heals us of our sinfulness. But first we have to acknowledge it that we are sinful people. But too often our pride gets in the way.

We think we're better. That we think we have the answers. In reality we don't. The other one that really has the answers is God himself, but he guides us. He gives us what we need to be able to be that source of strength and courage, not only for ourselves, but for our brothers and sisters, for the members of our families.

'cause how we live and how we recognize our own sinfulness helps us to understand the sinfulness of others. And to be able to give forgiveness and grace such wonderful gifts that we have to offer. The greatest gift of all the Lord saw that we needed was himself, that he so freely gives us from this altar that he feeds him, feeds us with himself.

May we accept that gift. And prepare ourselves to be that example of strength and courage for our brothers and sisters, bringing them to the gift of reconciliation, their own gift of forgiveness for them and for ourselves.

October 8, 2025 - Jonah’s Anger and God’s Mercy

I love this story of Jonah and his relationship with God. He's angry at God in the beginning because God is of given forgiveness, and yet he knows that's the very heart of who God is compassionate and loving and caring, but he's still mad at him. You did all this stuff to me. Why aren't you being cruel to them?

And yet. God gives him the simple grace. He protects him overnight, but then when morning comes, he falls into the same predicament. He's angry at God again. I think for the most part, we're very much like Jonah. We can get so angry at God. Why aren't you doing this for me? Why aren't you taking care of me?

Oh, God takes care of us. We're the ones that are usually at fault. We're the ones that don't really listen to his word. We don't practice the faith that we've been given to know that we truly have a loving and tender and merciful God, and yet we are far from that. We don't forgive very easily. And the worst is when we don't forgive ourselves in the sacrament of reconciliation, when people at the end, because it's been tradition and for all my past sins.

Well, if those sins have been forgiven, they're forgiven. Stop holding onto them 'cause they're not gonna take you anywhere. Good. To really recognizing God is so forgiving, then we have to be forgiving of ourselves. And today when he's asked, teach us to pray, he gives us the greatest prayer of all. There's no greater prayer than the Lord's Prayer.

To really listen to the words, to proclaim them whenever we say them, to really understand what we are saying. Too often we rush through it just to get through it. There's nothing worse, and the times when I've been in communion with others and playing the rosary and they want to get it done in 10 to 15 minutes.

When in reality it should take 20 to 25, 30 minutes if we're truly praying, allowing those words to touch the very heart of who we are, to know that God is present to us, and asking the intercession of blessed mother to give us that guidance that we need, may our prayer truly be one of unity -- Union with God and with one another.

October 4, 2025 - Mustard-Seed Faith: Trusting a Caring Master

It is a fascinating gospel that we hear. The first part seems so obvious, Lord, increase our faith. Don't we all wanna say that to the Lord? 'cause our faith, for the most part, is pretty weak, and we need to have that help to be even more compassionate and caring and loving for one another and for ourselves.

And he says, simple. If you have the faith, the size of a mustard seed, you can say that it's mulberry tree be uprooted and planted into the sea and it would obey you. That's not much faith is it? Very simple. Yet we still lack. We still struggle. Then we hear this interesting tale of this master and a servant.

What is a servant to do? Well, he's to do what he's supposed to always do, obey the teaching and the directions of his master. So it's interesting. He starts out and saying, well, servant, come in and sit down and have your food and drink. I'll take care of you. It doesn't seem very logical. Rather that you are to be weighted upon,

the servant is there to help the master. I think sometimes we get confused in our own lives on who's the master in our lives, especially in our culture today. We want to be the ones in charge. We want to have all the say and rarely do we rely on the Lord to be that master in our own lives. And that's the key to the gospel.

We have to turn to the Lord, he will provide for our needs. We are to wait on him. And that can be a challenge at times. 'cause we get so caught up in our own lives and what we want to do and the things that we have to do. But if we really step back, usually those things we don't need to do. Because if we truly put our faith and trust in God, he'll take care of everything.

For us to have that understanding is such a great gift. 'cause that's the wisdom comes with age. As we get older, we realize there's not much ahead of us, far fewer days before us than is after. So what do I do with the last of my days? How do I spend them in loving God and loving my brothers and sisters?

As I'm getting older, I'm recognizing there's not as many summers ahead of me and how am I gonna fulfill those days? Summer seems to be so short and winter's so long, and yet they're the same length. To recognize the gifts that we have are so precious and that the Lord has given us each and every day, 365 days of the year, each one, unique and wonderful, all and the ability to give praise to God, to recognize we are servants of the Lord.

So what does that mean for us? We like the disciples to be willing to reach out to the brothers and sisters and share the faith that God loves us so dearly and we in turn need to love one another. I mean, Lord, help us in that journey through this incredible gift that we receive tonight in his Eucharist, that he gives us himself this wonderful, unique gift.

Nowhere else in the world can you receive this gift than from the mass The Lord blesses us and the strength of us in our faith. Let us bring that faith to our brothers and sisters.

October 3, 2025 - Woe and Welcome: Hearing the Lord’s Call Today

It has always fascinated me when we have a reading like our first today, that we would end with, thanks be to God. 'cause it's anything but thankful things were happening that were not good. And it often reminds me that the past really never changes. That rather that letter could be written to us today how much we have forsaken the Lord.

How we've turned away from him in so many parts of our lives today. Our culture is in a way, foreign to what we should be living. People have faith and understanding and compassion and mercy, but also tied to the Lord, listening to what he has to tell us and living that faith and that continues in our gospel today.

Woe to you Zen. Woe to you be. Why are you not listening to the Lord? Why are you not living your faith? It's often hard for priests to preach to congregation because you're the choir. You're already living your faith. What needs to be done is going out to the broader world and saying, you need to change.

You need to be open to the Lord speaking to you. And that can be really difficult. 'cause sometimes it's even a challenge within our own families for them to hear the word of God and to live that word. But yet that's our calling, not just for priests and bishops and the Pope, but for each one of us. We have responsibility to live the faith and to guide others to the faith.

We ask the Lord to assist us in that journey. Because he is given us the help we need, that we receive right here from this altar today. 'cause the Lord gives us himself and there's no greater gift that we could receive than we receive in our baptism, in this communion and in the confirmation that we've received that the Holy Spirit's been given to us to be that challenge for our brothers and sisters.

The Lord continued to inspire us. To fill us with his love, that we can be that instrument of grace for our brothers and sisters.

October 1, 2026 - Forgiven — Don’t Look Back: Finding Freedom in God’s Mercy